Brutal Grenade Attack on Jumma Students

Brutal Grenade Attack on Jumma Students:
A Conspiracy of Ethnic Cleansing
1. Introduction
Around 3:30 pm o f 20 May 2012, a powerful grenade attack was
conducted on the Jumma students at Kalyanpur petrol pump o f Rangamati
town when they were awfully busy in preparing for return journey to their
respective destinations after concluding o f the inaugural ceremony of the
23""** Anniversary and l?*"^ Central Council o f Pahari Chhatra Parishad
(Hill Students Council). 14 persons received fatal injuries at the cowardice
grenade attack o f the terrorists. Among them 11 injured were the members
of the Pahari Chhatra Parishad (PCP), 1 auto-rickshaw driver, 1 saloon
worker and 1 bus driver assistant. A l l the 14 seriously wounded were
firstly hospitaUzed in Rangamati General Hospital. Afterwards 6 o f the
seriously wounded were taken to the Chittagong Medical College Hospital
from among who Mongcha Sing Marma died later while 3 others were
taken to the Dhaka Orthopedic Hospital in serious condition.
2. Perspective
Aiming at resolving the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) crisis by peaceftil
and political means, the Chittagong Hill Tracts Accord, 1997 was signed
between the Goveniment o f Bangladesh and Parbatya Chattagram Jana
Samhati Samiti (PCJSS) - the only political party of the Jumma peoples.
The Accord earned undisputable support at home and in abroad including
the Jumma peoples of all walks o f life in the CHT. The very basis o f
preservation of the national entity and development o f the Jumma peoples
was thereby laid through the Accord. This opened up the threshold of reestablishing the robbed rights o f the Jumma peoples during colonial rule.
But it is most unfortunate that by-passing the historical ground created for
assertion of the rights o f the Jumma Peoples through the Accord, a very
few youths led by the Jumma national black sheep Prasit-Sanjoy gang
began armed terror maintaining their self-styled and conftising slogan: 'No
rights o f the Jumma Peoples achieved through the Accord' - only to
obstruct the implementation process of the Accord. Being imbibed with
nexus design, they went mad with the bloody game. Forming up an
organization named UPDF overnight, they got involved in unleashing the
reign of terror across the CHT. On the other end, the ultra-communal and
extreme nationalist quarters headed by the BNP-Jamat clique, terming the
CHT Accord to be "discriminatory and counter-productive to the
Constitution and Sovereignty of the country" came down to oppose the
Accord by spreading motivated and confusing statements as such. These
quarters, with the active support of the local administration and the
security forces indulge the Bengali Muslim settlers against the Jumma
peoples. In attacks upon the Jumma peoples, they stage the middle-age
barbarity like arson in the Jumma villages, looting, killing and raping
indiscriminately.
It is this evil force opposing the Accord and Jumma interest led the beastly
attack by hurling grenade upon the students-public who had come to
attend the Hill Student Council conference on 20 May 2012. Their main
objectives were to create terror in CHT and get panic-striken the
revolutionary Jumma students involved in the movement for favor of the
Accord and above all, to thwart down the existing movement for
implementation of the Accord and its implementation process.
3. Grenade Attack
With the slogan: "Students Unite! Resist all forms of conspiracy and forge
ahead the movement of CHT Accord Implementation," the inaugural
session of the 23'"'* founding anniversary and the 17^*^ central council of
Hill Students Council was held at the Rangamati gymnasium compound.
The occasion was attended by thousands o f students from various
universities and colleges of the country and the students from different
parts of the three hill districts.
The inaugural session of the founding anniversary and central council of
Hill Students Council started at 11 a.m. Jyotirindra Bodhipriya Larma,
president of PCJSS was present in the occasion as the chief guest and
inaugiu-ator as well. Besides, Pankaj Bhattachariya, Convener of Gano
Oikya Committee was also present among other leaders.
After concluding the session, the students of Swedish Polytechnic Institute
of Kaptai upazila were preparing for their journey back to the Institute like
with other students coming from far. They were waiting for their fellows
keeping their reserved bus stood by at the Kalyanpur petrol pump. At this
moment, the terrorists riding in an auto-rickshaw on RangamatiChittagong road came close to the petrol pump at slow speed and hurled
the grenade towards the students gathered near the bus. Before sensing the
danger, the grenade got exploded in big-bang sound and soon some of the
students fell down on the ground. The others around there began fleeing
helter-skelter. At some point the people nearby rushed to the spot and took
them to the hospital. Clots of blood remained in pool.
