One arrested in Ghilachari, UPDF posters torn down in Manikchari

chtnews.com
News No. 228/2009, December 25, 2009

One innocent Jumma villager was arrested by police yesterday from Ghilachari bazaar, while the army tore down UPDF’s founding anniversary posters in Manikchari under Rangamati district.

UPDF sources said Padma Kumar Chakma (42), a poor peasant of Madyapara village, was arrested at noon from a tea shop in Ghilachari bazaar.

He was reportedly implicated with the murder of Captain Gazi, an army officer who was killed couples of years ago in mysterious circumstances while his troops were on a night patrol in Ghilachari.

UPDF Rangamati District Unit condemned his arrest and urged the authorities concerned to release him unconditionally.

UPDF posters torn down
UPDF’s Alakesh Chakma from Rangamati alleged that the army had torn their party’s founding anniversary posters down at Manikchari yesterday.

“The army also gave the people a scolding for allowing us to put up the posters there,” Alakesh told chtnews.com.

Some of the slogans are “Eleventh founding anniversary message: Build up movement for achieving land and ethnic rights”, “On the eve of eleventh founding anniversary, we call on students, women and youth: join the struggle for preserving national dignity and land rights”, “We Want Full Autonomy”, “We Want Complete Withdrawal of Army from CHT”, “Recognise Jumma People’s Customary Land Laws”, Stop land grabbing and human rights violations in CHT”.