Rescue two abducted hill women leaders

Sixty-five eminent citizens yesterday demanded that the two Hill Women's Federation (HWF) leaders, who were abducted from Kutukchhari area of Rangamati Sadar 10 days ago, be rescued unhurt immediately.

They condemned “government inaction” in this regard and in other incidents of abduction, forced disappearance, killing and rape, says a press statement.

The signatories of the statement -- educationists, rights activists, lawyers, university teachers and artists -- also demanded exemplary punishment for the abductors of the two leaders.

Manti Chakma, central general secretary of HWF, and Doya Sona Chakma, general secretary of Rangamati unit HWF, an associate organisation of United Peoples Democratic Front (UPDF), were abducted on March 18 and have been missing since.

Armed criminals, wearing masks, launched an attack in a residential area of Kudukchari area of Rangamati around 9:30am on March 18, when pro-UPDF leaders and activists had gathered there. The assailants indiscriminately opened fire, reads the statement.

Manti and Doya Sona took shelter in a nearby house and, as per media reports, the criminals beat them up after entering the house and subsequently abducted them.

Dharmasingh Chakma, central finance secretary of Gonotantrik Jubo Forum, sustained bullet injuries in the incident. The miscreants torched a mess, which was meant for students of remote areas, while leaving the area, it added.

“So many days have passed, but no effective rescue measures from the administration have come to our attention. The government, surprisingly, remains very nonchalant,” reads the statement.

“We are very much concerned over the abduction of political activists by criminals in broad daylight and we condemn it,” it said.

Manti was an important witness to the murder of Romel Chakma, a leader of PCP (Pahari Chhatra Parishad), it said.

Doya Sona visited Rangamati Hospital on several occasions to express solidarity with two Marma girls, who were allegedly raped and harassed sexually in January and were kept confined to the hospital, it said.

In the last few months, masked criminals have been unleashing terror in the hill tracts in broad daylight, reads the statement.

They killed UPDF leader Mithun Chakma in January after taking him from his home but the administration could not arrest anyone in this regard, it said.

These criminals have been violating people's rights and destablising Chittagong Hill Tracts, it said.

HWF leader Kalpana Chakma was abducted 21 years ago and no one has been brought to book in this connection, it said.

“Besides, we are aggrieved over the nonchalant attitude of the government towards the random incidents of forced disappearance, killing, rape and abduction…” they said.

The signatories include-- Dhaka University Emeritus Prof Serajul Islam Choudhury, rights activist Hameeda Hossain, Co-chair of CHT Commission Sultana Kamal, writer Syed Abul Maksud, Gonoshasthaya Kendra Trustee Zafrullah Chowdhury, Jahangirnagar University Prof Anu Muhammad and Prof Maleka Begum.