chtnews.com
News No. 181/2010, December 10, 2010
JUMMA organisations have observed 62th international human rights day with a call for the government to withdraw restrictions on rallies and public meetings.
The Hill Students Council, Hill Women’s Federation and Democratic Youth Forum organised rallies and processions in Khagrachari to mark the day today.
They took out a procession at 11am from Swanirbhor bazaar which paraded different roads in Khagrachari town.
Later they held a rally at Swanirbhor with Kyola Ching Marma, vice president of Hill Students Council (PCP), in the chair.
The rally was also addressed by Thuiko Ching Marma, organising secretary of PCP, Konika Dewan, general secretary of HWF, Remin Chakma, president of DYF Khagrachari unit and Mishuk Chakma, cultural affairs secretary of HWF Khagrachari unit.
Terming the human rights situation in the CHT alarming, the speakers said, “the army continues to incite the settlers to grab Jumma people’s land while the government is planning to lease out thousands of acres of land to various companies and private individuals.”
Opposing the construction of a Science and Technology University and a medical college in Rangamati, PCP leader Thuiko Ching Marma said, “The real aim of constructing these higher educational institutions is to displace Jumma villagers from their hearts and homes and then flood the area with outsiders.”
“How many minority students are there to study in these institutions?” the speakers asked, adding, “The Jummas will hardly benefit from these institutions.”
Konika Dewan said the CHT was under virtual military rule with “Operation Uttorom” still in force.
“There are restrictions on rallies and public meetings, and flagrant infringements on our democratic rights. The Jumma women continue to face sexual abuses by army and settlers.” she said.
The speakers urged the government to stop human rights violations in the CHT, terminate Operation Uttoron and withdraw the military from the area, put an end to grabbing of Jumma’s lands, stop repression on women, try all human rights offences including abduction of Kalpana Chakma and declare the CHT as a special autonomous region.
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