THE Jana Samhati Samiti (Santu Larma faction) has taken control of the
terrorist Borkha Party operating in Laxmichari, Khagrachari.
The Borkha Party was created by Bangladesh Military in June – July
last year to frustrate the government decision to withdraw parts of
its troops from the area and to weaken UPDF in Laxmichari.
Former commander of Laxmichari zone, Lt. Col. Shariful Islam was
personally involved in the creation of the group, which is responsible
for the killing of UPDF leader Rui Khoi Marma and a series of
kidnappings of innocent people.
The man who is now in charge of the group is an ex-UPDF member. He was
expelled from the party in 2004 for embezzling party funds and
violating party disciplines. His name is Anil Chakma, from Bormachari.
He personally maintained contact with both Lt. Col. Shariful Islam and
JSS president Santu Larma simultaneously.
Shariful was transferred from Laxmichari in April, and the Borkha
Party found that the new zone commander is not as “magnanimous” as
him.
In this context, the Santu group took full control of the Borkha Party
with supplies of arms and money.
In the first week of August, the Borkha Party members led by Anil
Chakma went to Bormachari to establish a base there.
But the people resisted them in an organized way, forcing them to
retreat to Laxmichari. The people seized their personal belongings and
other materials including diaries and notebooks.
The incident had a demoralizing impact on the Borkha Party and on 7
September two of its members – Samiron Chakma and Nilo Mohan Chakma –
returned to normal life.
They described how often Lt. Col. Shariful Islam visited them in their
dens and examined their guns.
They also said that Anil Chakma (code name Gautam) personally keeps
regular contact with Santu Larma.
Recent action
After the Bormachari debacle, the Santu group reinforced the Borkhas
with more sophisticated weapons and trained men.
Emboldened by this reinforcement, eight Borkha Party men led by
Collins ambushed UPDF members in Morachengay area on 6 October.
However, it was by sheer luck that all the UPDF members escaped
unhurt.
The Borkhas are now staying in three places namely Sumur Para,
Haichara and in Laxmichari Sadar near the house of ex Upazila chairman
Dashrath Talukder.
Backing from local administration
The Borkhas get support from the local civil administration. After the
killing of UPDF leader Rui Khoi Marma on 2 October 2009, a case was
filed against some of the members of the Borkha Party.
But the police dropped their names from the charge sheet filed couples
of months ago and instead inserted the names of 6 – 7 UPDF leaders
including Ratan Basu Marma and Shukla Chakma.
Killing Mission “Kobra”
A personal diary of Anil Chakma alias Gautam amply proves Borkha
Party’s involvement in the killing of UPDF leader Rui Khoi Marma.
The diary was seized by UPDF men during the Bormachari resistance on 6 August.
According this diary, the killing mission was codenamed “Kobra” and
the “target point” was described as “Finishing Action”.
The mission was participated by Chokkapeda, Priti Bindu, Shyamol Kanti
and Md. Ali, the notes in the diary says. [Md. Ali, also known as
Belallya Bap, is a resident of Laxmichari 10 area]
It was also written down in the diary that the mission was 100 per
cent successful.
According to Samiron and Nilo Mohan, the army was also involved in the
killing of Rui Khoi Marma. They said that on the night of 1 October
2009, the army dropped the member of the killing mission near
Bot-toli, where he was ambushed and killed.
Some failed missions
Despite the “success” of this killing mission, other missions of the
Borkha Party met with abject failure.
On 27 March, the Borkhas went to Manikchari. The aim of this
operation, codenamed “Sitakunda”, was to expand their base area.
On 6 April, they met with resistance and were forced to return to
Laxmichari. The operation was led by Nirmol Kanti Chakma.
Their third action plan, codenamed “Black cat”, also met with failure,
as stated above. It was aimed to expand what they termed “free area”
in Bormachari.
The mission was led by Anil Chakma alias Gautam, and his
second-in-command was Kolen Chakma.
A total of 13 Borkha Party members took part in the operation. The
amount of weapons they employed was ten.
According to the said diary, they set out for Bormachari on 2 August
and were forced to return on 6 August.
After this failure, the Santu group sent in more weapons and trained
men to reinforce the Borkha Party. One of them has been identified as
Kalyan.
Recent kidnappings
The Borkha Party has turned kidnappings for ransom into a lucrative
business. Apart form collecting tolls in broad daylight under the nose
of the police and army, they routinely abduct people for ransom to
supplement their fund.
Their latest victim was Kalendra Chakma, a local Awami League leader,
who was kidnapped on 6 August.
He had to pay Taka 28 thousand for his release. A few days before his
abduction, another Jumma named Joti Chakma was kidnapped and released
on payment of Taka five thousand. Joti is a village doctor.
He was followed by Anupom Chakma, a local leader of Democratic Youth
Forum. It is not clear how much he had to pay to buy his freedom.
Anupom was kidnapped twice by the same Borkha Party men in a short
span of time.
Resistance
The Borkhas take orders directly from the army. Following the Sajek
and Khagrachari settler attacks in February, UPDF organised a protest
rally in Laxmichari.
The Borkha Party men attacked the rally, beating up its participants.
In order to resist the Borkha Party terrorists, a clandestine
organisation named Borkha Party Resistance Committee was formed.
On 6 December last year, it issued a leaflet calling on the Borkha
Party members to return to normal life. Since then, many of them have
left the gang.
The people of Laxmichari were so fed up with their terrorist
activities that in Bannyachola the Marma community organised
themselves and drove the Borkhas out of their area. This happened some
months ago.
People’s demand
The people of Laxmichari demand that the government takes steps to
disband the Borkha Party terrorists and to bring those involved in the
killing of Rui Khoi Marma to justice.
They also urged Santu Larma to stop patronizing the Borkha terrorists
and expel Anil Chakma from JSS.
It is well known that Anil Chakma, who is currently leading the Borkha
Party, has direct access to Santu Larma.
The people also think that the human rights organisations should
intervene with Santu Larma to stop supporting armed terrorism of the
Borkha Party.
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Source : chtnews.com
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