Report from: Secretary for Information and Publicity
Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (PCJSS)
On 29 July 2004 around 1.30 p.m. a group of army from Inland camp under Kaptai
brigade shot death Mr. Mong Mong Marma alias Ujjal Das at Pukur Parh near to
Muslim Para under Kaptai sub-district. It was learnt that a group of army led
by one major from Inland camp under Kaptai brigade along with hundreds of Bengali
settlers made an attack at Chitmaram area under Kaptai sub-district in Rangamati
district in the name of searching miscreants. At first without any instigation,
the army and Bengali settlers ran after the Jumma and permanent Bengali residents
and at a stage the army fired on them. As a result, Mr. Mong Mong Marma alias
Ujjal Das (Hindu converted to Buddhist) was shot death at spot of Pukur Parh
near Muslim Para. After that the army and Bengali settlers conducted attack
at Bara Para where they surrounded the house of Mr. Umong Marma and destroyed
valuables of the house.
Then the army and Bengali settlers attacked Chitmaram Vihar, holly place of
Buddhist followers. They surrounded the Vihar and entered to it with shoes.
The army harassed the monk of the Vihar named Ven. Chinda Owaisha Bhikkhu and
fastened two orphans namely Mr. Aprue Marma and Pai U Khoi Marma (students of
grade VI and VII) while the monk tried to protest against this religious persecution.
At that time, one army captain threatened to arrest Mr. Thowai Ching Marma,
chiarman of Chtmaram Union Council. The Bengali settlers intentionally destroyed
Chitmaram Khalmukh Forest Beat in front of army and the army accused the Jumma
and permanent Bengali residents for that.
It is mentionable that a dispute was developed regarding payment between the
timber traffickers and local forest authority. With regard to this issue, the
local forest authority incited army and Bengali settlers. On the contrary, the
army falsely propagated that the local people shot on them first. Needless to
say that it was completely false and faked. At present, the Jumma and permanent
Bengali residents are living in great fear for further attack.
PCJSS demanded punishment of the army and Bengali settlers involved to the incident
and adequate compensation for victims.