Sajek news update: investigative team returns

chtnews.com
News No. 71/2008, April 30, 2008

A 13-member investigative team of progressive Bengalis, which visited the place of occurrence in Sajek, came back to Dhaka yesterday.

Jointly led by Ms Moshrefa Mishu, a veteran leftist leader and convenor of Biplobi Okyo Front, and Mr. Manos Chowdhury, teacher of Anthropology Department, Jahangirnagar University, the team reached Sajek on 28 April.

One of the team members told chtnews.com that they were halted by Major Kabir at Dighinala and were not allowed to speak freely with the victims.

"We were boarded their army vehicle and driven to the place of occurrence. During the visit we were not allowed to talk to the Pahari (Jumma) victims and to visit their burned houses." he said.

"It was a guarded and restricted visit, and wherever we went we were flanked by military personnel." said Ricoh Chakma who accompanied the team members.

The team members are expected to hold a press conference on their Sajek visit.

Memo to Debashish Roy
Victims of Sajek arson attack, who held a press conference in Dhaka on 27 April, submitted a memorandum to Barrister Debashish Roy, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser and in charge of CHT Ministry, on 28 April demanding adequate compensation to the victims and punishment to those responsible for the attack.

Moeen U Ahmed's visit: an eye wash
Army chief Moeen U Ahmed visited Sajek yesterday and blamed "a section of the population there" who is "always involved in terrorist activities in an effort to sabotage the area's development".

Asked to comment on his visit, Mithun Chakma, General Secretary of the Democratic Youth Forum, said, "the visit of Moeen U Ahmed is nothing but an eyewash, a damage control exercise."

He said the objective of his visit was quite clear and it was to save the culprits like Lt. Col. Sajid Md. Imtiaz and businessman Golam Mowla, the masterminds behind the brutal attack.

"It is a big question as to why the government had decided to send Gen. Moeen instead of Barrister Debashish Roy, who is in charge of Chittagong Hill Tracts Ministry." he said.
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