The CHT Monitor
A Monthly Report by Humanity Protection Forum on Human Rights Situation
in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh
Edited By:
Dr. Gautam Chakma, chairman, HPF, Tripura, India
Reports on Human Rights Situation in the Chittagong Hill Tracts
For the month of
September 2023
Issued on: October 1, 2023
SUMMARY
There have been reports of several incidents of human rights violations in the month of September, including arrest, torture, rape, kidnapping and harassment. The HPF documented six incidents in which 17 Jumma people including a UPDF activist were arrested or detained. While 13 of them were released after interrogation, the rest were sent to jail after false cases were filed against each of them.
In the month under review, there was a reported case of gang rape of an indigenous Marma girl by six army personnel, which triggered mass protests, but no action was reported to have been taken against the perpetrators. However, in the case of an attempted rape involving the owner of a tea estate, the police was swift to apprehend the accused.
The moth of September also saw a spike in vigilante violence, ranging from house robbery to torture to kidnapping. The kidnapping of a leader of the Hill Women’s Federation and two girl students sparked protests, which eventually forced the army-backed vigilantes to release them unharmed.
Harassment of innocent villagers during military raids and searches was also reported, while in Ruma the army shot and wounded a member of Bawm community.
- ARRESTS
- UPDF activist arrested in Khagrachari
On 3 September, Amar Jyoti Dewan, a member of the United Peoples’ Democratic Front (UPDF), was arrested from Perachara, three kilometers north of Khagrachari district twon.
A group of armymen from Khagrachari zone detained him at 2:30 pm when he was organizing a meeting to discuss local problems of the villagers.
Mr. Dewan, 48, son of Braja Kumar Dewan, is a resident of Horinath Para village under Khagrachari Sadar Upazila.
A case was filed with Khagrachari police station against him under section 19A/19(1) of the Arms Act 1878 (case No. 01, Dated 03/09/2023), and he was sent to Khagrachari jail on the same day.
- College student arrested, released later in Sajek
On 6 September, Nishan Chakma, 18, a student of Dighinala Degree College, was arrested by army from Choddo Mile area under Ward No. 5 of Sajek Union in Baghaichari Upazila, Rangamati district. However, he was released a few hours later from Sizokchara.
Nishan, son of Badichan Chakma, is from the village of Chompatoli in Sajek, and he is taking degree exam this year.
The army gave no reason for the arrest.
- Two more arrested in Sajek
On 6 September, the army arrested two villagers from Shizokchara and Daripara villages in Sajek Union of Baghaichari Upazila, Rangamati district.
They were identified as Chikko Chakma, 22, son of Pochchondo Chakma of village Shizokchara and Danopriyo Chakma, 28, son of Bengo Chakma from Daripara. The latter is an active supporter of the PCJSS, a political party which signed a peace deal with the government of Bangladesh in 1997.
The two Chakmas were believed to have been detained in connection with the abduction of a Dhaka University student, Deepita Chakma, and were kept at Machalong army camp.
Deepita was accompanying her Bengali classmates to the Sajek tourist destination when unidentified gunmen kidnapped her from Daripara. However, the following day she was released without any harm.
- Eleven villagers detained, released later
On 11 September, the army detained eleven people from West Jarulchari village under Ward No. 1 of Bongoltoli Union No. 35 in Baghaichari Upazila, Rangamati district and took them to Baghaihat zone.
The villagers were working in a nearby forest when the army detained them without any reason.
Later local elders and elected representatives went to the camp and secured their release after proving their innocence.
The detained villagers have been identified as Shubho Lal Chakma, 35, son of Raj Mohan Chakma; Tapan Chakma, 28, son of Kanti Chakma; Jyoti Lal Chakma, 35, son of Kalendra Chakma; Chiko Chakma, 27, son of Chagakulo Chakma; Riku Chakma, 30, son of Badichan Chakma; Tongo Chakma, 25, son of Manikyo Chakma; Kalaye Chakma, 30, son of Bipin Chakma; Kalakyo Chakma, 37, son of Bipinyo Chakma; Dipon Chakma, 28, son of Ittukya Chakma; Dipen Chakma, 25, son of Kalendra Chakma and Somir Chakma, 36, son of Bizudhan Chakma.
