Sajek torture victims speak out

chtnews.com
July 03, 2009
IN Sajek, one of the flashpoints of Rangamati district, the last two months saw an increase in arrests and torture of innocent Jumma villagers, who continue to live in fear of settler attacks similar to the one carried out on 20 April last year. Some of these torture victims came to Dhaka to tell their stories to the journalists. chtnews.com had the opportunity to do interviews with them which we would like to repeat in a series starting today. All the interviews were conducted on Wednesday.


1. Interview of Bali Kumar Chakma, age 53, MSF Para, Sajek

Bali Kumar Chakma says:
The day was Saturday, 20 June. The army surrounded the house of Baghya Master in MSF Para village. They came in boats as well as in jeeps. It was in the morning, about 11am.

I came back home after selling pineapples in the market. I was weeding my fruit garden when I saw the army. They came and took me away. They said to me: “we could not nab the terrorists because of you; you helped them to escape.” But I told them that I did not know anything about the terrorists.

The army took me to Baghaihat zone. They beat me with sticks and gave electric shocks twice in my body parts. I was released at about 7:30pm the same day.

Four of us were released in the first batch. Others that were released along with me were Sukkho Chakma, Jagat Joti Chakma and Chuchyang Naga Chakma.


2. Interview of Kala Dhan Chakma, age 52, Gongaram

Kala Dhan Chakma has the following to say:
In the first week of May two Bengalis were disappeared. [Their dead bodies were found later on] One of them was Alkajjya, leader of Gongaram Dore settlers. Before his disappearance, he had asked for a piece of land from my son-in-law, Sunesh Talukder. The army also recommended for him. Yet, my son-in-law withstood the pressure and refused to give away his land.

After Alkajjya’s disappearance, the settlers are now pointing their accusing fingers at my son-in-law, eventually, forcing him to go into hiding.

On the day of my arrest, I was taking a nap. It was Saturday. They came and surrounded my house at 3:30pm and picked me up. They took me to the camp. There I saw that the other arrested villagers were tied together with a single rope. They sat on the floor. But when rain came down, they were taken inside the Goal Ghar (Round House). From there Amar Dhan, Jagat Joti, Sukko and Chuchyan Naga were separated from the rest and taken to another place. Two of us were kept there.

They hit me first on the knee, and then give electricity shocks in my body.

They asked me who were involved in the killing of the Bengalis and how they were killed. I said I knew nothing about it. I screamed and begged them, and said I could not bear any longer. After that, they stopped beating me.

In the afternoon, three Bengali and three Jumma elders went to the camp to recommend for our release. They are Rib Babu, Narayan Member, Kalakuju, Najim Doctor, Anwar and Sottor.

After the release of Bali Kumar Chakma and others, the army took me inside the post, blindfolded. The whole night I was kept blindfolded. I was released the next morning after breakfast.