Bandarban Correspondent: 11 families have taken refuge in the Model Government Primary School of Upazila Sadar due to various tortures and threats by Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF) members on the Ruma-Thanchi border of Bandarban.
32 members of 11 families reached Thanchi Sadar at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday (May 28). There are 10 men, 13 women, and 9 children among those who have been given shelter in a helpless condition. All 11 families are known to be residents of Baklai Para in Ward No. 6 of Remakri Prangsa Union No. 3 of Ruma Upazila. On behalf of the upazila administration, accommodation arrangements have been made for them in the shelter camp.
According to the victims and the administration, they have been staying in Baklai Para, a place between Kuki Chin and law enforcement forces, for nine months. Besides, there is more movement of Kuki Chin members through their neighborhoods. Terrified by this, they have been running in the forest for a long time. They did not even seek cooperation from different quarters in this regard. Finally, yesterday (Saturday), when the former upazila chairman Khamlai Mro was contacted, the villagers came to Thanchi Sadar with his help and took shelter in the Model Government Primary School.
Thongliat Bom, chief (businessman) of the Baklai neighborhood of the shelter camp, said our neighborhood had a total of 37 families. Six months before the army operation, 26 families were displaced and took shelter in different places due to Kukiching National Front (KNF) violence. We were a family of 11. Somehow, the men used to escape to the Zoom house in the hills during the day. At night, I would take the food cooked by the wife and children and leave again. In this way, from October last year to May this year, I spent nine months without much trouble, starving and half-starving. Telling about our suffering to political leaders and many public representatives also did not help. Finally, yesterday (Saturday), with great difficulty, former upazila chairman Khamlai Mro was informed about the sad situation of our lives on the phone from the hill and advised us to contact the upazila administration and come to Thanchi Sadar. So here we go.
Rolrem Bom of the shelter camp said, We are requesting to keep all our family’s domestic poultry, cows-goats, cows-pigs, paddy-rice, and houses in the shelter camp arranged by the administration of Thanchi Sadar to save lives till the situation calms down.”
Jawaramtong Bom, the assistant teacher of Baklai Para Government Primary School in the asylum camp, said that the school has been closed since October last year, and there are no boys or girls. I’m living my life. It was not right to eat and drink at home or in the forest.
Upazila executive officer UNO Muha said that they will stay at Thanchi Model Government Primary School until the situation calms down. Abul Mansur. He said the 11 families who fled for their lives are all residents of Ruma Upazila No. 3, Remakri Prangsa Union, Ward No. 6, Baklai Para. He also said that the administration will provide all kinds of assistance as long as they stay in the shelter.
