Hill Voice, 7 June 2020, Rangamati:  Recently, two innocent Jumma people were detained and severely beaten by the army of Subalong camp at Subalong bazar in Subalong Union of Barkal Upazila under Rangamati District. It is also learnt that the army had taken a signature on the white paper from the innocent victims when they were released after being beaten.

The two innocent victims were identified as Sarat Chandra Chakma (55), son of Kala Chan Chakma and Sukhamoy Chakma (44), son of Shanti Kumar Chakma from Purba Kadamtali village of Subalong Union.

According to local sources, on 5 June 2020 Thursday at around 8:30 am Sarat Chandra Chakma and Sukhamoy Chakma were detained and severely beaten by the army of Subalong camp on their way to Rangamati Sadar in a trawler boat from their village. During this time, the army interrogated them unnecessarily on various issues. The army later released them after taking a signature on a white paper forcibly.

It is known that Sarat Chandra Chakma and Sukhamoy Chakma are both very simple and ordinary people. In the last 2019 financial year, the villagers of Purba Kadamtali village applied to the Barkal Upazila Parishad for help in purchasing decoration materials for religious and social purposes in their village.

In the context of that application, some financial allocation was given to the villagers from Barkal Upazila Parishad on 4 May 2020. Sarat Chandra Chakma and Sukhamoy Chakma were going to Rangamati that day to buy decoration items for the villagers. They were beaten on their way to the check post of Subalong army camp.

The locals were shocked and outraged when the army of the Subalong army camp tortured innocent people for no reason.

In the name of checking the people traveling by water ways and the villagers who come to Subalong Bazaar, there have been incidents of beatings, harassment, interrogation, many detentions, etc. by the army of Subalong camp. Recently, on 11 May 2020, an innocent youth named Jewel Chakma was also brutally beaten by the army of the Subalong camp.

Earlier, on 24 April at around 7:30 AM a pregnant Jumma woman named Ronika Chakma (22) has tragically died before reaching the hospital due to having been detained by the army at Subalong camp for almost an hour without reason on the way to Rangamati District Hospital from Jurachhari Upazila.

Set up a new camp at Baradam

The army has started setting up a new camp on Pratap Dewan’s recorded land at Muroghona area of Baradom Mouza in Mogban Union of Rangamati Sadar Upazila. A temporary camp was withdrawn from the site after the signing of the CHT Accord.

On 31 May 2020, a group of army numbering 25/30 personnel from the Kaptai zone of 23 EB stationed there and started the work of setting up the camp.

On 01 June 2020, Rangamati Zone Commander Lt. Colonel Rafiqul Islam and Rangamati brigade 203 Infantry Division Major Mohiuddin Faruqui (G2) inspected the construction work of the new camp. At the time, the army was accompanied by members of the Reformists and UPDF (Democratic), local sources said.

On 4 June 2020, at around 10:00 in the morning, Lt. Colonel Md. Tuhin and four Reformist members are known to have visited the new camp once again. Sources said that Sudhir Karbari of Deppochari village was also called to the camp at that time.

Vehicles and people are being searched and interrogated by setting up check posts in the newly established camp.