Arson Attack in Rangamati Victims wait for justice Staff Correspondent - December 23, 2014 A week has gone by and still no case has been filed and nobody got arrested in connection with the torching of 61 homes of the indigenous people at Burigati union of Naniarchhar in Rangamati. The same goes for the destruction of thousands of pineapple plants and teak saplings of Bangalee settlers, which allegedly sparked the attack on indigenous peoples homes. People of the area are blaming the police for inaction. They said they went to Naniarchhar Police Station to file cases after the incidents but police refused to accept their cases saying the law enforcers did not have the go-ahead from their high-ups. The Bangalee settlers and the indigenous people told The Daily Star that Officer-in-Charge Muhammad Rashid asked them to register the cases later on. Rashid, however, denied the allegation, claiming that neither sides had approached him or visited the police station to file cases. “We will lodge the cases if they come and make complaints,” he said over the telephone yesterday. Kamal, whose 1.40 lakh pineapple plants were cut down allegedly by ethnic people, at first refused to say that he had gone to the police to file a case. Later on, he said, “The police told me that a committee was formed to probe the incident. So, you wait until the probe is done.” Advertisement Nur Islam, Jamal, Asad, whose pineapple plants were destroyed, and Afsar Master, who lost 20,000 teak saplings, had also gone to the police station with Kamal. Later, they filed a general diary instead. Supan Chakma, convenor of Naniarchhar Bhumi Roksha Committee, and Ananda Chakma, member of Burigati union, also had similar accusations about the police. Bangalee settlers and the indigenous people said criminals hardly ever get punished in the hilly areas and that was the reason there were so many incidents of abduction, extortion, and killing. In most cases, no legal action is taken and even if a case goes to trial, witnesses cannot be found, they added. PROBE BODY VISIT A three-member probe body, formed two days after the incident, visited the Suridaspara and Bogachhari villages yesterday led by Additional Magistrate Saif Uddin Ahmed of Rangamati. This is the first visible action by the authorities in a week. They visited the gutted houses of the indigenous people and the pineapple and teak plantations. The committee members also talked to some victims and enquired about the incidents. While Bangalee victims accused the indigenous people of destroying their pineapple plants and teak saplings, the former blamed the settlers for attacking their homes and burning those down. Earlier, the Rangamati district administration had formed a 12-member committee, comprising members of Bangalee community and indigenous villagers, to solve the ongoing problem through discussions. Led by Naniarchhar upazila chairman Shaki Chakma, the committee failed to hold any meeting. POLITICS WITH RELIEF The victim Chakma families were refusing to take governments help, terming it inadequate. But they are accepting assistance from other organisations. The day after the attack on the indigenous people, the local administration sent corrugated iron sheets, rice and blankets. The victims were ready to accept those, but the Naniarchhar Bhumi Roksha Committee, which is backed by United Peoples Democratic Front (UPDF), got in the way and refused the aid. The Bhumi Roksha Committee was also trying to delay the governments initiative to rebuild the houses, saying the victims would only take help if the authorities made sure the indigenous people would never be attacked again. Law enforcers alleged that the committee and UPDF wanted to cash in on the situation, showing the torched houses to different local and international organisation and getting aid. “The government primarily selected 15 victims with a plan to start construction tomorrow [Tuesday],” said Naniarchhar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mohammad Nuruzzaman. “The government will rebuild all the houses in phases,” he told The Daily Star over the telephone. Published: 12:00 am Tuesday, December 23, 2014 Last modified: 2:27 am Tuesday, December 23, 2014 thedailystar.net/backpage/victims-wait-for-justice-56634
Posted on: Tue, 23 Dec 2014 08:34:39 +0000
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