NHRC urged to intervene against the killing of
Chakma civilian by BSF personnel in Mizoram

New Delhi: Asian Centre for Human Rights today approached the National Human Rights Commission to seek intervention against arbitrary killing of a Chakma tribal villager, Gubalya Chakma and injuring of at least four others in indiscriminate firing by the Border Security Force personnel at Bhulanchuri village in Lunglei district of Mizoram on 15 April 2006.  A protest march is being organized by the Chakma civil society groups at Demagiri today.

In the evening of 15 April 2006, a Chakma Buddhist monk was going to deliver Mangala Sutra, a religious sermon of the Buddhist. One BSF commander, Mr U S Mehta and his driver from Khojoichuri camp who were traveling in a jeep intercepted the Buddhist monk. They manhandled the monk and asked unnecessary questions like whether he was a Bangladeshi citizen and whether he ate beef, and tried to tear his holy robes. As the Buddhist monk shouted for help, many Chakma villagers came for rescue and gheraoed the BSF jeep. The Chakmas prevented the BSF personnel from moving on until the Village Council President arrived.

However, before the Village Council President could reach the spot, a group of BSF personnel from Khojoichuri camp came there and began indiscriminate lathi charge and firing upon unarmed civilians without inquiring anything. Gubalya Chakma was hit by bullets at the belly and at the forehead and died on the spot. Four others have received life-threatening injuries and presently being treated at the Lunglei Civil Hospital. A 70-year-old villager Eganya Chakma was brutally beaten with lathi and rifle butts.

“The fact that the deceased was shot on the forehead and others were hit on the belly show that the intention of firing was to kill the unarmed civilians and not control the crowd. Such arbitrary killings in violation of national and international laws must not be justified under any circumstances.” – stated Mr Suhas Chakma, Director of Asian Centre for Human Rights.

ACHR urged the NHRC to direct the Ministry of Home Affairs and the State Government of Mizoram to order a judicial probe into the incident, provide free treatment to the injured and compensation of Rs 5,00,000 (five lakhs) to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 100000 (one lakh) each to the injured persons and take stern action against the culprits.