On 2 February 1992 Bangladesh army backed Muslim settlers massacred about 30 indigenous Chakma Buddhists at Mallya. One of them was Bablu Chakma the son of Manek Kumar Chakma. Two bombs exploded on a river ferry at Mallya. The explosion killed a passenger and seriously injured the skipper of the vessel. The survivors swam ashore but the armed Muslim settlers were waiting for them and attacked the indigenous Chakma Buddhists - men women and children.

Bangladesh army massacre 500 indigenous people in Barkal

The town of Barkal, close to the Indian border, is approximately 15 miles east of Rangamati. In 1981, at least 500 Muslim settler families from elsewhere Bangladesh were settled near indigenous Buddhist villages of Gorosthan, Bhusanchara and Chota Harina. Some of the Muslim settlers had forcibly occupied land previously belonging to the indigenous people. Indigenous people had complained about this to the officers of the army camp in the locality, but without effect.

1. Prelude ot Massacre

   In the early morning of 31 May 1984, Shanti Bahini attacked Muslim settlements at Gorosthan, Bhusanchara and Chota Harina. Over 100 Muslim settlers were reported killed, their homes burned and looted. 3 BDR camps in the locality were also simultaneously attacked so that no law enforcement personnel could intervene. Bhusanchara was the village most severely affected.

   Some of the indigenous people, apparently anticipating retaliatory raids, left their homes at once and sought to hide in the surrounding forests. Others remained in their settlements.

2. Massacre

   On 31 May and 1 June 1984, Bangladesh army from 305th brigade of 25th Bengal Regiment and Bangladesh Rifles of 17th Battalion accompanied by Muslim settlers attacked the indigenous villages Het Baria, Suguri Para, Gorosthan, Tarengya Ghat, Bhusanchara and Bhusan Bagh.

   Several months after the attacks, Annesty International received a list naming 67 indigenous people from these villages who were killed at this time, among then 21 children under the age of 10. Althouqh Amnesty International cannot verify the full list of names, cross-checking with other sources, including interviews with eye-witnesses to the events, confirmed several individual deaths and the circumstances in which they occurred. Moreover, the methods by which the deaths of the other people on the list of 67 names were said to have occurred conformed to the broader description.

   An indigenous villager from Het Baria gave the following account to Amnesty International at refugee camp in India of his experience:

   "My village falls in the Barkal rehabilitation zone where large nunbers of Muslims have settled over the years, there is thus continuous tension between the two communities. In the summer of 1984 there were frequent clashes and the Muslims often used to threaten us saying that the army will come and teach us a lesson. The army came on May 31, accompanied by a large group of Muslims some of whom were armed. They destroyed our village, raped women and killed people. I saw two women getting raped and then killed by bayonets. One Arati, who is my distant cousin, was also raped by several soldiers and her body was disfigured with bayonets. Several people, including children, were thrown into burning huts. I was among the people singled out for torture in public. Five or six of us were hung upside down on a tree and beaten. Perhaps I was given up for dead and thus survived. The menories of that day are still a nightmare for me. Even now I sometimes wake up in a cold sweat remembering the sight of the soldiers thrusting bayonets into private parts of our women. They were all screaming 'No Chakmas will be born in Bangladesh'."

   Arati Chakrna (22) of Het Baria was raped and her breasts were cut off with a sharp knife. Out of the list of 67 individuals killed, 11 were women or girls, several of whom were raped before being bayonetted to death, shot, or burnt alive when their homes were set alight. 9 were childen aged 10 or below.

   25 people are listed as having died at Suguri Para, 17 of them women or children under the age of 15. The following account was provided by a villager to Amnest Internaltional from there:

   "Soldiers were shouting ahuse and a lot of their attention was on our women, dozens of whom were shot or bayonetted through their private parts after mass raids. They tied up many people in their huts and set these on fire. My friend Sanat was tortured and asked for the whereabouts of the Shanti Bahini people. When he said 'No', the soldiers forced one of our villagers at gunpoint to bayonet him to death. There was hardly a woman who was not raped and I can't believe how so many of us survived. I can't say how many people died but I saw 30 to 40 bodies and these included at least 10 small children. Many of the children were blown to bits with automatic weapons."

