According to sources, around 9PM a group of settlers and members of para military Ansar went to the house of Sushil Chakma, a Jum cultivator. He was not at home – away to Reserve Forest for bamboo-cutting – and his wife Chander Mala Chakma (35) was just in bed with her five young children when she heard the footsteps of the stalkers.

Sensing that they had bad intentions, she silently ran out of the house through a hole of the ramshackle bamboo wall, and so did her children.

After going a few distances, she gave a loud shout and called for help.

Hearing this, the villagers also gave shouts in chorus as a way of support and rushed to her and rescued her.

Chander Mala’s house is located within 250 yards of Baghaihat zone, and there is an Ansar post near her house.

One Jumma woman in Sajek described their lives as hell and said: “There is no security here and many villagers had to keep their young girls with their relatives in other areas.”

She admitted, however, that after the revolts of the Jumma women the army had to reduce their movements.

“But still there is no safety and security, because you do not know when they will come and raid our homes and arrest our husbands and sons.” she said.

She also alleged that the army is instigating the settlers to “grab our lands” and pick up quarrels with us.

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Filed on:February 20, 2010