Settlers attempt to grab land in Matiranga
On 17 July, a group of Bengali settlers from Matiranga Sadar area attempted to grab several acres of land belonging to indigenous Jumma peoples in Toikumbha-para under Washu Mouza No. 207 in Matiranga Upazila of Khagrachari district.
When the settlers began cutting trees and clearing jungles, the local village women resisted them.
According to the villagers, the settlers had made another attempt to occupy the same land in 2020.
Land grab attempt in Longudu
Reports from different sources said the Bengali settlers also made an attempt to grab land in Longudu under Rangamati district.
On 17 July, a group of 20 – 22 settlers from Shilkatachara tried to grab an unspecified acreage of land belonging to four indigenous Jumma villagers.
Md. Hossain, 29, son of Harunur Rashid, Md. Sagor, 24, son of Shariful, Md. Monshur Ali, 40, son of late Majid, Md. Jalil, 32, son of late Salam and Md. Farooq, 41, son of late Hassan Ali led the attempted land grab.
The settlers cleared jungle and cut fruit trees planted by the indigenous villagers.
The owners of the lands protested on the spot, but the settlers paid no heed to them and cleared about 2 acres of land that day. Moreover, they warned the Jumma land owners not to obstruct their work, claiming the land belong to Md. Hossain.
The name of land owners whose lands the settlers are trying to grab are Anil Bikash Chakma, 45, son of Suro Lal Chakma, Ratna Joti Chakma, 36, son of Gyanendra Chakma, Anjan Prashad Chakma, 48, son of Harish Chandra Chakma and Sajeeb Chakma, 45, son of Ratna Kumar Chakma.
Land grab attempt by settlers fails in Maischari
On 20 July, Md. Abdul Latif, a Bengali settler from Lemuchari, and a group of army personnel from newly built Joysenpara camp went to the village of Bodanala in Maischari under Mahalchari Upazila in Khagrachari district with an apparent aim to destroy houses which the indigenous Jumma villagers built on their land.
But when the village women showed up and told the army that the land on which the homes have been constructed belong to them, they army kept silent.
The women then directed all their anger to Adbul Latif son of Kashem Mondol, telling him not to come to their land ever again along with army and police.
The following day, that is 21 July, the army went to Bodanala village again, this time accompanied by Sajai Marma, chairman of Maischari Union Council and police.
The commander leading the group told the owners of the houses to appear in the Joysen-para camp with documents pertaining to their land whenever he asks them to.
However, Mr. Sajai Marma took exception, arguing that the matter has nothing to do with the army, but with the law and the land office.
Maischari is one of the flashpoints of settler violence in the CHT. The region has seen many incidents of forcible land grabbing, attack on indigenous Jumma neighbourhoods, arson and frequent looting by illegal Bengali settlers in collusion with the security forces in recent times.
A planned new army camp threatens to evict Jummas in Sajek
The army has planned to construct a new camp for themselves in Aat Nong Para (Para No. 8) under Sajek Union of Baghaichari Upazila in Rangamati district, a move that if carried through would dislodge five Jumma families from their land.
According to our sources, on 25 July, a group of army personnel, numbering 10 – 12, from Ruilui-para camp went to Aat Nong Para village and told Khulomoni Chakma, the Karbari of the village, that they wanted to build a camp there.
Immediately after telling this, they army men began clearing jungles on the selected location, and they continued to do so even when the villagers lodged a strong protest, arguing against the construction of the camp.
The site of the new camp lies between Machalong Bazar and Ruilui hill’s tourist zone, and there is a police camp approximately 500 yards from this site, which makes another security camp in the same area unnecessary.
The families who are facing eviction are Supriyo Chakma son of Monu Ranjan Chakma (he will lose 3 acres of fruit garden), Riten Chakma son of Gautam Chakma (4 acres of fruit garden), Pushpalata Chakma a widow (2 acres of fruit garden), Kamal Bikash Chakma son of Bhalukkya Chakma (2 acres of fruit garden) and Smriti Bikash Chakma son f of Surjyo Mohan Chakma (5 acres of fruit garden).
