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Ixigang: Sense of security shattered

By Farid Hossain
have returned home during the past few years ending their refugee lives in India
More than two weeks after the attack the government. Is rebuilding the huts But many survivors who have fled Into the jungles are reluctant to return to the cluster village
"I don’t think I will ever return to this village They brought us here in the name of providing security But where Is the security for us?" said Sunil Moy
Sunil, who said he returned from India In 1989. told visit Ing Journalists that though he and his wife survived unhurl his 3 year old daughter and a sister In law were wounded by bullets
Opposition politicians who visited the scene agreed with the survivors.
"It s no more Important if 13 or 1.200 people have died The incident will strengthen the sense of insecurity among the tribespeople." said Suran jit Sengupta MP. who ac com pan led Sheikh Hasina dur Ing her tour of Logang April 27.
Logang. a hilly Union. Is about 13 miles northwest of Khagracharl town and about three miles from the Indian border. It has three cluster villages — one each for Chakma. Tripura and Bengali people, all protected by secu rity forces.
The cluster villages stem from government's desire to protect both tribals and nontribals from Shantibahini atrocities. The Bengali population
Most tribespeople believe the death loll In the April 10 attack on the Logang cluster village Is not as high as some groups have claimed.
They consider the alleged toll of 1.200 as highly exagger ated But few would accept the casualties at 13 dead and 13 injured as the government has put it.
The debate also persists on why and how the attack on the hilltop village occurred.
According to military offl s^ls at Khagracharl outlawed Shantibahini rebels first killed an 11 -year-old boy tn an attack on four Bengali settlers tend Ing cows in a field outside Logang. protected by a security ring
The killing angered the Bengali villagers who, joined by some VDP and Ansar mem bers, attacked the the cluster of tribal huts.
When BDR members from an adjoining post rushed to control the mob. the rebels fired on them. At one stage in the crossfire a blaze occurred that, fanned by summer winds, swept the bamboo huts, a BDR post and barracks
Hills Student Council and Hills People’s Council as well as survivors say the Bengali boy. Identified as Kabir Ahmed, was Injured and killed when three tribal girls attacked four youths to defend themselves from attempted rape.
Even if the government version is correct, the incident appears to have jolted the sense of security among the tribespeople. The Logang victims are the tribespeople who
to 732. while the number of tribals to 3441. most of them Chakmas.
Sheikh Hasina, the first op position politician to visit the scene, listened to military briefings, talked to survivors and spoke at a series of ralhs.
"I’ve no words to condemn the brutality and the bloodshed This Is a violation of hu man rights." she told a big public meeting at Khagracharl on her way back from Logang.
She denounced the Shan tlbahlnl activity and a military solution to the Hill Tracts problem.
"All citizens. without dis Unction. Muslims. Hindus. Budhtots. and Christiana will have to live like brothers and share each other’s happiness and sorrows." said the Leader of Opposition In Parliament.
Hasina said, "conflicts and bloodshed In the area will not help Its Inhabitants There must be peace for develop ment of the area and welfare of Its people. And peace may come through dialogue and a desire for a political solution to the problem.*
According to Hasina the peace responsibility lies first with the government. There is no reason why the government should disagree The money the government Is spending for the hill tracts must win the trust of the tribespeople In addition to development. And there must not be a repeat of the Logang like incident be cause It spawns hatred and mistrust more than anything else.