Jumma Students demanding Solution, Sri Lanka

To,
Dr. Fakruddin Ahmed,
The Hon’ble Chief Advisor,
The Care-Taker Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh,
Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Date: 12th September, 2007.

Through: His Excellency, the High Commissioner of Bangladesh, Colombo – Sri Lanka.

You’re Excellency,

We respectfully to state that, and make an appeal to you, as we are Jumma Buddhist monks from Bangladesh, who are engaged to study on Buddhism and Comparative Religions in various Universities and Educational institutions in Sri Lanka.

It is very deep sorrow that we have to bring to your attention about the recent attack, land grabbing, extra-judicial arrest, harassment on the indigenous communities in the Chittagong Hill Tracts [CHT] in Bangladesh after the Emergency Power of “Care-Taker” government by the illegal Bengali Settlers with the help of Military forces.

Here are the episodes: The Sadhana Tila area under Dighinala Upazila of the district of Khagrachari, which comprises of about 300 acres of land, and houses a Buddhist Meditation Center and a sizable indigenous Jumma population. Since 13 August 2007, indigenous Jumma peoples and illegal plain settlers supported by the military personnel and the police have been living on the edges of an impending communal riot, which have already been broke out on 4th September at 3:10pm by Bangladesh standard time by the illegal Bengali Settlers and Army force.

Bangladesh army personnel led by Dighinala Zone Commander, Major Qamrul Hassan ordered the Buddhist monks of the Meditation Centre and the indigenous people to leave Sadhana Tila area in order to settle over 800 illegal plain settlers' families there. If the plan is implemented, the temple will be destroyed, many Jummas will be evicted and dispute over land will increase dramatically. Zone Commander Major Mr. Hassan has been putting continuous pressure on the headman of Baghaichari Mouza No. 50 Mr. Sattyendriyo Chakma, Union Council Chairman Paritosh Chakma and other local elders to agree to his settlement plan.

In a major development, Chief of Bangladesh Army and de facto ruler of the country, General Moeen U Ahmed visited Dighinala of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs) on 28 August 2007. While nothing has been made public nor reported in the press in Bangladesh, the visit is significant considering that the government of Bangladesh has intensified the settlement of illegal plain settlers into the CHTs and repression on the indigenous Jumma activists.

And also we kindly would like to draw your kind attention about the total lands grabbing in CHTs of Bangladesh, so far, at least 222.38 acres of plough as well as hilly land have been taken away by forced in Dighinala Upazilla (sub-district) under Khagrachari district. Of these, 42 acres have been grabbed in Rengkarjya Mouza No. 28 under Merung, 149.18 acres in Choto Merung Mouza No. 29, 5.2 acres in Bara Merung Mouza No. 30 and 26 acres belonging to Boalkhali Buddha Vihara and Orphanage under Dighinala Thana.

In May and June, about one hundred settlers illegally took possession of a total of 37 acres of hilly land belonging to nine Jummas in the village of Betchari under Rengkarjya Mouza, Merung. Chongrachari army camp commander Subedar Siraj (37 Bengal, 4 Bir) provided protection to the settlers, who have already built four houses on the occupied land.

On 19 July 2007, Betchari sub-zone commander Major Qamrul Hassan (37 Bengal, 4 Bir) in Bara Merung called an unsolicited arbitration meeting in his camp and in a whimsical verbal judgment gave away 13 Kani (5.2 acres) of land belonging to three Jumma villagers to other three settler families. Similarly, in Kamalchari, Bizitala, East Gamaridhala, Datkuppya and Magistrate Para of Maischari, the process of settling hundreds of illegal Bengali settler families is nearing completion. The lands on which they are being settled belong to the Jumma people.

The problem of land grabbing is much more acute in the southern part of the Chittagong Hill Tracts, which roughly comprises the district of Bandarban. Approximately 569,538.40 acres of land or 59.38 percent of the total land of Bandarban (9, 59,174.76 acres) have been taken away by the illegal Bengali Muslim settlers with the help of military forces.
On 17 July a group of army personnel led by Shuknachari camp commander raided "Bhujuli Bhavana Kendra", a Buddhist meditation centre, situated on remote Bhujulichuk hill-top in Lakshmichari Upazila under Khagrachari district, destroyed the prayer hall and took two Buddhist novices and their attendant to the camp. The raid was conducted by a group of 20 army personnel under the command of Captain Raihan. The commander ordered the Sramanas (novices) to pack their belongings and leave the meditation centre immediately, where the Novices had been meditating at the instruction of the Bana Bhante, the most venerated Buddhist monk in Chittagong Hill Tracts, and that they had been living there since March this year. They reached the camp at 6 p.m. and kept them there until 8 p.m.

