Sajek blockade to resume tomorrow

The Sajek Gonodhikar Rokkha Committee and the Sajek Karbari Association have announced an indefinite blockade of the Sajek tourist road starting Thursday, October 22, accusing the authorities of failing to implement their three-point demands.

The leaders of the two organizations announced the decision in a joint statement sent to the media on Wednesday, October 21. In the statement, Sajek Karbari Association President Notun Joy Chakma and Sajek Gonodhikar Rokkha Committee Convener Babudhan Chakma said they had decided to resume the blockade because their three-point demands, including the removal of armed members of the JSS Santu faction, had not been implemented.

The statement said the blockade would continue until further notice.

According to the statement, the blockade had been suspended from October 16 to 21 at the request of the Durga Puja celebration committees of Baghaichhat and Machalong markets and out of respect for the Sharadiya Durga Puja festival.

The statement said an indefinite blockade was first launched on October 11. On that day, the deputy commander of Baghaichhat Zone, Md. Salman, and the administration had assured the organizers that their three-point demands, including the removal of armed members of the JSS Santu faction, would be met within 48 hours.

However, the two organizations staged another blockade on October 15, alleging that the demands had not been implemented and the promises had been broken. The program was subsequently suspended from October 16 to 21.

In the joint statement, the leaders of the two organizations alleged that armed members of the JSS were still stationed at their previous locations. They claimed that armed activities were being carried out in Thalkumbho, Chillyatuli Kuti, Noapara, Lambabak and Bhuichhari areas of Machalong in Sajek under the leadership of Chinu Marma and Simon Chakma, company commanders of the armed group.

They also alleged that more than 100 ordinary people had been threatened with death and intimidated into leaving their homes. The statement further claimed that villagers' mobile phones had been confiscated and that security concerns were preventing jhum farmers from visiting their fields to clear turmeric and broom grass gardens.

The leaders further alleged that army operations were failing to produce effective results. They also claimed that protesters speaking out against the armed members were being harassed.

The statement said the blockade would continue until the armed members were removed from the area to protect residents' safety and lives and property and to stop the group's activities.

Against this backdrop, the two organizations have urged tourists staying in Sajek to leave the tourist area by Wednesday.

However, the statement said vehicles providing emergency fire service and ambulance services, hearses, vehicles carrying emergency medicine supplies, newspaper delivery vehicles and vehicles carrying journalists engaged in news coverage would remain exempt from the blockade.

The leaders of the two organizations called on local residents and all concerned to help make the blockade successful.