3 'PCJSS' men shot dead

Rangamati, Aug 22 (bdnews24.com) — Three tribal men, local residents say members of Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (PCJSS), have been shot dead at Kaptai.

Witnesses said a group of 10-12 people opened fire at them on Friday morning in Agarpara area of Chitmaram union council when the men were taking tea at a shop.

Rangamati's assistant superintendent of police Pranab Kumar Roy told reporters that officials were on their way to the scene to recover the bodies.

"Details will be available after they return," he added.

Kaptai UNO Hajera Khatun also confirmed the incident.

The dead were identified by the residents as local PCJSS leader Debi Chakma alias 'Rocky' and PCJSS supporters Lati Khoi Marma and Kati Thoai Marma. They were supporters of a peace deal signed between the government and the PCJSS in 1997, ending nearly two decades of tribal insurgency in the troubled Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT).

A new tribal group, United People's Democratic Front, was created later to campaign against the peace deal.

Both the groups are blamed for resorting to violence to keep their dominance in the troubled region.

PCJSS assistant secretary for information Sajeeb Chakma, however, denied that the dead were their supporters and blamed UPDF for the attack.

He demanded immediate arrest of the people behind the incident.

UPDF leader Alakesh Chakma denied the allegation, saying that the killings were a result of internal feud of PCJSS.

"UPDF has no activity at Kaptai," he said.

Due to the prevailing land disputes, bloody clashes still take place between ethnic minorities and Bangalee settlers as well as between two groups of the ethnic people.

On April 17, four Bangalee settlers were killed in violence at Ramgarh and Manikchhari in Khagrachhari while scores of tribal people were injured and their homes were burnt.

On May 21, four people were killed following a fierce gun-battle between PCJSS and UPDF.

The UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) in its 10th session in New York in May urged the Bangladesh government to expedite the accord's implementation and expressing its grave concern over the delay, which is causing violence in the region.

Officials say complicated land dispute is a major barrier to the smooth implementation of the accord.