   Another person from Suguri Para witnessed two small children being "shot with a stengun like weapon" and Sanat Kumar being tortured and bayonetted by a Chakma of the same village under orders of an army officer possibly of the rank of a captain.

   9 people are listed as having died at Gorosthan. The following account was given to Amnesty Internation in India by an eye-witness at Gorosthan:

   "In the late night of May 30 we heard a tremendous noise and began to run away out of fear. But before we could do that a large number of armed troops commanded by an officer reached our village and while firing in the air told us not to move. It is difficult to recall what happened after that but I suddenly discovered they were firing into all the huts and people were trying to run away in the confusion. I thought the end had come. I saw many people falling in the confusion but people said that Sadhana Mohan and Akshay were among those who had died".

3. Victims of Massacre:

   1. Mr. Jyotirmoy Chakma (26), son of Mr. Chandra Kanta Karbari of Tarengya Ghat in Chota Harina. He was arrested and taken to the BDR camp in Chota Harina.
   2. Mrs. Buddha Lata Chakma (22), wife of Mr. Sneha Kumar Chakma of Bhusan Chara. She was raped till bleeding profusely and murdered with bayonet charges through the bleeding private parts of her body.
   3. Venerable Bodhiratna Bhikkhu (78) of Janakalyan Bouddha Vihar of Bhusan Chara. She was stripped and beaten severely. He was forced to seek refuge in Mizoram State of India. His temple was looted and the images of the Buddha were broken into pieces.
   4. Venerable Jyotipal Sraman (58) of Gorosthan Samaj Kalyan Bouddha Vihar. Bangladesh army stripped him of robes and severely beat him. He was compelled to flee to the Mizoram State of India. Bangladesh army and Muslim settlers plundered his temple and broke the images of Lord Buddha to pieces.
   5. Venerable Jyotipal Bhikkhu (75), of Banarupa Bouddha Vihar in Chota Harina, was Stripped and beaten severely. He was forced to seek 12 Shelter in Mizoram State in India.
   6. Miss Samarbi Chakma (14), daughter of Mr. Ajotya Chakma of Bhusan Bagh. Bangladesh army and Muslim settlers raped and killed her with bayonet charges in the abdomen.
   7. Mrs. Langi Chakma (68), wife of Mr. Bhagoban Chandra Chakma, of Suguripata. Bangladesh army and Muslim settlers tied and confined her in her home and then set the house on fire.
   8. Mrs. Kalabi Chakma (61), wife of Mr. Kripa Dhan Chakma of Suguripata. Bangladesh army shot her dead.
   9. Mrs. Snehalata Chakma (35), wife of Mr. Nila Mohan Chakma of Suguripata. Bangladesh army and Muslim settlers raped her, then killed her and her 1 year old son with bayonet charges.
   10. Miss Padma Mala Chakma (15), daughter of Mr. Nila Mohan Chakma of Suguripata. Bangladesh army and Muslim settlers raped, bayoneted and shot her dead.
   11. Mrs. Nila Mukhi Chakma (33), wife of Mr. Boli Mohan Chakma of Suguripata. Bangladesh army and Muslim settlers raped her till she was bleeding profusely, charged with a bayonet through the bleeding private parts of her body, and shot in the breasts.
   12. Miss Jita Rani Chakma (13), daughter of Mr. Boli Mohan Chakma of Suguripata. She was brutally raped and killed.
   13. Miss Maya Sita Chakma (8), daughter of Mr. Dalong Chakma of Head Bhoriya. She had her hands and legs tied, and then she and her mother were thrown into the fire.
   14. Miss Dhumbi Chakma (8), daughter of Mr. Gula Mohan Chakma of Head Bhoriya. She was murdered with bayonet charges.
   15. Miss Hira Mukhi Chakma (5), daughter of Mr. Gula Mohan Chakma of Head Bhoriya. She was strangled to death.
