Hill Voice, 18 February 2024, Bandarban: Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF) known as Bawm Party has been reported to have intercepted vehicles and beaten up at least 8 people on their way to work in Ruma Upazila of Bandarban,

According to local sources, around 7:00 a.m. on Sunday (February 18), armed terrorists of the Bawm Party, have severely beaten up Luprue Marma (56), s/o late Alumong Marma capruring him from Poli Para (Marma village) cremation area near Bethel Para (Bawm village) of Ruma Upazila Sadar. Luprue Marma is the younger brother of current Ruma Upazila Parishad chairman Uhlaching Marma and works as a lineman at the ticket counter of Ruma bus station.

He was going from Sadarghat to Ruma Bazar around 7:00 am to perform the duty of bus lineman. Meanwhile, the KNF armed terrorists stopped him on the way from Sangu College to Poli Para and severely beat him up and injured him. Later after half an hour he was released by KNF terrorists.

It is also known that at around 7:30 am in Ruma Bagalek road, KNF armed terrorists stopped three motorcycles on the way to 11th Kilometer with the passengers and beat both the driver and the passengers severely. The innocent people detained in this place have not been released yet.

Meanwhile, at 7:00 am on his way to work at Jumfield, KNF terrorists snatched the mobile phone from a young man named Nusingthwai Marma (23), s/o Kysingmong Marma of Kambwa Para of Ruma Sadar Union of Ruma Upazila and beat him up.

It should be noted that the armed members of KNF, known as Bawm Party, have stopped all types of vehicles from this morning. In this situation, the internal roads of Ruma Upazila including Ruma-Bandarban road are closed.

It is to be noted that a protest march of people from all walks of life was held at Ruma Upazila Sadar on February 13 and 14 to protest against the oppression, torture, extortion, kidnapping of Jumma villagers of different communities in Ruma Upazila by KNF terrorists and the shooting of Uhlaching Marma, a resident of Rejuk Para on February 13.

At the end of the rally at 12.30 pm, the agitated mob attacked and vandalized a total of 4 houses and 2 shops of Bawm people in the vicinity of Bawm hostel in Ruma. Meanwhile, a person named Jousang Lusai (65) was seriously injured after getting hit on the head.

On the other hand, three Marma villagers were beaten up by KNF terrorists on their way back home after the protest, local sources said, which sparks more tension in Ruma. Since February 13, 11 people have been beaten up by the KNF.

Bawm Party terrorists have intensified attacks on Marma people in recent times. The KNF cited as a pretext for the attack that the Marma people had ties to the pro-CHT Accord group, allowing them to stay in villages, and tracking down the pro-Accord group and showing them their hideouts. As a result, Marma people of Ruma area are in fear.