Brutal Grenade Attack on Jumma Students:
A Conspiracy of Ethnic Cleansing
The eye witness Sugata Chakma, 4**^ year student in Computer
Department of Swedish Polytechnic Institute, informed that by then he
was standing opposite to the petrol pump meters. He noticed an autorickshaw plying close to the petrol pump. He also noticed 3 passengers
sitting including the driver at the front while 3 other passengers were at
the back. He saw the man sitting by the left o f the driver hurling
something towards the explosion site. He took it for jesting sake being
thrown at somebody. But he could realize it to be a bomb when it got
exploded in no time. Another eye witness is a 1st year student o f that
Institute Ms Jony who received splinter injury in her right eye. She sighted
the throwing o f bomb from inside the auto-rickshaw that came in slow
speed close to the petrol pump. She informed that after throwing the bomb
the auto-rickshaw escaped towards the direction o f Banarupa at high
speed.
The effectiveness of the explosion o f the grenade was so large in radius
that the glass o f an auto-rickshaw that stood 20 meters apart o f the
explosion site got shattered into pieces. The splinters o f the bomb made
numerous holes in the thick-tin roof of the shed built for the petrol pump
meters. The splinters created quite big and deep holes on the concrete wall
of the petrol pump counter shed and the walls of public toilet about 20 feet
away of the spot o f occurrence. The bus standing to carry the students also
got multiple holes. The gravity and severity o f the grenade can be
conceived by estimating the serious-looking injuries o f the wounded
persons, the numerous holes in the thick-tin walls of petrol pump meters
and the deep holes in the concrete walls of the 20 meter apart public toilet.
Seriously wounded Kamanashish Chakma informed that as soon as the
grenade was thrown at, it came under his foot and recognizing it to be a
grenade, he gave a jump with full strength. With the explosion o f the
grenade, his four left foot fingers got blown up completely and he received
splinter injuries in different parts of his body. Mongcha Sing Marma died
in Chittagong Medical College Hospital while being under treatment. His
intestines were torn in holes and both the thighs were burnt to the worst.
Even parts o f his intestines got out of the abdomen. He also received
splinter injuries in the lungs. So despite relentless efforts o f the physicians,
he could not be brought back life. After fighting with the death for two and
a half days, he gave in and breathed for the last at the wee hours o f the
night. Thus how the prospective life of a lively youth met the prematured
end.
Jibon Chakma sustained three deep woimds in three areas of the body.
None of the wounds can be stated less serious than the other ones. The
part below the right knee was so worstly wounded that it got almost torn
Brutal Grenade Attack on Jumma Students:
A Conspiracy of Ethnic Cleansing
and the wound in his right heel was also deep. It appears that after posttreatment recovery he will have to lead a life with disability. The splinter
hitting also caused a deep wound below the right shoulder touching almost
the right lung for which his life has become very much prone to risk.
Babudhan Chakma sustained a serious splinter injury in his right shoulder
the muscles of which got torn into pieces. There was no blood circulation
to his right hand for complete tearing o f the blood veins. Though the
doctors o f the Dhaka Heart Institute were able to re-establish blood
circulation, there remains the doubt o f getting his right hand back to
normalcy. Apart from it, he also received splinter hitting in different parts
of the body the curse o f which he will have to bear for the whole life.
Nipon Chakma sustained splinter injuries in the head, in both cheeks
below the eyes, left hand and in both the legs. His face, in essence, got
burnt in the explosion. He had to be given 5 stitches in the head and
several stitches in the cheeks. He has developed gloomy sighting with his
right eye.
Ms. Jony Chakma received splinter hitting in her right eye while Bhuban
Chakma and Ronel Chakma still bear the splinters in the body. The
surgeon serving with the Rangamati General Hospital failed to remove the
splinters from them. The doctors put an end to letting them undergo
further surgery due to apprehension of life risk as the splinters are located
at blood veins and in bones. Both Ronel Chakma and Bhuban Chakma are
likely to continue to endure unbearable pain caused by the splinters.
