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Destruction of Pineapple Plantation

Fingers pointed at UPDF men

M ABUL KALAM Azad, from Rangamati
Bangalee settlers in Burighat union of Naniarchhar in Rangamati blame the United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF), an indigenous organisation against the CHT Peace Accord, for provoking them by destroying their plantation secretly.
They claimed that the UPDF had orchestrated the chopping down of pineapple plants and teak saplings of the Bangalees and instigated the reprisal to get the sympathy and aid of local and international organisations for the indigenous people.
However, a number of UPDF leaders and the indigenous people blame the Bangalees, saying they backed by the law enforcers had destroyed their own crops to have an excuse to launch an attack on the indigenous and grab their land.
The Daily Star correspondent over the last two days talked to a number of UPDF leaders, who have a strong hold in Naniarchhar, their rival Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti activists, indigenous people and Bangalees of the area.
The indigenous victims of Tuesday's arson carried out by Bangalee settlers said that they had no idea about the destruction of pineapple and teak plants.
They said it was not possible for 70 villagers of Suridaspara to destroy 4.5 lakh pineapple plants and 20,000 teak saplings on 10 acres of land in ethnic dominated Suridaspara and predominantly Bangalee Bogachhari.
It would have taken between 100 and 200 people to do the job and it still would have taken them hours, they said, adding that the UPDF could have brought in people from elsewhere for the job keeping people of Suridaspara in the dark.
Half-heartedly denying the UPDF's involvement, Supan Chakma, convenor of Naniarchhar Bhumi Roksha Committee, said, "They (Bangalees] could go to police and get compensation for the damage, but they can't attack and torch houses of the indigenous."
Chairman of Burigati union Pramad Chakma had no doubt that it was an act of the UPDF. "I don't believe Bangalees can do this but I believe the UPDF did it... They did it by bringing in people from distant areas."
The land on which four Bangalees grew pineapples is on the Rangamati-Khagrachhari road and a couple of kilometres from Khilchhari army camp and Bogachhari police camp.
The land used to be cultivated by indigenous people until it was taken over by two settlers a decade ago with government lease. Since then, the piece of land had been an apple of discord forthe two sides.
UPDF's central committee member Uzzal Chakma claimed that the villagers who had lost their land to settlers might have done this and the UPDF was wrongly being blamed.
He told The Daily Star that the arson was aimed at ousting the ethnic people from the villages.