News No. 37/2010/ UPDF rejects army version of Sajek incident

UPDF rejects army version of Sajek incident

chtnews.com
News No. 37/2010, February 21, 2010

The United Peoples Democratic Front has rejected the military version
of the Sajek incident, a press release says.

Terming the incident as “a preplanned and cold blooded massacre”, UPDF
leader Shanti Dev Chakma demanded that those responsible for the death
of innocent men and women must be brought to justice.

Khagrachari Region commander General M. M. Saleheen yesterday said,
“The army fired three blank shots in self defense after the terrorists
had fired on them. I do not know who fired the rest of the shots.”

UPDF leader termed this statement of General Saleheen as “a travesty
of truth and self-contradictory.”

He said the army had not only fired into the crowd of the Jumma people
but also entered sJumma villages while firing on the unarmed villagers
and set their houses ablaze.

“It is an undisputable truth that the only armed persons present at
the place of occurrence are the members of the military and the
police.” he said. “Therefore, there is no question of firing by any
other person than these armed personnel themselves.”

He also commented as “farce” the news that a wounded soldier was
airlifted to Combined Military Hospital in Chittagong.

On General Saleheen’s allegation that the Jumma residents of Sajek are
campaigning for their rights under the leadership of the UPDF, Shanti
Dev said, “the Sajek people settled in the area after they had been
displaced by military repression. They reclaimed lands and created
gardens there. However, during the rule of emergency (proclaimed in
January 2007) the army and settlers began to take these lands away
from them. When the Jummas tried to protest, they were victimized.
Hundreds of their houses were burnt down and Ladu Moni Chakma was
killed in the most brutal fashion.

“The Awami League came to power but incidents of repression and land
grabbing have not stopped. Thus the people of Sajek were left with no
other alternative than to fight back. They organised themselves under
two organisations namely “Committee for Protection of Land in Sajek”
and “Sajek Women Committee.

“Definitely, we support their just rights and movement. However, they
themselves decide their own strategies and programmes and UPDF has
nothing to do with it.”

Mr. Chakma accused the army of making an attempt to cover up the
incident by spreading falsehood.

He also condemned an attack on two journalists from “Samakal” and
“Prothom Alo” who tried to visit the place of occurrence yesterday.

The settlers barred them from entering the area and burnt down the
motorbike of Samakal correspondent.

Mr. Chakma demanded an impartial and fair inquiry into the Sajek
attack, proper treatment of the wounded people and adequate
compensation for the victims.

He also demanded that the government reconstruct the church and the
Buddhist temple burnt down during the attack.

He also called for the release of seven innocent villagers still under
police custody. The detained villagers have been identified as
Debendra Chakma (50) of Langolmara village, Reben Chakma (17) of
Gulongmachara village, Liton Chakma (28) of Gangaram Mukh, Nagor
Prashad Chakma (50) of Betagichara village, Dhana Sindhu Chakma (28)
of Jhagrabil village, Battya Chakma (19) of Tin Dojor village and
Bharat Joti Chakma (22) of Hajachara village.

According to him, seven people are still missing. They are Rupen
Chakma (18) son of Bindu Chakma, Rupon Chakma (16) son of Sneha Kumar
Chakma and Battya Chakma (18) and four persons from Gangaram Doar.