Human chain formed against land grabbing in Bandarban

chtnews.com
News No. 06/2010, January 11, 2010

Hundreds of people formed a human chain today in Bandarban town to protest against continuing land grabbing in the district.

Organised by Citizens Committee of Bandarban and held in front of Bandarban Press Club at 10:30 AM, the human chain stretched from Sonali Bank to DC Office.

An estimated over five hundred Jumma people, who came from different villages, took part in the programme.

United Peoples Democratic Front’s (UPDF) Bandarban district organiser, Choton Kanti Tanchangya spoke while the human chain was formed.

He urged the district administration to stop grabbing of Jumma people’s land in the name of constructing ‘tourist resorts’ and on any other pretexts.

He said “definitely we want development, but we don’t want such developments which displace our people, which destroy our livelihoods and culture and which make our future uncertain. Such an activity cannot be called development.”

“If you (government) want development, then why don’t you reopen the Pahari students’ hostel, which has been lying vacant for so many years?” he asked.

Choton also urged the administration to stop constructing the so-called “Swargachura” (peak of heaven) on land belonging to a member of Bawm community and to take actions against Jamayat-e Islami supporters trying to occupy lands of 25 Tripura families.

The participants held posters and banners, demanding dismissal of UNO, investigation into allegations of involvement of government officials in land grabbing and stoppage of construction of tourist resorts.