On 4 October 2025, the indigenous Jumma People of the Chittagong Hill Tracts living in South Korea organized a public rally in central Seoul against the attack and killing of their fellow people in southeastern Bangladesh by the Bangladesh Army on September 27-28, 2025.

The organizers highlighted that the demonstration was an act to draw the attention of the people of Korea and the international community to the decades-long human rights violations being committed by the Bangladesh Army and Bengali settlers in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, the Chittagong Division in southeastern Bangladesh, bordering India and Myanmar.

In Korea, the indigenous Jumma people have been living since 1994 and established the Jumma People’s Network Korea in 2002, a cultural organization of about 200 members, including families, children, and migrant workers.

In his speech, Mr. Chakam Nikhil, President of the Jumma People’s Network- Korea, mentioned that the reality is heartbreaking. Life for indigenous peoples in the CHT is no longer safe. At any moment, their homes can be burned, their villages destroyed, their daughters assaulted. And yet, the families of those who are killed, attacked, or violated never get justice.

“We must tell the truth: the Bangladesh army is the main culprit, and the government stands complicit — enabling and supporting the settlers instead of protecting the indigenous people. This is not only an attack on the indigenous peoples of the Chittagong Hill Tracts — it is an attack on human dignity, on justice, and on the rights of all oppressed peoples. Silence and inaction only allow these crimes to continue,” he added.

Janak Dewan, secretary of the Jumma People’s Network – Korea, stressed the urgency of their pledge to the Korean government and the international community.

“We must raise our voices louder. We must call on the international community, human rights defenders, and governments around the world to hold the Bangladesh government accountable for these atrocities. We must stand beside our indigenous brothers and sisters until they can live in peace, with security, dignity, and justice in their own homeland. Together, let us pledge not to be silent. We will continue to stand in solidarity until freedom, justice, and equality come to the Chittagong Hill Tracts.”

You can read the full statement below.

Statement on the Attack and Killing of Indigenous Jumma People in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) by the Bangladesh Army on September 27-28, 2025

We, the Indigenous Jumma people of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) in Bangladesh and living in Korea would like to draw the attention of the people of Korea and the international community to the decades-long human rights violations being committed by the Bangladesh Army and Bengali settlers.

We express our deep concern and strong outrage over the attacks, killings, and arson targeting Jumma village collaboratively committed by Bengali settlers and Bangladesh Army personnel in the Guimara area, Khagrachari Hill District of Bangladesh on September 28, 2025.

It has been reported that 3 Indigenous Jumma people belonging to the Marma ethnic community died and approximately 40 Jumma men and women were seriously injured. Many dwelling houses and business establishments were also burned down when Bengali Muslim settlers launched a lethal attack and Bangladesh Army personnel opened fire on a crowd of Jummas while they were protesting against an incident of gang rape committed by Bengali settlers on September 23, 2025. It is worth mentioning that the protest sparked in Khagrachari district town to demand the arrest of the alleged Bengali settlers who raped an 8th-grade Marma girl at Singhinala Village.

The peaceful protest demonstration organized under the banner of ‘Jumma Chatro-Janota (Jumma Students-People) turned violent when the army and Bengali settlers attacked the protesting masses on September 27. The local administration and law enforcement authorities did not take any measures to undertake negotiation with the protesters. Instead, army personnel were deployed at many points throughout the city to prevent mass gatherings. A curfew under Section 144 was imposed in the city. In fact, the curfew was applicable only to the Jummas. Bengali settlers attacked Mahajan Para (Jumma village) amid the curfew enforcement, resulting in serious injuries to Jumma youth, many of whom were referred to Chittagong city for treatment.

On the morning of September 28 in Guimara, Khagrachari District, Bangladesh Army personnel indiscriminately opened gunfire at Jummas demonstrating for the immediate arrest of the rapists who were Bengali settlers. Following the army’s action, Bengali settlers swept over the unarmed Jumma men and women, resulting in 3 deaths, approximately 40 seriously injured and many houses and shops belonging to the Jumma indigenous community were burned down.

One year ago, on September 19, 2024, the same pattern of attacks on the Jumma community in Dighinala. Khagrachari. and Rangamati were perpetrated by the Bangladesh Army and Bengali settlers. Three Jummas were killed, and hundreds of Jumma houses, shops, and Buddhist temples were burned to ashes. Since the independence of Bangladesh in 1971, the Jumma indigenous peoples of the Chittagong Hill Tracts(CHT)(CHT) have been victimized by attacks from Muslim Bengali settlers due to differences in ethnicity, race, religion, language, and distinct political background.

We strongly condemn these acts and appeal as follows:

  1. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights should conduct an immediate inquiry into every incident of human rights violations ever committed by the Bangladesh Army and Bengali settlers against the indigenous Jumma community of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), Bangladesh.
  2. The international society, irrespective of nationality, race, and religious belief, should come forward to protect the human rights of the indigenous Jumma peoples.
  3. The international community should intervene to secure the withdrawal of the Bangladesh Army from the CHT as a measure for the protection of the human rights of the Jumma indigenous peoples.
  4. Withdraw the Bangladesh Army from the CHT and take immediate measures to bring to justice all army personnel and Bengali settlers responsible for the attacks and killings committed on September 27-28, 2025.
  5. The Bangladesh government should take urgent measures for the compensation of victims and their families.
  6. The Bangladesh Army should stop interfering with the administrative affairs of the CHT, cease unlawful arrests and physical torture of Jumma peoples.
  7. Stop the rape of Jumma women and immediately arrest the Bengali settler rapists from the September 23rd incident.

       Jumma Peoples Network-Korea (JPNK)

       October 4th, 2025/ Seoul, South Korea/Photos by Bereket Alemayehu