http://independent-bangladesh.com/news/nov/08/08112002fr.htm#A3
8 November, 2002
Partha Shankar Saha
That the Adivasis are gradually being evicted from their habitat is proved once
more in Madarbunia, Ukhia, where many of the Adivasi Tanchangyas left their
homes after several attacks. The remaining few are also under threat of eviction.
Following the death of a nonAdivasi (Bengali) during a conflict, on 11 September, over a piece of land - where once stood a Buddhist temple, the Adivasi Tanchangyas went under repeated attacks, oppression of women and ravage, and chose to leave their homes. Few returned but with fear. Although about two months have passed after the incidents of attack and pillage many still fear that such incidents can take place any time and so they continue staying away from home. The police have arrested eight Adivasi Tanchangyas in connection with the death of the Bengali man but none has been arrested under the case filed by the Adivasis after the pillage of their property and oppression of women. Moreover, the Tanchangyas who have braved to stay back face repeated threat of eviction.
Madarbunia is a mountainous village bordering the Bay of Bengal. Within the Jaliapalang Union and under Ukhia Upazila (subdistrict) of Cox's Bazaar District, Madarbunia is 40 kilometers far from Ukhia proper. Madarbunia holds a population of some 500 Tanchangyas and 2, 500 Bengalis. Officially, among 27 ethnic people in Bangladesh Tanchangyas number 21,639. The Tanchangyas in Madarbunia are Buddhist.
In 1994 a cyclone destroyed a Buddhist temple, locally known as Kyang, at the northern part of the Tanchangya village. The Tanchangyas then built a new Kyang within their cluster, leaving the previous place empty. The nonAdivasis became interested in that piece of land. And then onward the dispute over the land between the Tanchangyas and nonAdivasis started, said local administration, Tanchangyas and nonAdivasi sources.
According to the Adivasis some Bengali youth attempted to build a clubhouse on that land. When the Tanchangyas protested they stopped. But the attempts continued until two years back when the local MP's interference hushed up the matter for the time being. But since five or six months a group of nonAdivasis is once again trying to built the clubhouse in the same place.
The Tanchangyas, fearing they might lose that land, went up building a house on that land on 11 September. The nonAdivasis blocked the attempt, which actually ignited the confrontation. The clash left one Bengali named Abdullah (45) dead.
Right after the news broke, a mass of hundreds of nonAdivasis attacked the Tanchangya village. A series of attacks took place both in day and night. Massive pillage of Tanchangya property also took place during the attack. The attackers, allegedly raped at least three women.
On that day one llias Uddin, a villager of Madarbunia, filed a murder case (No. 9/146) with the Ukhia police station accusing 22 Tanchangyas. Police arrested eight Tanchangyas in that connection. On the contrary, alleged the Adivasis, the local police refused to record any case against the attack and oppression of women. Instead, arrested all of them in connection with Abdullah's death. On September 17 Kejaiong Chakina (50) filed two cases with the first class magistrate's court in Cox's Bazaar. Kejaiong accused 27 attackers for ravaging Tanchangya property and torturing women. p