The unregistered regional organization United Peoples Democratic Front (UPDF) split against Chittagong Hill Tracts (Peace Agreement) exactly 6 years, 2 months, and 10 days ago today. The internal conflict between them has become more pronounced than before in recent times, though there have been small and large conflicts since the partition. The two splinter groups of this mountain-dominant organization are in a desperate battle for supremacy.
Today is precisely six years, two months, and ten days ago, the unregistered regional organization United Peoples Democratic Front (UPDF) split against Chittagong Hill Tracts (Peace Agreement). Though there have been both little and major disputes since the division, the internal struggle between them has recently been more evident than it was. This major organization in the mountains is fighting a bloody war for supremacy between its two offshoot sections.
Fights between leaders and activists on both sides have occurred on multiple occasions. Prasit Bikas Khisa, the creator of the UPDF, leads one side, while Shyamal Kanti Chakma Taru, a former faithful comrade, leads the other. There have been casualties in this ongoing conflict between the two UPDF factions, but the general populace of the hills is becoming more and more afraid. At least 66 leaders and activists on both sides have lost their lives in the past six years. The party officials reported that eight members of the UPDF democratic group and fifty-eight members of the Prasit group had killed among them.
Two major gunfights have occurred in the Babuchhara and Sadar upazila unions of the Dighinalathe upazila of the district in In the last one and a half months. In addition, brushfires in the upazilas of Panchari, Dighinala, and Mahalchari claimed the lives of at least eight individuals. All of the victims, though, were Prasit Khisa's disciples. The continued violence from the opposing UPDF Democratic Party has not yet claimed a life.
Robi Kumar Chakma (64) and Shanto Chakma Bimal (55), two members of the Prasit Khisa gang, were assassinated in the Durgam Durchhari region bordering the Mahalchhari upazila of Khagrachari and Naniarchar upazila of Rangamati on January 24. Rahintu Chakma Tipon (32), another group member, has been missing since the event.
The spread of domination led to at least 500 rounds of gunfire between the two factions on January 15 in the Dewanpara area of the Bhaibonchhara Union of Khagrachari Sadar Upazila. No one was killed, despite the fact that many people were hurt. In addition, on December 20, there was a gunfight between the two sides in the Dhanpatachhara area of Babuchhara union in the Dighinala upazila of the district that lasted for around 1.5 hours. Law enforcement officials were unable to locate any bodies in the isolated location, despite reports that two armed Prasit group members had been slain in that conflict. The previously mentioned "Four Murders" happened on December 11 in Panchari Upazila. Four people, including Bipul Chakma, followers of Prasit Khisa, were shot dead in the Anilpara area of Logang Union.
The UPDF Prasit Khisa group has been blaming the opponent 'UPDF Democratic' group as always in these incidents. However, UPDF is not accepting responsibility for these attacks. Before their split, the two splinter groups of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Society (PCJSS) (PCJSS led by Santu Larma and PCJSS led by Manvendra Narayan Larma) were opponents of the UPDF. However, since the official split of the UPDF on November 15, 2017, the rebels of their party have become the main opponents.
"Since the establishment of UPDF on December 26, 1998, 358 of our leaders and workers have been killed so far. Out of which 300 people were killed by Santu Larma's PCJSS and the remaining 58 were killed by UPDF Democratic and PCJSS reform groups", said Angya Marma, one of the organizers of Prasit Khisa's UPDF.
Meanwhile, Mitton Chakma, the central general secretary of the UPDF Democratic Group, rejected the allegations and said, "We have nothing to do with these incidents. Rather, eight of our leaders and activists have been killed by armed terrorists of the Prasit Khisa group in the last six years. We have no movement in the killings that took place on the Mahalachari-Naniarchar border on Wednesday. It is their controlled area. These killings may have occurred due to the internal conflict of the Prasit group or for some other reason."
Khagrachari Police Superintendent Mukta Dhar said, "The fratricidal conflict in the hills is a long-standing crisis. Violence is happening here because of dominance and internal conflicts. And most of the incidents are taking place in the unspoiled and inaccessible hill forests. However, the police are working in coordination with the army and BGB to prevent terrorists.
Meanwhile, the UPDF's series of battles and regional political heat spread throughout the district. Residents of remote areas of Khagrachari are passing their days in fear. Local bazaars are coming to a standstill due to the announcement of boycotts one after another. Ordinary traders, farmers, and young entrepreneurs have suffered losses. The Panchari market boycott program has been going on for two consecutive months since December 15 on the issue of four murders. Apart from this, the ordinary farmers and farmers of the Maischari Union of Mahalchari Upazila stopped coming to the market two months ago for unknown reasons. As a result, there has been a slowdown in business in the Maischari market. The people living in the mountains want the effective initiative of the government to overcome this crisis.
