Hill Voice, 29 April 2020, Rangamati: An elected member of Raikhali Union Parishad under Kaptai upazila of Rangamati Hill District is reported to have been arrested by a group of army.

It is learnt that on 27 April 2020 at around 10:00 am, a group of army of local Mitingyachari army camp took Mr. Suicha Prue Marma (45), son of late Kyaw Jaw Marma, village-Panchari, an elected member of No. 8 Ward of Raikhali union to the camp having arrested from a nearby place of his house.

UP member Suicha Prue Marma, at that time, was going to his own fruits garden from house. Later army members took Suicha Prue Marma to Kaptai Army Zone.

After that, on 28 April 2020 in the evening Suicha Prue Marma was reportedly taken again to Mitingyachari army camp.

Till writing the report, reasons behind the arrest of Suicha Prue Marma by army was not known and he was not even handed over to the police.

Earlier, on 19 April 2020 Sunday at around 11.30 am, houses were searched at Gimrong Khyang Para No. 6 of Gaindya Union under Rajasthali upazila of Rangamati district and five people were beaten and seriously injured by Lt. Col. Touhit Ujjaman (BSC, PSC), Commander of Kaptai zone of 23 E Bengal.

At that time, Jackson Khyang, the Agriculture Secretary of the Rajasthali Thana Branch of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Youth Association of Rajasthali Upazila, was looked for and his house was searched.

It is learnt that a new temporary army camp has been set up at a place named Mitingachhari Para in Ward No. 8 of Raikhali Union in Kaptai Upazila. The army led by Second Lt. Mahabub of the new army camp has beaten the following 5 innocent Khyang villagers.

The injured Khyang villagers were identified as Raju Khiang (20), s/o Chinghlapra Khyang; Shoimong Khyang (22), s/o Anthaipru Khyang; Sagya Khyang (31), s/o Usahla Khyang; Bijay Khyang (19), s/o Gya Khyang; and Gya Khyang (43), s/o Paigya Khyang et al.

On the other hand, after the army took Reformist member Malek Bawm into the army zone on 21 April 2020, he is back home at around 8 pm that day. According to local sources, he was taken to the zone to plan for military search operations in different areas.

On 28 April 2020, in a meeting convened with all the Headmen, Karbaries and Chairman-Members of Jurachhari Union under Jurachhari Upazila, Lt. Col. Tanvir Hasan, Zone Commander of Bandukchhari Army Zone, said that in case of any untoward incident in Jurachari area takes place, brush fire will be made on everyone. Nobody will be spared, he threatened.

Earlier, on 13 April 2020, Monday, at 10:00 am, at a meeting held at the Bonjogichhara army zone in Jurachhari upazila with the people’s representatives and civil society elders of Jurachhari upazila, the Bonjogichhara zone commander warned the Jana Samhati Samiti (in his word: Santu Larma JSS) by saying that if necessary, strong steps will be taken to bring the Reformist JSS and the UPDF-democratic in the Jurachari area in the future to corner the Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti.