Update from Rangamati: Parbatya Chattagram Pahari Chhatra Parishad (PCP), student wing of the Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samiti is observing road and waterway blockade in Rangamati district. The blockade was called demanding suspension of all activity of Rangamati Medical College and Rangamati University of Science and Technology. The student wing demands that such activity should be halted until the CHT accord is implemented. It is alleged that government is attempting to implement such university project in order to divert the attention from implementation of the CHT accord which remain implemented for the last 17 years! The justification to set up such higher institution in the area is very controversial, as according to a UNDP funded research done by Human Development Research Centre in 2009, only 8% children can manage to complete primary education in CHT. Of those, who manage to go to secondary school, only 2% of them manage to complete it. So it is very sensible to justify that, without improving the condition of primary and secondary schools in the area, such higher institutions aint gonna bring any good to the local people. Moreover, in the name of setting up those institutions the government has started acquiring thousand of acres of land belonging to Jumma communities. It is learnt that, the military has a plan of setting up military cantonment in Jumma inhabited Jhogora Bil and Balu Khali area. As they cant approach directly to set up such institutions in the area, they are first intending to set up medical and university in the area to weaken the Jumma stronghold. Eventually, later, they will move up to set up military infrastructure in the area. They already have started to settle more Bengali people in the proposed area. Following the blockade, the Rangamati town has turned into a mini battle ground stetching from Banarupa to College gate area. As we write this report (11.50 am), we have gathered information regarding Bengali settlers attacking Jumma areas in many places. The Awami League activists, in support of setting up universities and protesting the road blockade, carried out procession at around 8.30 am in the town. The procession, backed by the police, came into a clash when they met blockade supporters from PCP at Court Building area. Suddenly, hundreds of settlers, backed my military came out on the road and started attacking PCP supporters and Jummas. Settler Bengalis, backed by military made several attempts to attack Jumma inhabited Tribal Adam and Tridiv Nagar area. The local Jummas built up strong resistance. In the college gate area, settler Bengalis attempted to attack Jumma inhabited in TTC area. Clashes broke out as Jummas tried to resist. Clashes are still going on in different parts of the town. Settler Bengalis have vandalized many Jumma owned shops and business centre in different places. Chevron clinic, a Jumma owned clinic which was vandalized in 2010 by Bengali settlers, has fallen victim of their rampage again.
Posted on: Sat, 10 Jan 2015 06:06:11 +0000
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