chtnews.com
News No. 91/2010, April 10, 2010
TODAY is Logang Massacre Day. On this day in 1992, the illegal settlers backed by members of paramilitary Bangladesh Rifles and Village Defense Party attacked Logang cluster village under Panchari Upazila in Khagrachari district, killing at least 120 Jumma villagers and burning down hundreds of their houses.
To mark the day the Hill Women’s Federation held a rally today at Swanirbhor in Khagrachari town. The rally began at 11am and continued till noon.
HWF General Secretary Kanika Dewan, HWF Khagrachari district unit President Riku Chakma, among others, addressed the rally.
There has been heavy presence of police personnel at the rally who refused to allow HWF to take out a procession.
The speakers said the government wants to wipe out the Jumma people from the map of the CHT by carrying out attacks on us and grabbing our lands.
Pointing out that the Logang massacre site was occupied by the settlers, the aim of the recent attacks in Sajek and Khagrachari has been to drive out the Jumma people from their villages and then grab their lands.
The HWF leaders urged the government to stop its policy of ethnic cleansing and concede to the just demands of the Jumma people.
They also asked the Jumma people to abstain from all festivities in protest against the attacks in Sajek and Khagrachari.
“Since we have no other means of making a protest, since there is a ban on our rallies and processions, we have to grab every opportunity to make our voices heard. Boisabi festival provides us such an opportunity.” Kanika said.
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