Sajek news update: army arrests 4 Jummas on charge of setting fire to settler house

chtnews.com
News No. 72/2008, May 1, 2008

On 28 April, at around 10 pm, a Bengali settler named Nasir set fire to his own house built recently on Jumma people's land at Bame Baibachara while a group of army personnel hid themselves in the jungle nearby the house.

After setting the house on fire, Nasir cried aloud for help and when four Jumma youths from Simanachara village went there to see if another attack was taking place, the army personnel caught them.

The arrested Jummas have been identified as Sushil Chakma aged 26 s/o Asomi Chandra Chakma, Ratna Bikash Chakma aged 22 s/o Gunodhar Chakma, Sangram Chakma aged 22 s/o Ashok Kumar Chakma and Rabindra Chakma aged 23 s/o Shashi Mohan Chakma. All of them were taken to Baghaihat zone.

However, a Daily Star report said "police arrested three indigenous youths on charge of setting fire". Quoting Baghaichari police, the paper said "the three indigenous youths went to Bhai Bhai Dubhai Colony area and wet fire on the house of Liakat Ali, burning it to ashes with all properties when locals caught the three youths from the area and handed them over to police."

"When contacted, a relative of one of the accused said the three youths went there to see the fire and help the victims. The villager caught them as they are from ethnic people." the Daily Star report added.

A member of the Hill Watch Human Rights Forum, who visited Sajek on 27 April, said the arrest of the Jumma youths on charge of setting fire to a settler house only shows the desperateness on the part of the army to absolve itself of its complicity to the 20 April attack.

"Why should the Jummas burn down the settler's house when they themselves are living in fear and anxiety" he questioned.

"My view is that the settler has burned down his own house to get on to the list of the victims and become eligible to receive compensation from the government. It's quite a business." he added.

The chtnews.com has learnt that the burned house of the settler was built with barely four small wooden poles, thatch and bamboo splits and it would not cost more than Taka 400 (or US $ 6). On the other hand, he would receive a few thousand Taka as compensation.