Lama Rubber Industries continues land grab attempt in Lama
The Lama Rubber Industries Ltd, a privately owned company, in an attempt to grab 400 acres of land belonging to indigenous Mro and Tripura communities, continues to harass the villagers in Lama, Bandarban.
On 25 July, at 10 a. m, Langkom Mro’s wife Ms Rowleng Mro and her young girl were working on their paddy field, when 6 – 7 Bengalis led by Delwar and Kuddus Mian, employees of Lama Rubber Industries, prevented them.
They hurled abusive and foul language at Mrs Mro and warned, ‘Stop working, you must not work here, you must leave this place.’
The miscreants then ransacked their farm house and took away the CI sheets.
In a similar fashion, on 26 July, Delwar, Kuddus and others ransacked Yonging Mro’s farm house and looted the CI sheets.
Again on 27 July, at 10 a. m. they prevented the Mros from working in their field and snatched bamboo baskets from them.
Army tries to stop Jummas from constructing houses in Khagrachari
On 28 July, a group of army tried to stop Jumma people from constructing houses on their own land in Romesh Karbari Para and Tholi Para villages under Ward No. 8 of Khagrachari Sadar Union No. 1 in Khagrachari district.
A Bengali settler, Md. Kashem, from Natun Para under the same Union, took the army there to prevent the Jummas from constructing the houses. He claimed ownership of the said land without producing any documents pertaining to it.
The indigenous Jumma villagers said they have been living there for generations and that they have a cremation ground near the land plots where the houses are being built, while Kashem is an outsider, who has no justification to claim the ownership of their land.
- ASSAULT ON DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS
DGFI, Vigilante threats prevents World Nature Conservation Day programme
Programmes marking the World Nature Conservation Day could not be held in Mahalchari due to threats and intimidation by DGFI and army-backed vigilante groups.
On 28 July, students of various schools and colleges of Mahalchari Upazila under Khagrachari district decided to launch cleaning drives and hold rallies in three places to mark the Day.
But no rally and cleaning drive could be organized in Mahalchari Sadar Union because of threats and intimidation by the Directorate General of Field Intelligence and the reformist faction of the PCJSS.
As the students were preparing for the rally in the morning, a DGFI official from Mahalchari zone, named Mosaddeq, called the organizers over mobile phone and asked them not to go ahead with the programme.
He branded the rally and cleaning drive as ‘a UPDF programme’ and threatened them by saying: ‘If you organize the rally today, I’ll take serious actions against you later.’
In Mubhachari Union, the Reformists and the army-backed vigilantes issued similar threats to the common students, forcing them to abandon their plan.
However, students in Maischari Union succeeded in organizing a rally and launching a cleaning drive in which local elders and public representatives also participated. The theme of programme was “Let’s be conscious about the bad impacts of plastic and polythene wastes and be safe.”
On 11 October, Muslim settlers built two houses after grabbing lands belonging to Bikek Sadhana Bana Vihara, a Buddhist temple, and Samir Chakma in Bhaibonechara of Langudu Upazila in Rangamati district.
In protest, the Jumma villagers destroyed these illegal houses, after which the settlers attacked the Vihara, forcing Ven. Klesh Bijoy Bhikkhu, the chief priest, and two novices, Sramana Dharma Dorshon and Sramana Rupom, to flee.
The settlers then looted three solar fans and wooden logs kept for building the kitchen of the temple.
The following day the army went to the vihara and told the chief priest, who had returned in the morning after the settlers had gone, that the settlers would stay in their newly built houses.
On 12 October, the Jumma villagers held a protest meeting, formed Longudu Land Protection Committee and declared a blockade of waterways for 14 October.
On 14 October, while the blockade was underway, Saiful Islam, the Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Longudu, OC Iqbal Uddin, Bame Longudu Sub-zone commander Captain Tashirul Islam visited the ‘disputed land’ and fined Samir Chakma, the owner of the said land, with Taka 50,000 (fifty thousand) for destroying the houses.
They also adjudged that Mohammed Rashed, who built the houses illegally, would dismantle the same after the first installment of the fine, Taka 25,000, is received by him.
The second installment is to be paid within one month of the payment of the first installment.
However, the UNO failed to order the settlers to pay compensation for the looted property.