Person died
1. Mongcha Sing Marma (20) s/o Kyaw Ching Marma, V i l l :
Boghichara, Raikhali, Kaptai upazila. He was a student o f 4 * Year
in Electrical Department o f Kaptai Swedish Polytechnic Institute.
Persons Wounded
1. Kamanashish Chakma (21) s/o Arabindu Chakma, Vill: Battala,
Baghaichari upazila, a student o f 3""^ Year in Civil Engineering
Department, Kaptai Swedish Polytechnic Institute.
2.
Babudhan Chakma (20) s/o Punya Ranjan Karbari, V i l l :
Ujyangchari, Barkal upazila, a student o f 3'"^ Year in Civil
Engineering Department, Kaptai Swedish Polytechnic Institute.
3. Jibon Chakma (18) s/o Kalanjay Chakma, V i l l : Kamalchari,
Khagrachari upazila, a student o f 3*"** Year in Civil Engineering
Department, Kaptai Swedish Polytechnic Institute.
4.
Nipon Chakma s/o Usha Moy Chakma, Vill: Tarengya Adam,
Maghban, Rangamati Sadar upazila, a saloon worker.
Brutal Grenade Attack on Jumma Students:
A Conspiracy of Ethnic Cleansing
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
Ms Jony Chakma (18) s/o Kula Pradip Chakma, Vill: Boradam,
Rangamati sadar upazila, a student o f 1 st Year, Kaptai Karaaphuli
College.
Kushal Chakma (18) s/o Tarun Bikash Chakma, V i l l :
Moitreenagar, Rangamati Sadar upazila, a student of 3rd Year in
Electrical Engineering Department, Kaptai Swedish Polytechnic
Institute.
Ronel Chakma (16) s/o Biplab Chakma, Vill: Tarengya Adam,
Maghban, Rangamati Sadar upazila, a student of Class-X in
Kaptai High school.
Aungsi Mong Marma alias Mongma (25) s/o Chatoi Prue Marma,
Vill: Chakkopara, Kaptai upazila.
Chainu Prue Marma (25) s/o Suicha Thong Marma, V i l l :
Chakkopara, Kaptai upazila.
Abuching Marma (25) s/o Mong Suri Marma, Vill: Chakkopara,
Kaptai upazila.
Bhuban Chakma (20) s/o Chitta Moy Chakma, Taxi Driver, Vill:
Boradam, Naniarchar upazila (At present at TTC Road,
Rangamati)
Kamalesh Chakma, Vill: Chakkopara, Kaptai upazila.
Belal s/o Kalu, Vill: Lichu Bagan, Kaptai upazila, helper to the
bus driver
3. Confusion over the Attackers and Grenade
The PCJSS does believe that those quarters belonging to anti-Jumma
interest and vested interest including anti-Accord terrorist organization
UPDF that want to foil the CHT Accord implementation process and are
involved in hatching conspiracies the national entity and mother land of
Jumma peoples, are responsible for this sabotage attack. The PCJSS is in
belief that the UPDF, might either directly with their terrorist group or
with the ultra-communal and fundamentalist elements hired to conduct the
attack. The illustrations are there that the UPDF, using the Bengali settler
or the ultra-communal quarter of vested interest, conducted various
sabotage activities including the extortion of money in the areas of
Suvalong bazaar under Barkal upazila, Bhijakijing under Jurachari
upazila. Naniarchar upazila and Rajasthali upazila headquarters. The
UPDF, for the purpose of conducting terrorist 'modus-operendi' has kept
several auto-rickshaws of their own at Kutukchari area and according to
the reliable source, they use non-indigenous persons by giving them
shares on regular basis to deceive the common people,.
Following the grenade attack, the role of the administration has given rise
to multiple doubts and questions. Immediately after the incident, the
Brutal Grenade Attack on Jumma Students:
A Conspiracy of Ethnic Cleansing
controversial statements made by some personnel of law & order forces
contributed to the magnitude of doubts to fiirther extent. Saiftil Alam
Chowdhury, the Officer-In-Charge (OC) of Kotwali police station said that
"It is absolutely not possible to hurl a bomb from an auto-rickshaw on the
main road as it is a distance of almost fifty feet. I f it was hurled by
someone, then it would hit someone's head and he would die on the spot.