The Jumma activists have been unfairly targeted by the Bangladesh military taking advantage of the Emergency situation. Since the declaration of Emergency on 11 January 2007, at least 50 Jumma activists have been arrested, including 20 members of PCJSS and 10 members of UPDF. False cases such as extortion, kidnapping, murder etc have been lodged against the arrested Jumma activists. Finally, we would wish to seek your sympathetic support to stop such Human Rights Violations and atrocities on the indigenous people in CHT, Bangladesh. Therefore, we are making an appeal for immediate action and implementation of the following demands as a lasting solution of the inhuman problems in CHT: 1. To stop military harassment of the indigenous people in CHT and let them practice their respective religions without harassment and oppression of religious priests.2. To take necessary action immediately against the Dighinala Zone Commander, Major Qamrul Hassan and the Shuknachari camp command, Captain Raihan.3. To stop illegal land grabbing in CHT including Sadhana Tila of Babuchara, Merung, Boalkali, Kobakhali, Kamalchari, Bizitala, East Gamaridhala, Datkuppya and Magistrate Para of Maischari, of Khagrachari District and various parts of Bandarban District.4. To give back the lands that were grabbed by the illegal Bengali settlers to the indigenous people’s and stop land grabbing in CHT.5. To stop repression of the leaders and activists of the Jumma political parties and Human Rights violations in CHT and respect Fundamental Human Rights declared the United Nations Conventions.6. To stop making false cases against the innocent Jumma indigenous people in CHTs. Page Page 3 of 4 7. To De-militarize CHTs of Bangladesh.8. To rehabilitee the Bengali Muslim settlers out side the CHT.9. To allow the local and international media personals to have access to the CHT, exercising their “freedom of expression” which is a fundamental right. Yours truly, On-behalf-of the Bangladesh Jumma Buddhist Monks in Sri Lanka: No. Name: Signature:01. Ven: Upatissa Chakma02. Ven: Jointu Chakma03. Ven: Animes Chakma 04. Ven: Rupa Chakma05. Ven: Sanghapala Shraman06. Ven: Shakya Mitra Bhikkhu07. Ven: Sujit Moy Chakma08. Ven: Sugata Bhikkhu09. Ven: Popular Chakma10. Ven: Sanjit Chakma11. Ven: Sumit Tanchangya12. Ven: Mongla chak13. Ven: Shraddha Priya Bhikkhu14. Ven: Sudharson Bhikkhu15. Ven: Dhammapala Shraman16. Ven: Amita Nanda Shraman17. Ven: Bodhiratna Bhikkhu18. Ven: Gnanalankara Shraman19. Ven: Jibok Jyoti Chakma20. Ven: Chingmong Marma21. Ven: Gyana Prashad Chakma22. Ven: Sukhya Chakma23. Ven: Ginawansa Marma24. Ven: Chandra Muni Bhikkhu25. Ven: Sumana Priyo Shraman ………………………………………………………………………….. Copy to: - 1. The President, Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.2. The Prime Minister, Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.3. The President, Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka.4. The Minister of Religious Affairs, Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.5. The Minister of Foreign affairs of Sri Lanka.6. The Resident Representative, United Nations in Sri Lanka. Page 4 of 4 7. The High Commissioner of Canada, Sri Lanka.8. The High Commissioner of U.K. in Sri Lanka.9. The High Commissioner of Australia, in Sri Lanka.10. The High Commissioner of India in Sri Lanka. 11. The Ambassador of U.S.A. in Sri Lanka.12. The Ambassador of France, in Sri Lanka.13. The Ambassador of Netherlands in Sri Lanka.14. The Ambassador of Norway in Sri Lanka.15. The Ambassador of Switzerland, in Sri Lanka.16. The Ambassador of China in Sri Lanka.17. The Ambassador of Republic of Korea in Sri Lanka.18. The Ambassador of Japan in Sri Lanka.19. The Ambassador of Thailand in Sri Lanka. “May all beings be happy, peaceful, compassionate and harmonious” “May all violence be destroyed and bring a non-violence peaceful world”.………………………………………………………………………………………………………Thilakaratnaramaya, No: 160, Ward Place, Colombo-07, Sri Lanka:Tel :- (+94)-0722-701-571 & (+94)-0785186428. E-mail: jumma_adivasi@yahoo.com