- One brother arrested, another tortured in Naniachar
On the night of 23 September, a group of army personnel from Naniachar zone raided the village of Headman-para in Soteromile under Naniachar Upazila of Rangamati district, where they detained a man and tortured his brother.
At 10 pm, the soldiers first encircled Monishya Chakma alias Sunil’s house, awoke him from sleep, blindfolded him and tied his hands and then placed a homemade gun in his hands.
Before taking him away, the army men beat up his younger brother, Nitish Chakma, 35, at the courtyard of their house.
- One villager arrested in Panchari
On 24 September, the security forces arrested an innocent man following a clash between the Border Guard Bangladesh personnel and the local villagers in Pujgang of Panchari Upazila in Khagrachari district.
The clash, which left one villager injured by bullet, originated from an earlier incident involving the detention of a Jumma named Rintu Chakma with Taka 12 lakhs (1.2 million).
He was carrying the money to hand it over to a person in Panchari on behalf of Ms Ila Chakma, a business person from Simana-para village in Panchari.
As the news of the arrest and confiscation of her money spread, the local elected representatives and general people confronted the BGB on their way to Panchari police station to start a case.
The villagers demanded the release of Rintu and the money, but when the BGB refused and began beating them, they resisted and took him and the money away by force.
The BGB fired live bullets on the crowed, injuring Mikel Chakma, 24, son of Laxmi Chakma from Baburo-para. He was hit in the leg.
Later a joint force of the army and police reached at Pujgang Bridge, where the clash took place, and arrested Purno Ratan Chakma, 45, son of Amiyo Chakma from the village of Durgamoni-para.
- RAIDS, SEARCHES AND SHOOTINGS
- Two houses searched in Naniachar
In the small hours of 2 September, a group of Army personnel from Naniachar zone in Rangamati district went to Sapchari village by boat to conduct searches.
They were accompanied by two policemen and two members of a vigilante group, who were dressed in army uniforms and covered their faces, according to eyewitnesses.
The armymen searched two houses which belonged to Kunendu Bikash Chakma, 65, son of late Hem Ranjan Chakma and his brother Jagot Jyoti Chakma, 55. The former is the father of Tapu Moni Chakma, a member of the United Peoples’ Democratic Front (UPDF).
The soldiers first encircled Kunendu Chakma’s house, forced the inmates out onto the courtyard and then searched it. They also asked Mr. Chakma about his son Tapu Moni Chakma, who was not there during the search, which lasted for one hour, from 3 – 4 a.m.
After that, the armymen went on to search Jagot Jyoti Chkama’s house nearby in the same manner.
Before leaving, the policemen, who were in the search party, forced the two brothers to put their signatures on a blank sheet of paper.
- One house searched in Bongol-toli
On 10 September, a group of army personnel raided the village of Golachari under Bongol-toli Union of Baghaichari Upazila in Rangamati district and searched a house belonging to Polin Bihari Chakma, 38, son of Reboti Sen Chakma.
The search, which was conducted without permission of the owner, took place at 6 pm. However, no incriminating materials were found.
The army had been patrolling the village and its adjacent areas since 9 September, with 40 soldiers taking position at Notun Dokan Non-government primary school premises and 20 at Jarulchari government primary school.
- One shot and wounded by army in Ruma
On 18 September, Boyrem Bawm, 25, was seriously wounded when he was shot by the army at Jayon-para village near Ruma bazar in Bandarban district. He has been admitted to Bandarban Sadar Hospital in critical condition.
The army claimed Boyrem Bawm, a resident of Bethel-para in Ruma, to be a member of the Kuki-chin National Army, an obscure armed group, which was initially alleged to have been created by the army itself.