So, I think someone within the crowd might have been carrying it," the
OC added (The Daily Star, 21 May 2012 and the Kaler Kontho, 22 May
' 2012). Ostensibly, the OC re-pronounced the statement made by the
UPDF. The anti-Accord terrorist organization UPDF had also made this
brand of motivated statement to slip their mischief under carpet
immediately after the incident.
It needs no mention that i f the officers of law and order forces with who
lay the responsibility of unearthing the factual reality of the incident
through investigation and bringing the culprits under the jurisdiction of
law make inference-based and motivated statement, what else could be
expected from them? However, that the incident will not he deah with
impartial investigation and the convicted will not be brought under the
procedure of law has become clear as bright as the day. The statement of
the OC as such, in place of unveiling the real fact, cannot be held but
letting the incident take different course or an i l l effort to conceal their
weakness and mischief
Centering the incident of the grenade attack, the law & order maintaining
force made further confusing and self-contradictory statements. Initially,
though they mentioned the incident as to have been a grenade attack,
changing their version in no time, mentioned it to be a 'hand bomb' as an
ill attempt to flow the incident to different course. The OC firstly came up
with a statement saying that "they got a few splinters of the bomb
including rubber and iron, which are usually seen in a grenade" (The
Daily Star, 21 May 2012). An officer from the army, after investigating the
occurrence site, informed the press that it was a grenade attack.
Examining the wounds of the victims, D r Nuen Khisa of Rangamati
General Hospital also guessed that it was a grenade attack (The Prthom
Alo, 21 May 2012). The Rangamati Zone Commander while visiting the
wounded persons in Rangamati General Hospital informed many present
there that 'the safety ring and splinters were to hand.' But the officers of
the law & order forces resorted to an ifl-attempt to create confusion saying
that 'the exploded object was a hand bomb locally made of glasses, sands
and iron' (Kaler Kontho, 22 May 2012). Also some reporters of national
dailies, referring to the confusing statements made by some officers of the
law & order maintenance force, the self-styled leaders of ultra-communal
Brutal Grenade Attack on Jumma Students:
A Conspiracy of Ethnic Cleansing
organization Sama Odhikar Andolon and anti-Accord organization UPDF,
made their reports so motivatedly that those who had become victims
would seem to be o f faulty.
More wonder lay with the matter that though the law & order forces
encircled the place of occurrence for some times, they paid no importance
to it later on. Many alleged that as a result o f withdrawal of the cordon so
early, the clues might have gotten disappeared due to movement o f the
commoners at the site o f explosion. Then after several hours later, the
CID, bomb experts fi-om the army and the intelligence staff cordoned the
area again. But due to movement in masses, the clues were almost got
ruined - as allegation maintained.
4. Indifference attitude of the government
It is a matter of grave concern that even after the brutal attack in the day
light followed by the death o f I promising youth and embracing the
disability for life by at least 6 blossomed youths, the administration did
not conduct proper investigation and no proper measure is being seen to
have been stepped up by the administration directing to arrest the
terrorists. The PCJSS and the Pahari Chatra Parishad (Hill Students
Council) raised the demand for an lu-gent action by searching out the
attackers including the concerned evil force, to award them with
examplary punishment and to redress the loosers with proper
compensation. The Pahari Chatra Parishad has sent in a memorandum to
the Prime Minister demanding the immediate arrest o f the persons
responsible for the grenade attack and redress the loosers with proper
compensation. But neither on the part o f local administration nor from the
high level of the government has been being seen taking proper measures
in this regard.
The administration has hitherto taken no measures on the incidents o f
wide-ranged-communal attacks upon the Jumma peoples including
killings, setting village after villages to ablaze, repetition o f raping and
violations against the Jumma women and girls and above all. the killing o f
more than 300 innocent commoners including 83 PCJSS members by the
terrorists o f anti-Accord organization UPDF o f which the government is
seen observing indifferent attitude in each case.
It is mentioned worthy that the UPDF armed terrorists had attacked on the
convoy o f the president o f PCJSS and chairman o f CHTRC Mr.
