Army lays siege to Sarnath Arannyo Kuthir in Maischari

Army personnel from Kiang-ghat camp continue to lay siege to SarnathArannyo Kuthir, a Buddhist temple run by one of Rev. Bana Bhate'sdisciples in Maischari, Khagrachari.

On 3 January, the army illegally ordered the devotees to stop upliftactivities of the temple and began the siege. Since then, constructionwork of living rooms and a dining hall for Buddhist monks has remainedsuspended.

One un-named Major, who is leading the siege, forced hundreds of Jummadevotees to leave the temple and threatened Shushil Jibon Chakma forattending a press conference in Dhaka against continuous land grabbingin CHT.

The army reportedly told the devotees that the Bengali settlers raisedobjection against the uplift work of the temple and that they weremerely acting on their objection.

When one of the devotees asked whether they had injunction order fromany law court, the army commander failed to give any satisfactoryanswer.

Source:- Hill Watch Human Rights Forum, NEWS No. 04/2008, January 07, 2008