Prothom Alo, 9 September 2003
As per the news report in the Prothom-alo, yesterday on Monday, the small township of Mahalchari is heated by the protest demonstration organized by both the Hill People and the Bengali settlers. A huge contingent of military was employed again to control the situation. In a situation like this the permanent parliamentary committee for CHT visited some sites of the effected villages and organized a peace meeting in front of the town hall field.
It has been reported that in this meeting the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on CHT, Mr. Moni Swapan Dewan, state minister of CHT Affairs, Mr. Udud Bhuiyan, Chairman of CHT Development Board and MP from Khagrachari district, Nokkatra Lal Devbarman, Chairman of Khagrachari District Council etc. were present in this meeting. Mr. Dewan failed to give assurance for rehabilitation of the affected families but assured that the culprit responsible for this act will be bought to book.
Yesterday, UPDF organized a protest demonstration to vent its angers for the incident and it has been reported that thousands of people thronged in the Thalipara area to let their grievances to be known to the MPs and media persons from Dhaka. In this meeting convened by UPDF Mr. Anil Chakma, Convenor of district Committee of UPDF Mr. Anil Chakma, UP Chariman Archimidis Chakma, Somari Chakma, Animesh Chakma, Ruithui Marma and Kir Marma made speech.
On other side, more than thousands of Bengalis gathered near Mahalcharo market place and demanded release of Rupon Mahajon and also withdrawal of charges and they also joined the peace gathering after making their round in the main roads of the small township shouting protest slogans. The Bengali leaders also put forward a memorandum written to the Prime Minister through this permanent parliamentary committee.
At Lemuchari the hill tribal leaders told that the meager supply of food items supplied as survival provision is already depleted. But the state minister for CHT Affairs Mr. Moni Sawapan Dewan told to the reporter that 70 metric tons of rice and taka 3 lakhs was sanctioned to deliver the victim families. From the source Awami League it has been informed that the opposition leaders with Advocate Abdul Hamid and MPs from opposition party will be visiting the spots at Mahalchari.
Translated from Bengali by Japan CHT Committee