Jyotirindra Bodhipriya Larma on his way to Khagrachari to attend the
meeting of CHT Land Dispute Resolution Commission held on 27 January
2010 in Khagrachari and for the second time they had attack on his
convoy on his way back to Rangamati after attending the 3rd meeting o f
Brutal Grenade Attack on Jumma Students:
A Conspiracy of Ethnic Cleansing
the CHT Accord Implementation Committee held on 27 December 2010 at
Khagrachari. Despite filing cases against those attacks, the administrafion
stepped up no measures to arrest the terrorists. Awarding no examplary
punishment to the terrorists responsible for such heinous attacks by
arresting and bringing them under the jurisdiction o f law and above all, it
is due to the outcome o f nurturing the terrorist-indulging outlook on the
part of the local administration vis-a-vis the government, killing, creating
terror and communal riot have been in heightening in CHT and that the
law and order situation in this region is getting worse day by day. As such,
the indigenous Jumma peoples and the permanent residents of Bengali
origins oblige to lead life amidst the reign o f terror and in extreme lacking
of security to life and property.
5. Heinous Plan for the Attack
The movement led by PCJSS for implementation o f the CHT Accord, the
mandate of the CHT Jumma peoples, is underway with gradual progress.
The post-Accord period witnesses the passing o f 14 years. Awami Leauge,
the counter part that signed the Accord, has now entered the 4**^ year o f its
tenure after coming to the power on 6 January 2009 through a landslide
victory in the national election. But so far, the Awami League Government
has not yet stepped up any effective measures directing to implement the
main issues o f the Accord, which had been left un implemented. As a
resuh, extreme anguish and dissatisfaction prevail among the permanent
residents of both Jumma peoples and Bengalis living in CHT and among
the democratic forces at home and in abroad. The government was under
tremendous pressure for implementation o f the Accord. In this
circumstance, PCJSS urged the government to take effective measures for
implementation of the Accord in a press conference held on 29 November
2011 in Dhaka. PCJSS also made it clear that otherwise, ftirther a hardstand program would be declared in a grand assembly o f masses in March
2012. Later on, in perspective o f the prevailing situation as a whole in the
country and in CHT, in place of March 2012, PCJSS made to public that
the hard-stand program would be declared in May 2012 in a grand
assembly of masses. At this juncture of movement for implementation o f
the Accord, it has the ground to believe that targeting the grand-mass
assembly o f the 23^** anniversary and the 17"^ central council o f Hill
Students Council, the cowardice brutal grenade attack was conducted
aiming at thwarting down the movement.
It is noteworthy to mention that the attackers had chosen such a place so
that large extent o f damage could be done and it could get a wide
propagation. It appears that the attackers' choice for the action lay in
Brutal Grenade Attack on Jumma Students:
A Conspiracy of Ethnic Cleansing
estimation to the effect that i f the petrol pump gets burning in flames there
will be a major damage and the action will get more significant
propagation. What is more, the petrol pump is located at such an area,
which is approximately 200 meters away from the residence o f president
of the PCJSS and chairman o f the CHT Regional Council Jyotirindra
Bodhipriya Larma; and the Chakma Circle Chief Barrister Raja Devasish
Roy is the owner o f the petrol pump. So, considering the significant point
of view with regards to the damage and propagation, the site for the attack
was chosen. And the attack was carried out just on the day after the day of
brutally killing of Anil Chakma who joined the PCJSS in protestation
against the terrorist and reckless activities of the UPDF, at his residence of
Laxmichari upazila sadar under Khagrachari district. Ostensibly, the two
simultaneous attacks had been carried out in a bid to create terror in
contingency.
It requires no menfion that the student society has always been a political
source o f power in perspective o f the Jumma movement for the
implementation o f CHT Accord including the right to self-determination.
The patriotic and progressive force o f the Jumma student society has been
playing a vital role in the movement for the right to self-determination o f
the Jumma peoples since 1960s o f the last century, in 1970, the student
society got united under the leadership o f the Hill Students Association
and took part in the movement for the right to self-determination in the
spirit o f dedication and self-sacrifice. Later on, in they became more
united in protestation against the Longadu genocide perpetrated in 1989
and they gave birth to a unique students" formation named the Parbatya
Chattagram Pahari Chhatra Parishad (CHT Hill Students Councii). Since
its very birth, the Hill Students Council has been in persistence with the
offering o f strong resistance against the state-sponsored, o f national and
communal oppressions.
