Assassination attempt on UPDF leader in Bandarban

chtnews.com
News No. 27/2010, February 18, 2010

There has been an assassination attempt on United Peoples’ Democratic
Front (UPDF) leader in the southern CHT district of Bandarban.

According to UPDF and independent sources, UPDF’s Bandarban District
Organiser Choton Kanti Tanchangya was sipping tea at a restaurant at
Balaghata, a suburb of Bandarban town, at 2:30pm when a group of JSS
(Santu Larma faction) members appeared.

One of them took out a revolver and pulled the trigger after pointing
it at Mr. Choton. However, the trigger betrayed, and other JSS men
attacked him with clubs and sticks.

The attack left Choton seriously injured. He has been admitted to
Bandarban Sadar Hospital in senseless condition.

The people present at the restaurant resisted the JSS attackers and
caught one of them red handed. He has been identified as Antor Chakma,
from Rangamati.

He admitted that he has been assigned by Santu Larma to kill Choton
and other UPDF leaders in Bandarban.

The crowed gave him a sound beating before handing him over to the police.

Three rounds of bullets along with the revolver have been recovered from him.

Another attacker has been identified as S. A. Maung, who leads the JSS
armed group in Bandarban area.

UPDF has condemned the assassination attempt on Choton Kanti
Tanchangya and urged the government to take stern actions against JSS
(Santu Larma faction) armed groups.

Bikram Chakma, a UPDF member in Bandarban, told chtnews.com the JSS
(Santu group) had been threatening Choton for the last two – three
days.

“We knew Santu Group men had come with a mission to kill or harm Mr.
Choton, and therefore we were on our guard.” he said.

UPDF leader Ujjal Smriti Chakma said violence has become a creed of
JSS (Santu). “How can he remain in power in RC when his terrorist
gangs go about killing and abducting innocent people everywhere?” he
asked.

“Obviously, there is state sanction behind his criminal activities.
Santu Babu is implementing the government blueprint to destroy the
Jummas by pitting his group against the whole Jummas. This is the only
reason why he continues to spurn UPDF offer of talks.” he added.

“If he disobeys his masters in Dhaka today, he will lose his position
at the RC tomorrow. This is as plain as that; and he is too faithful
to his masters to disobey them.”

Protests

HWF-PCP-DYF staged a demonstration in Khagrachari in protest at attack
on Choton Tanchanya.

The demonstrators chanted slogans against government-backed JSS (Santu
faction) terrorists and demanded that the government arrests and try
Santu Larma, the source of all evils in CHT.