Troop withdrawl decision an eyewash: UPDF

chtnews.com
News No. 89/2009, July 30, 2009
The United Peoples Democratic Front (UPDF) has termed as eyewash the government announcement to pull back Kaptai Brigade, and demanded a complete withdrawal of the army from the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

Talking to the Daily Star, UPDF Khagrachari Unit leader Rina Dewan said “the government is pulling out the camps and forces, which are not required any more. It is not being done as part of the implementation process of the accord.”

Commenting on the government decision to pull back one brigade of troops from CHT, an independent observer said if the decision was “made after analysing the law and order” of the area, the government should have withdrawn troops from all other parts of the CHT as well or at least given first priority to Khagrachari district because the law and order situation in this district is much better than any other parts of the CHT.

“But obviously law and order was not in the mind of the government while taking the decision,” he said adding that the question of protecting the illegal settlers was the prime consideration for the government.

He said the government has decided to pull out troops from the Kaptai brigade because there are no illegal settlers in that area, and hence troops are no longer required there.

However, he hailed the troop withdrawal decision of the government, and said the real challenge for the government was to pull out from other parts of the CHT as well.

Commenting on Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hossain’s suggestion that “regular law enforcement agencies will have to keep vigil on the activities of United People's Democratic Front (UPDF)” as reported in the The Daily Star, he said in its manifesto the UPDF has clearly stated that it will try to achieve its goal through peaceful and democratic means.

“It is not clear what he (M Sakhawat Hossain) has meant by the words “keep vigil” and why a democratic organisation like UPDF should be mete out such discriminatory measures.” he added.

He further said the army is a threat to peace and democracy in the CHT. “The army is violating the democratic rights of the Jumma people. They are harassing and torturing innocent villagers, raiding and searching houses in the dead of night and instigating the settlers to grab lands from the Jumma people.”

“There will be no peace in the CHT until and unless a complete withdrawal of troops takes place.” he commented.