chtnews.com
News No. 223/2009, December 21, 2009
The army arrested three Jumma activists from zone gate in Naniachar today. However, they were released one hour later, after seizing copies of posters from them, sources in PCP say.
The arrest was made at 4:30pm when PCP and DYF activists were on their way to Naniachar bazaar to put up posters about the upcoming 11th founding anniversary programmes of the United Peoples’ Democratic Front (UPDF).
The army kept the activists for an hour and questioned them about the language of the posters.
One of the hand-written posters was about the withdrawal of the army from CHT.
“The army asked why we demand withdrawal of the army,” Ricoh Chakma, president of PCP central committee, told chtnews.com by phone from Khagrachari quoting Bilash Chakma, president of PCP Naniachar Branch committee, who was among the arrested.
“Bilash replied ‘we demand your (army) withdrawal because you torture us’”
“When the soldier asked for proof, he cited the most recent Ghilachari incident in which an army man made an attempt to rape a Jumma woman.”
“After that the soldier kept quiet.”
However, the army kept four posters dealing with the demand for army withdrawal and land rights of the Jummas, Ricoh further said.
The arrested PCP activists are Bilash Chakma, president of PCP Naniachar Branch committee, Gautam Muni Chakma and Toel Chakma, members of PCP Naniachari College branch, and Real Chakma, member of Democratic Youth Forum Naniachari Unit.
The Khagrachari district branch of the Hill Students’ Council staged a demonstration in the afternoon against undemocratic intervention of the army in Naniachar. (photo attached).
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