It is quite natural to say without any doubt that the anti-Accord terrorist
organization UPDF in league with the evil force comprising the quarters o f
anti-Jumma and the vested interest, by creating terror through the
terrifying act like the grenade attack of 20 May 2012, had chosen the vast
gathering o f thousands o f Jumma students as their target with a view to
frustrating the leadership o f the combatant Hill Students Council and the
movement; and thereby to break the moral courage o f the common
students and the united force o f the students in masses. Also it appears that
the terrorists choice for attacking the students gathering is rooted in their
calculation based on (a) wide range o f damage will be there i f attack is
carried out upon the mass gathering and (b) as such panic will be created
among the mass people in large. On the other hand, the possibility o f such
Brutal Grenade Attack on Jumma Students:
A Conspiracy of Ethnic Cleansing
heinous grenade attack is also suggestive of obstructing the streamlining
of the students o f various universities and colleges including the schools
of the three hill districts under the banner of the Hill Students Council.
However, the conjecture that makes it clear that this barbarous grenade
attack was mainly aimed at ruining the effective force of the movement for
right to self-determination under the leadership o f PCJSS and thereby
achieving their main objective of ethnic cleansing.
This is true to the fact that the Jumma peoples have been united, had been
in unity and shall remain united under the leadership of PCJSS all the
time. Under no adverse situation, the unified strength o f the Jumma
peoples can be destructed rather it will get more powerful with firmness
and self-confidence as hard as steel. The undaunted moral strength and
firm psychological stand of Mongcha Sing Marma, Jibon Chakma,
Kamanashish Chakma, Babudhan Chakma, Nipon Chakma, Jony Chakma
and the like - the worst victims o f grenade attack, not getting crestfallen at
heart despite being seriously wounded and being at the state o f unbearable
paining o f wounds, definitely reflects the unbreakable and firm
revolutionary spirit o f the Jumma peoples the enthusiasm o f which will
serve as the source o f inspiration to the Jumma peoples in their struggle
for the right to self-determination.
6. Call
To the students and masses:
Let us go forward and get assembled under the banner of PCJSS against
all the evil forces o f anti-Jumma interest including the anti-Accord
organization UPDF, build an unconquerable resistance and eradicate all
kinds o f terrorist acfivifies!
To the Government:
1) Let an appropriate measure be taken for a proper probe to the
identification and examplary punishment o f the terrorists
responsible for the grenade attack on the students in Rangamati on
20 May 2012;
2) Let due measure be taken with proper compensation to the deceased
Mongcha Sing family, the families o f the wounded and the families
suffered damage;
3) Let the anti-Accord armed terrorist organisation UPDF be declared
as an outlawed organization and
4) Let an effective initiative be taken for speedy implementation of the
CHT Accord.
Brutal Grenade Attack on Jumma Students:
A Conspiracy of Ethnic Cleansing
Clots of blood at the explosion site
Brutal Grenade Attack on Jumma Students:
A Conspiracy of Ethnic Cleansing
Injured Ms. Jony Chakma
Injured Kamanashish speaking to Jyotirindra Bodhipriya Larma
at Orthpedic Hospital in Dhaka
Brutal Grenade Attack on Jumma Students:
A Con^iracy of Ethnic Cleansing
Injured Mongcha Sing Marma who died after
two days at Chittagong Medical College Hospital
Injured Ronel Chakma
An injured victim undergoing surgery
Brutal Grenade Attack on Jumma Students:
A Conspiracy of Ethnic Cleansing
0\h
Injured Md. Belal, bus driver assistant
Inset: Splinter-hit hole
on the concrete wall
Injured person
5 twit->^ • ^ ' -'^ig)iH
%|
Protest rally in Rangamati against the grenade attack
Brutal Grenade Attack on Jumma Students:
A Conspiracy of Ethnic Cleansing
1
Protest rally in Rangamati against the grenade attack
Brutal Grenade Attack on Jumma Students:
A Conspiracy of Ethnic Cleansing
Persons injured by splinter hitting
Glass of the auto-rickshaw got shattered into pieces
Clots of blood at the explosion
Brutal Grenade Attack on Jumma Students:
A Conspiracy of Ethnic Cleansing
Injured Nipon Chakma
Injured Bahudhan Chakma
Inset: Seriously wounded
|
in right leg !•