   16. Miss Milabua Chakma (8), daughter of Mr. Chitta Ranjan Chakma of Head Bhoriya. She was shot dead with a gun.
   17. Miss Krishna Mala Chakma (6), daughter of Mr. Nila Mohan Chakma of Suguripata. She was shot dead with a gun.
   18. Miss Chanchana Chakma (3), daughter of Mr. Nila Mohan Chakma of Suguripata. She was killed with bayonet charges.
   19. Mrs. Bidya Dhori Chakma (38), wife of Mr. Dina Mohan Chakma of Suguripata. She was raped and thrown into the fire.
   20. Master Bacchu Chakma (1), son of Mr. Kaladhon Chakma of Gorosthan. He was thrown into the fire.
   21. Miss Daya Devi Chakma (2), daughter of Mr. Boli Mohan Chakma of Suguripata. She was thrown into the fire.
   22. Miss Choyondori Chakma (15), daughter of Mr. Ittuk Chan Chakma of Suguripata. She is still missing.
   23. Miss Chandra Mala Chakma (17), daughter of Mr. Dina Mohan Chakma of Suguripata. She is still missing.
   24. Miss Tarulata Chakma (17), daughter of Mr. Chitta Ranjan Chakma of Suguripata. She is still missing.
   25. Miss Pohrbi Chakma (16), daughter of Mr. Mangal Chandra Chakma of Bhusan Bagh. She is still missing.
   26. Mrs. Nayandini Chakma (26), wife of Mr. Kaladhon Chakma of Bhusan Bagh. She is still missing.
   27. Master Jyotirmoy Chakma (16), son of Mr. Ajotya Chakma of Bhusan Bagh. He was bayoneted in the stomach to death.
   28. Mr. Teneya Chakma (49), son of Mr. Guna Dhar Chakma of Bhusan Bagh. He was blindfolded and shot dead with a gun.
   29. Master Bimal Kanti Chakma (10), son of Mr. Boli Mohan Chakma of Suguripata. He was shot dead with a gun.
   30. Master Khokon Chakma (3), son of Mr. Kaladhon Chakma of Gorosthan and his mother were shot dead.
   31. Master Morottua Chakma (6), son of Mr. Chitta Ranjan Chakma of Head Bhoriya and his mother were shot dead.
   32. Master Murotya Chakma (2), son of Mr. Dhan Kumar Chakma of Head Bhoriya and his mother were shot dead.
   33. Master Prasanna Kumar Chakma (2), son of Mr. Gula Mohan Chakma of Head Bhoriya and his mother were shot dead.
   34. Master Mukta Kumar Chakma (12), son of Mr. Nila Mohan Chakma of Suguripata. He was shot dead with a gun.
   35. Master Urongya Chakma (9), son of Mr. Nila Mohan Chakma of Suguripata. He was shot dead with a gun.
   36. Master Nanda Kumar Chakma (1), son of Mr. Nila Mohan Chakma of Suguripata and his mother were killed.
   37. Master Gopal Kanti Chakma (5), son of Mr. Boli Mohan Chakma of Suguripata. He was shot dead with an automatic weapon.
   38. Miss Surya Mala Chakma (8), daughter of Mr. Dina Mohan Chakma of Suguripata. She was burnt alive as her home was set on fire.
   39. Master Morottua Chakma (2), son of Mr. Dalam Chakma of Head Bhoriya. He was burnt alive as his home was set on fire.
   40. Master Karnamuni Chakma (6), son of Mr. Dina Mohan Chakma of Suguripata. He was burnt alive as his home was set ablaze.
   41. Master Anil Kanti Chakma (4), son of Mr. Dina Mohan Chakma of Suguripata. He was burnt alive as his house was set on fire.
   42. Mrs. Alpati Chakma (62), wife of Mr. Nirantar Chakma of Head Bhoriya. She was killed with bayonet carges.
   43. Mrs. Indu Mala Chakma (32), wife of Mr. Dalam Chakma of Head Bhoriya. She was raped. Then she and her child were burnt alive as her home was set alight.
   44. Miss Chaya Rani Chakma (l4), daughter of Mr. Dalam Chakma of Head Bhoriya. She was raped till she was bleeding profusely. Then she and her mother were thrown into the fire.
   45. Mrs. Banalata Chakma (37), wife of Mr. Gula Mohan Chakma of Head Bhoriya. She was raped and killed with bayonet charges.
   46. Miss Kirona Chakma (11), daughter of Mr. Gula Mohan Chakma of Head Bhoriya. She was raped and shot dead with a gun.
   47. Mrs. Chinta Devi Chakma (57), wife of Mr. Chitta Ranjan Chakma of Head Bhoriya. She was raped in front of her husband and shot dead with an automatic weapon.
