chtnews.com
News No. 87/2011, April 20, 2011
Rekhna Chakma, Caritas Office, Khagrachari, In the morning of 17 April I went to Chittagong to attend a seminar. At 3pm, I was returning from there by a Shanti Paribahan bus.
In the evening when we reached Mahamuni area of Manikchari we came to know that the settlers were attacking Jumma passengers at different points on Chittagong – Khagrachari road.
We were seven Jummas in the bus.
The local shopkeepers (at Mahamuni) warned against proceeding further for the safety of the Jumma passengers.
At that time army and police were patrolling the road.
Terrified, I took shelter at Caritas office at Manikchari.
The other six Jumma passengers remained in the bus.
Caritas officer Priti Tripura took me to the Caritas office with his motor bike.
Another two persons also took shelter along with me.
Soon after dusk, the settlers got together and began attacking Jumma houses.
T
hey also attacked the house of Caritas officer Priti Tripura and a local Awami League leader, who is a Marma.
Hearing settlers’ shouts and threats, we got out of Caritas office and took shelter behind nearby bushes.
Soon after, they began attacking Caritas office.
We were about 30 - 40 Jummas taking shelter behind the bushes.
We stayed half the night there in terrible fear.
From there we could see that the settlers were setting fire to the Jumma houses.
I don’t understand how the settlers could launch the attacks while there were army patrol teams and section 144 imposed.
The next day, I came back to Khagrachari along with an investigating team, which visited the spots.
I don’t know what happened to the other six Jumma passengers in the bus.
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