A protest rally and mass gathering was held on 30 August 2016 in Rangamati town by Khagrachari district committee of Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (PCJSS). Soukhin Chakma, member of PCJSS Khagrachari district committee, presided over the programme. Bachchu Chakma, president of Chittagong Hill Tracts Hill Students Council (PCP); Toen Chakma, president of Parbatya Chattagram Juba Samiti Rangamati district unit; Sharat Joyti Chakama, Organizing Secretary of PCJSS Rangamati district branch and Udayan Tripura, General Secretary of PCJSS Khagrachari District Committee, et al delivered speech in the demonstration.
The speakers said that the government is going to set up a special tourist zone on 699.98 acre of land at Alutila under Khagrachari upazila and Matiranga upazila in Khagrachari district by evicting Jumma people from their ancestral land where they have been living for decades. They said it is totally against the spirit of the CHT Accord as well as traditional land right of indigenous Jumma peoples. In the CHT Accord and customary laws as well as international human rights laws stipulate that the indigenous peoples cannot be evicted from their ancestral land and no one can take away tradition lands of indigenous peoples without their free, prior and informed consent. The speakers commended the government initiative for acquisition of traditional mouza and Jum land.
The speakers also said, in 1980-90s, Forest Office of Khagrachari district has planted anti-environmental teak by occupying about 1000 acre of ancestral land belonging to Jumma people. Around 300 acre of land for SALT project of CHT Development Board, 7.0 acre of land by Khagrachai Kath Bebshayee Samiti and huge tracts by Bengali settlers have been occupied in the name of plantation by uprooting Jumma people from their ancestral lands. Moreover, there are many illegal settlements have been made by the Bengali settlers with the help of Khagrachari district administration. The protesters demanded to return the lands to the main owners by cancelling illegal plantation and evicting unlawful settlement.
The speakers said Alutila area in Khagrachari district is the traditional territory of Jumma people. In this region, indigenous Jumma peoples have been living for generations. If the special tourist zone is established in this Alutila area, than the indigenous villagers will be evicted and thousands of families will suffer, they said.
The speakers strongly demanded for cancelation of the initiative for establishment of tourist zone. If the government does not cancel the said project, than tougher programme will be declared and the government will be responsible if any unexpected situation occurred.
The protest rally was started at 10:00 am from PCJSS Rangamati district office and after parading Banarupa demonstration had been held at South Gate of Deputy Commissioner office of Rangamati district. The demonstration was conducted by Rupak Chakma, member of Khagrachari district committee.
Press release by Udayan Tripura, General Secretary, PCJSS Khagrachari District Committee dated 30 August 2016.