Hill Voice, 7 September 2023, Bandarban: The terrorists of Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF) known as Bawm Party forayed in several Marma Paras (villages) of Ruma in Bandarban district for extorting Tk 500 from each family. The KNF terrorists escaped running away, firing two blank shots in face of encounter resistance.

As per local reports, for last 2/3 days, the KNF terrorists have been threatening the villagers demanding money for Tk 500 each family from several villages in Paindu and Ruma Sadar union under Ruma upazila.

At this, being raged a six-member KNF terrorist group with SBBL gun invaded the three Marma Paras (villages) yesterday on Wednesday (6 September) at around 7.30 pm. To start with, they attempted to drive in Niangkyong Para of Ward No. 4 under Paindu union. But, the Bawm party terrorists dared not to enter into the Niangkyong village in the face of opposition of the villagers.
Afterwards, the terrorists raided in Palitong Para under Ward No. 3 of same union. They demanded Tk 20,000 from those villagers within two days. The terrorists left Palitong Para threatening the villagers that they would come again to get the money in two days.

Later, the terrorists again fell on Chaigro Para at around 8 pm. Entering into the village, they scolded and threatened the villagers by shouting. Before long, the villagers numbering 40/50 came out of their houses and surrounded the terrorists.

At this, the terrorists were afraid. At one point, the terrorists fired two blank shots to scare the villagers and fled away. While fleeing, the terrorists took away two ducks from the villagers without paying.

After around an hour, the terrorists phoned the village karbari of Chaigro Para and said, “You even dared to encounter us. How dare you?” The terrorists further said to village karbari threatening, “Tomorrow, on Thursday (7 September) we will come again. Collect Tk 500 from each family and accumulate them. If not so, you would face dire consequence.”

Till writing this report there is no confirmation whether the terrorists fell on the Chaigro Para. However, there is panic in the area regarding the attack. On the other hand, there is no effective measures from army and law enforcing agencies though they were informed the mater.

At present, there are three terrorist groups of KNF reportedly stay in Ruma and Rowanchari area. They move around the area. Owing to oppression of KNF and the army, the villagers of Bawm para were uprooted and so, they even could not have their jum cultivation this year that led to food shortage in remote areas now. Accordingly, there is food shortage in KNF. That is why, the KNF terrorists frequently fall on the Marma villages.

Some defected members of Arakan Liberation Party, the then Myanmar rebel group, were called ‘a party of Tk 500’ as they used to extort Tk 500 in Bandarban. Presently, it is opined that this KNF terrorists too, widely known as Bawm Party, is being transforming into ‘a party of Tk 500’.