Press Release, 19 September 2016: A group of army and police personnel of Bandarban army zone and Bandarban police station conducted a searching operation in the Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (PCJSS) branch office of the Bandarban Hill District located in the district headquarters breaking the lock at 11:00 pm on 18 September 2016. During the searching operation, the army and police personnel broke the file cabinets (almirahs) and furniture and vandalized the other articles including the official documents. While leaving, they took away CPU of office computer, internet modem, files, one digital camera and one mobile phone along with them. The army and police conducted ‘so called search’ for an hour and left the office at 12:00 pm.
On the other end, another group of army and police personnel led by Alikadam army zone Commander also conducted searching operation in the residence of Swapan Assam, General Secretary of PCJSS Lama Upazila Committee at 11:30 pm on the same day. During search, the army and police personnel took away various official documents and books of PCJSS Lama Upazila Committee left with Swapan Assam in the residence. As there has been no Upazila office of the organization till date, the said official documents are preserved in Swapan Assam’s residence. The army also took a signature from Swapan Asam stating to the effect that ‘with exception to the official documents of the organization, no valuable articles have been taken away.’ Besides, the army and police also categorically told Swapan Asam that the army camp has to be regularly communicated and permission would have to be obtained on holding any programme.
It is worth mentioning that a group of army broke the lock of Rowangchari Upazila Office of the PCJSS and took away official files, resolution books, copies of the ‘Jumma Barta’ – the organizational mouthpiece and vandalized furniture and portrayals of the leaders of the organization on 15 September 2016.
It is needless to be mentioned that the way the army who are deployed with important responsibilities at Bandarban and Alikadam army zones acted by breaking the locks of PCJSS Offices without pre-information and forcibly taking the official documents away while breaking the almirahs, file cabinets, furniture and disarraying the official papers, is undoubtedly motivated, undemocratic and conspiring, which would obstruct the implementation process of the CHT Accord and such act would destabilize the situation as a whole in the Bandarban hill district.
The PCJSS expresses deep concern and discontentment with strong protest and condemnation over the incidents in which the army and police forces are involved in such search campaigns associated with taking away official valuable articles and documents, vandalizing furniture and papers of PCJSS offices.
PCJSS is in crystal clarity to state that if no stop is put with immediate effect to such unjustified searching operation, vandalizing office premises, robing away official documents, practicing suppressive measures and harassments upon PCJSS, the organization would oblige to taking hard course of actions against such atrocities.
Kyawba Mong Marma, General Secretary, PCJSS, Bandarban District Committee.