However, KNA in its verified facebook page denied the claim, saying he is a member of the general public and has nothing to do with the KNA.
- SEXUAL VIOLENCE
- Attempted rape of Jumma woman in Ramgarh
On the night of 3 September, a Jumma woman was subjected to an attempted rape by a Bengali man in Paglapara area under Patachara Union of Ramgarh Upazila, Khagrachari district.
The victim and her husband work as labourers at a tea estate belonging to Md. Rahamat Ullah from Chikonchara village in Fatikchari Upazila of Chittagong district.
They lived at a farm house near the tea estate, although they originally come from West Pilabhanga village under Patachara Union.
On the day of incident, at 5 pm, Rahamat entertained the victim’s husband with tea at Al Amin’s tea shop at Paglapara. Within 30 minutes, he became unconscious at his farmhouse, and alarmed by his worsening condition, his wife phoned their relatives to let them know about it.
Later, at around midnight Rahamat went to the farmhouse and attempted to rape her. However, she somehow managed to wriggle out of his grasp and ran out of the house.
The following day the victim and her husband filed a case with Ramgarh police station under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act, and the police arrested Rahamat immediately thereafter, Md. Fakrul Islam, Officer-in-Charge of Ramgarh police station said.
- One gang raped in Kaptai
On 3 September, a 16-year old indigenous Marma girl was gang raped by six plainclothes army men in Mitingachari village under Raikhali Union in Kaptai Upazila of Rangamati district.
After the incident, which sparked protests across the CHT, the camp commander of Mitingachari under Kaptai zone, warned the victim’s parents and the Karbari (chief) of the village not to tell anyone about what had happened.
‘You will face severe consequences if you speak about it’, he threatened after calling them to the camp.
The victim is a SSC (Secondary School Certificate) candidate, and the incident took place at about 9 pm.
- TORTURE
- Three activists tortured by Awami League in Matiranga
On 14 September, members of the ruling Awami League party beat up three activists of the Bangladesher Samyobadi Andolon, a left leaning organisation, in Matiranga town in Khagrachari district.
Rafiqul Islam, Ali Azom and Padma Rani Tripura were distributing leaflets when the ruling party thugs attacked them, taking away their mobile phones and the leaflets.
They were taken to the local Awami League office and threatened with death if they continued to carry out their organizational activities.
- VIGILANTE VIOLENCE
- Vigilantes threaten villagers with arrest
On 5 September, army-backed vigilantes called 20 villagers from Chailachara and some other villages on Manikchari – Fatikchari border to a meeting and then held them hostage the whole day for refusing to pay ‘donation’ to them.
Two vigilantes, Jotish Dewan and Ramzan Ali, who also work as informants of the army, threatened the villagers, saying that if they did not do what they are told to do, they (vigilantes) would place guns and Yaba drugs into their hands and then have the army arrest them.
- Vigilantes threaten villagers to leave area
On 6 September, a joint team of army personnel from Nayabazar camp and armed vigilantes went to Chilachara village on Manikchari – Fatikchari border and demanded Taka 30 thousand as ‘dodation’ from Medu Marma and his two sons Uchairi Marma and Kongchairi Marma.
The latter two were present at yesterday’s meeting called by Jotish Dewan and Ramzan Ali.
The vigilantes and the army men threatened Medu and his two sons that if they failed to pay the money in five days they would be forced to leave the area.
- Vigilantes commit robbery in Kudukchari
The army-backed vigilantes committed a robbery in the house of one Rabi Chandra Chakma, 52, in the village of Kudukchari Upor-para under Rangamati Sadar Upazila on the night of 9 September.
It was 10 pm, and the family was still awake, when the incident took place, with Rabi Chandra Chakma away from home. The vigilantes, numbering 8 – 10, ordered his wife to switch off the lights and asked others not to move, pointing their guns at them.
Then they turned the house upside down searching for money and gold ornaments and in the end found approximately Taka 70 thousand, which they took away.
According to eyewitnesses, the vigilantes were heard speaking over mobile phones in Bengali language while they got close to their target house.
