Tribal anger rises in Bangladesh’s volatile hills FEATURE 05/07/2010

Tribal anger rises in Bangladesh’s volatile hills

FEATURE 05/07/2010 BAGHAICHHARI — Bangladesh’s southeastern hills are again simmering with ethnic tension, raising concerns that a fragile peace reached 13 years ago will collapse. Hundreds of ethnic Chakma, a Buddhist tribal group indigenous to the Chittagong Hill Tracts, lost their homes in February when violence broke out between them and Muslim Bengali settlers, prompting a harsh army crackdown. “With the assistance of the army, the settlers came here to attack us,” said Joshna Chakma, who lost her house and says her village has been plagued by violence since Bengali settlers and an army post arrived around two years ago. “Last year, there were 78 houses burned down by the settlers, helped by the army,” said Joshna, who is a member of the local council in the remote Baghaichhari district.... MORE Source:  The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100507com7.html

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