The Independent, 30 September 2003
http://independent-bangladesh.com/news/sep/30/30092003mt.htm#A1
AUDITY FALGUNI, BACK FROM KHAGRACHHARI
Jumma women and girls are particularly vulnerable to violent conflicts and they are often subject to rape and other sexual violence. The disruption of normal life weighs heavily on women and girls and the Mahalchhari incident of August 26 was no exception as ten women were reportedly raped during the arson attack.
"What is really shocking is that the wife and two daughters of Shashadhar Chakma of Pahartali village, wife and one daughter of Battya Chakma from Kerengyanal village and two daughters of Sudatta Chakma from Pahartali village were raped---that is incidents like rape being committed on more than one female member of the same family," said both JSS and UPDF activists to The Independent.
It was further alleged on behalf of the hill people that hardly any human rights groups or pressmen were allowed to enter the two villages Pahartali and Kerengyanal beset with tragic stories of rape victims. This reporter was not allowed to go Pahartali and Kerengyanal villages by the concerned authorities.
"The probable number of rape victims might be even higher than that mentioned in the JSS statement. We are hearing about a number of misdeeds like molestation and violation in the Mahalchari incident everyday but cannot rush to the spot for security reasons," said Ratnakusm Chakma and Chandra Dewan, a young teacher couple of Khagrachari.
Officials reportedly also beat up a number of hill women of Kerengyanal village while they were escaping by a country boat. The hill women were also pushed to the lake water, according to the JSS publication.
"For example, think of Kalpana Chakma abduction case. She was abducted from her home in Rangamati district on the night of 11-12 June 1996 by a group of plainclothes people. After repeated protests and national and international pressure, the government set up an inquiry commission but has so far refused to make the report public," alleged UPDF activists, former comrades of Kalpana Chakma while talking to The Independent at their Swanirbhar Bazar office.
"Since the signing of the Peace Accord, Jumma women are still not safe, judging from reports of incidents that continue to reach the Chittagong Hill Tracts Commission. Rape, in particular, is reported with frightening regularity," according to Update 4 of Netherlands-based CHT Commission Report Life Is Not Ours published in the year of 2000.
Reported rape incidents of Mahalchari atrocity, if proved to be true, would support the evaluation of CHT Commission Report.
According to a Jana Sanghati Samity (JSS) statement on September 2, the ten violated women are Shantibala Chakma alias Mita (38), wife of Shashadhar Chakma from Pahartali village, Khuki Chakma (12) and Banita Chakma (15), daughters of Shashadhar Chakma from Pahartali village, Kalasona Chakma (35), wife of Battya Chakma and Kukkuruk Sona Chakma (18), daughter of Battya Chakma from Kerengyanal village, Chikkala Chakma (20), daughter of Kala Uda Chakma from Kerengyanal village, Badimila Chakma (30), wife of Bimal Chakma from Kerengyanal village, Amiti Chakma (16) and Gitanjali Chakma (14), daughters of Sudatta Chakma from Pahartali village and Bina Rani Chakma (20), daughter of Kalo Baran Chakma from Kerengyanal village.