chtnews.com
News No. 67/2010, March 22, 2010
Five Jumma organisations today organised a foot march in Dhaka and submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister, demanding the government form an inquiry committee to probe the attacks on Jumma villages in Sajek and Khagrachari.
The foot march, sponsored by Democratic Youth Forum, Hill Women’s Federation, Hill Students Council, Sajek Land Protection Committee and Sajek Nari Samaj (Women Association), began from Muktangon in downtown Dhaka at 11:30am and ended at Bijoy Nagar from where a five-member team led by Mithun Chakma of DYF went to the PM office to submit the memo.
The memo was received by Belal Hossain, private secretary of Additional Secretary in PM Office.
Before the foot march began, Mithun Chakma, Convenor of Democratic Youth Forum, and Faizul Hakim, General Secretary of Jatya Mukti Council, addressed the participants.
HWF’s Organising Secretary Rina Dewan read out the memorandum.
Faizul Hakim narrated the experience of his recent visit to Sajek and Khagrachari, and urged the government to concede to the demands of full autonomy and traditional land rights of the Jumma people.
He also called upon the government to end Operation Uttoran and withdraw the army and settlers from CHT.
“In order to prevent recurrence of such violent incidents, the government must punish all the army officers, civil servants and the Bengali settlers involved in the attacks.” he said. “Our demand is that a public inquiry committee must be constituted without delay.”
Mithun Chakma blamed Khagrachari Deputy Commissioner Md. Abdullah for the communal attacks on Jumma villages in Khagrachari.
He severely criticized the government for its failure to form an inquiry committee even after one month of the incidents.
Mithun Chakma rejected the statements of parliamentary teams of Awami League and BNP made after visits to the places of occurrence in Sajek and Khagrachari.
“All their actions were aimed at saving the attackers and providing a cover-up for the attacks. That’s why we reject their statements.” he said.
The five-member team which went to the PM office also included Aongay Marma, President of Hill Students’ Council; Nirupa Chakma, Vice President of Hill Women’s Federation, Ripon Chakma, member of Sajek Land Protection Committee and Jostshna Chakma, member of Sajek Nari Samaj.
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