Mohalchhari Arson
Diplomats to visit villagers next week
Our Correspondent, Rangamati
Representatives from European Union (EU), US and some European countries' diplomatic missions in Bangladesh will visit Mohalchhari in Khagrachhari next week to see the victims of an arson attack, which rendered about 2000 ethnic people of 12 villages homeless. British High Commissioner David Carter, EU Ambassador Esko Kentrschynsky, Swedish Ambassador Borje Mattson, Ambassador of Netherlands Syef Ijermans, Italian Ambassador Pietros Ballero and US embassy's Second Secretary Stephen Wilger will talk to the arson affected indigenous people of Kharekhong village of Bondukvanga Union during their two-day visit from March 22, official sources said. US embassy official Paul Ague, British High Commission official Alan Shaw, Fabienne Drout of French embassy, Tom Han Sen of Danish embassy and representatives from various donor agencies will accompany the team, it added. The high-profile diplomatic team is also expected to meet CHT Regional Council Chairman Jyotirindra Bodhipriyo Larma, the deputy commissioner of Rangamati and Rangamati Hill District Council's chairman on March 23. They will also assess the latest state of the victims at Mohalchhari where United Nations Development Programme launched a US $ 9.1 million reconstruction programme early this year to rehabilitate the indigenous villagers, sources said. According to press reports, alleged Bangalee settlers killed a man, wounded 25 others, raped nine women and torched about 400 houses of 12 villages in Mohalchhari on August 26, 2003, forcing 2000 indigenous villagers pass sleepless nights under open sky. Besides, the two US embassy officials will further visit Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban from March 21 and hold talks with the army brigade commanders of Khagrachhari and Bandarban and deputy commissioners of the three districts during their four-day stay, another official source said.
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