chtnews.com
News No. 159/2010, November 02, 2010
THE process of land acquisition for expansion of Ruma garrison in the southern CHT district of Bandarban seems to have restarted.
On 24 and 31 October, Ruma zone commander Lt. Col. Wasim held meetings with local Jumma headmen, Karbaris (village heads) and village elders in this regard, an elected Jumma representative told chtnews.com on condition of anonymity.
Lt. Col. Wasim was the commander of Baghaihat zone when attacks on Jumma villages took place on 19 – 20 February this year, resulting in the death of at least four Jumma villagers and burning down of over 400 houses.
“The commander asked the Jummas to show him their land documents and told them that the process of land acquisition for the expansion of Ruma garrison will restart soon”, he further said quoting meeting sources.
The army has been trying to acquire some 9,560 acres of land in Ruma since 1977. However, no government in the past, including the immediate past military-backed interim government of Fakhruddin Ahmed, has approved of the proposal considering the likely environmental and cultural damage that it would cause to the area and the people.
If implemented, the project will displace thousands of Jummas, mainly from Mro community and destroy the greenery of the area.
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