   48. Mrs. Arati Chakma (22), wife of Mr. Dhon Kumar Chakma of Head Bhoriya. She was raped and her breasts were cut off with a sharp knife.
   49. Mrs. Nagori Chakma (27), wife of Mr. Sadhan Chandra Chakma of Bhusan Bagh. She was raped and had her breasts bayoneted uhtll she died.
   50. Mrs. Langdi Chakma (47), wife of Mr. Teneya Chakma of Bhusan Bagh. She was raped and charged with bayonets in the abdomen.
   51. Mr. Anuruddha Chakma (82), son of late Kina Dhon Chakma of Suguripata. She was slaughtered.
   52. Mr. Nila Mohan Chakma (45), son of Mr. Anuruddha Chakma of Suguripata. He had his hands and legs broken, and was beaten to death.
   53. Mr. Hangsha Kumar Chakma (17), son of Mr. Nila Mohan Chakma of Suguripata. He was murdered with bayonet charges.
   54. Mr. Boli Mohan Chakma (38), son of Mr. Anuruddha Chakma of Suguripata. He was shot dead with a sub-machine-gun.
   55. Mr. Sneha Kumar Chakma (23), son of Mr. Khirotya Chakma of Suguripata. He was shot dead with a sub-machine-gun.
   56. Mr. Sanat Kumar Chakma (45), son of Mr. Bhagaban Chandra Chakma of Suguripata. He was tied on a tree and then killed with bayonet charges.
   57. Mr. Sneha Kumar Chakma (35), son of Mr. Bhagaban Chandra Chakma of Suguripata. He was slaughtered.
   58. Mr. Sanatan Chakma (48), son of Mr. Pong Chan Chakma of Jarulchari. He was burnt alive in his house.
   59. Mr. Mangal Chandra Chakma (59), son of Mr. Mezongya Chakma of Bhusan Bagh. He was shot dead with a sub-machine-gun.
   60. Mr. Sadhan Chandra Chakma (29), son of Mr. Mangal Chandra Chakma of Bhusan Bagh. He and his father were murdered.
   61. Mr. Priya Ranjan Chakma (17), son of Mr. Nishi Kumar Chakma of Bhusan Bagh. He was shot dead with an autoaatic weapon.
   62. Mr. Dina Mohan Chakma (54), son of Mr. Gedya Mohajan of Gorosthan. He was arrested, indiscriminately fired upon in his home with an automatic weapon, and then his hone was set on fire.
   63. Mr. Rajeshwar Chakma (29), son of Mr. Parendra Chakma of Gorosthan. He was shot in his hone and then his home was set ablaze.
   64. Mr. Akshay Chan Chakma (25), son of Mr. Sashi Mohan Chakma of Gorosthan. He was shot in his hone and then his home was set alight.
   65. Mr. Amar Chan Chakma (35), son of Mr. Sashi Mohan Chakma of Gorosthan. He was shot in his home and then his home was set on fire.
   66. Mr. Kalapuna Chakma (30), son of Mr. Sudhanya Chakma of Gorosthan. He was shot in his home and then his home was burnt.
   67. Mr. Nishi Mohan Chakma (45), son of Mr. Dhobona Chakma of Gorosthan. He was shot in his home and then his home was burnt.
   68. Mr. Sadhana Mohan Chakma (16), son of Mr. Nishi Mohan Chakma of Gorosthan. He was arrested, severely beaten and cut into pieces.
   69. Mr. Motilal Chakma (62), son of Mr. Jutya Chakma of Garjantali. He was shot dead with an automatic weapon.
   70. Mr. Dalam Chakma (35), son of Mr. Nila Kanta Chakma of Head Bhoriya. He was arrested, confined in his house and then the house was set on fire.
   71. Master Bhadra Chakma (14), son of Mr. Gula Mohan Chakma of Head Bhoriya. He was blind folded and shot dead.
   72. Mr. Chitta Ranjan Chakma (51), son of Mr. Chitra Kumar Chakma of Head Bhoriya. He was tied on a tree upside down and beaten to death.

4. Government's Action

   The attack was given extensive coverage in the Bangladesh news nedia and President Ershad visited the affected area on 5 June 1984. No publicity was given, however, to the reprisals taken against the indigenous population by law enforcement personnel imnediately after the assaults on the Muslim settlements.

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