About two hours before the robbery the villagers of Kudukchari had learned that an armed group of the vigilantes had set out from their Gulchakhali den, near Naniachar amry zone.
It is believed that it was this group which committed the robbery.
- Armed activities of the vigilantes in Naniachar
The vigilantes stepped up armed activities in Ataro Mile and Sotoro Mile areas on Rangamati – Khagrachari road in Naniachar Union of Rangamati district, as the army provided protection for them.
On 10 September, at 5 am, a joint team of vigilantes and the army raided Sonaram Karbari Para in Ataro Mile and stayed there for 2-3 hours, creating panic among the villagers.
The vigilantes, led by Chalu Chakma and Liton Chakma, were armed with automatic weapons.
They ordered Rupok Chakma, a Member of Naniachar Union for War No. 8, cooked rice and curry for lunch, and when these were served, they ate them in a shop at Ataro Mile to the full view of the public.
Thereafter, they moved to Sotoro Mile area on Rangamati – Khagrachari road, split into two groups, with one group taking position at Sotoro Mile Primary School, while the other stayed on the road and extorted money from people. An army team patrolled the area to provide protection for them.
At 6 pm, the vigilantes drove back to their den at Gullyachari in three CNG autorickshaws, again under army protection.
- Vigilantes torture villager in Naniachar
On 13 September, at 5 am, six armed vigilantes raided Suridas-para village in Choddo Mile area under Ward No, 9 of Naniachar Sadar Union and beat up a villager named Rintu Chakma, a shopkeeper.
‘The vigilantes came in CNG auto rickshaws, and as soon as they came they encircled Rintu Chakma’s house,’ an eyewitness, who wished to remain unanimous for security reason, said.
They entered and searched the house looking for a man named Nikke Chakma, and when they failed to find him, they beat up Rintu Chakma, 29, son of Hokkolokko Chakma, for no reason.
While some of the vigilantes were searching the house, some others blocked roads forcing the Naniachar bazar-bound passengers to halt. At 7 am, they went back to their den at Gulyachari.
Suridas-para lies on Rangamati – Khagrachari road and is barely one minute’s drive from Ghilachari army camp.
- HWF leaders kidnapped in Dighinala, released later
On 23 September, the army-backed vigilantes kidnapped Anti Chakma, a member of the central committee of the Hill Women’s Federation, and two other general members of the organisation from Dighinala in Khagrachari district, while they were on their way back to Khagrachari after attending a discussion meeting on the martyrdom of an anti-British revolutionary icon, Pritilata Waddedar, in Sajek.
Six vigilantes led by Ripon Chakma stopped the vehicle (locally known as Mohendra) carrying them at Maini Resort area, not far from Dighinala cantonment and the Dighinala police station, and took them to a place near Dighinala Bana Vihara and held them hostage.
The HWF leaders informed the police about the incident, but neither the police nor the army nor any other civil administration officials took actions to rescue them.
The next day protests were held throughout Khagrachari and Rangamati districts, demanding their release, and eventually the vigilantes were forced to set them free at 1:30 pm on 24 September, 22 hours after the incident.
Following their release, Anti Chakma in a statement on 27 September said, ‘After taking into account some aspects of the incident, it seems to me that the vigilantes had kidnapped us on instructions from their patronizers.’ She demanded that the kidnappers and their backers be brought to justice and the vigilante violence be stopped.
- Vigilantes prevent people from participating in protest meeting in Khagrachari
On 24 September, the army-backed vigilantes prevented a group of women from participating in a rally in Khagrachari, which was organized to protest the kidnapping of Hill Women’s Federation leader Anti Chakma and two other activists by vigilantes in Dighinala.
The participants were about to set out from Mahalchari at 9 am when three vigilantes including Ajit Chakma appeared there and threatened them not to join the protest rally.
They vigilantes snatched away the keys of the vehicles (locally known as Mohendra) from the drivers, effectively forcing the women to cancel their plan to take part in the rally.
