Leaders of HWF freed from captivity  

The two leaders of the Hill Women's Federation (HWF), abducted by an unidentified armed group about a month ago, have been freed from their captivity. Manti Chakma, general secretary of the HWF central committee and Doya Sona Chakma, general secretary of the organisation's Rangamati district unit, were freed at Modhupur under Khagracchari upazila. When the two indigenous women leaders were abducted, the troubling memory of their predecessor Kalpana Chakma who was abducted about 20 years ago never to return naturally assailed the mind.

The pattern of abduction was not quite similar yet a parallel was drawn by some between the two incidents. An armed gang attacked the house of Dharma Sing Chakma, president of the Democratic Youth Forum' Rangamati unit, at Kutukchhari where the two leaders were resting at the time. The gang opened fire, injuring Dharma Sing. Before leaving with the captives, they also set his house on fire. When the abductors can display so much ferocity at the time of abduction, anything is possible for them.

Quite naturally, a most disturbing question started troubling people's minds. If Kalpana remains traceless for two decades, what fate awaited the two girls? Protests and human chains were organised in the hill districts and in several places of the country. Yet there was a sense that not enough was being done in order to muster public support for their release. Many are yet to view issues concerning the indigenous people as affairs of national importance. They are accustomed to considering those not more than fringe issues.

What is good to know is that the two young women were treated well during their captivity. The only trouble they had to endure was to move from one place to another quite frequently. This shows that their abductors adopted the ploy in order not to be discovered by law enforcers who might be in pursuance of them. Also this is a clear indication that the security force had no role in the matter as was complained by some of the protesters.

More importantly, the girls have mentioned the name of a break-away faction of the United Peoples Democratic Front (UPDF), which, they claimed, were behind their abduction. If it is an internecine feud, what purpose did their abduction serve then? The two HWF leaders' initial reaction to their month-long captivity is not at all bitter. Their captors behaved nicely with them and fed them well too. All the dark thoughts of abuses of all kinds have been put to rest. It is a qualitative departure from the moral debasement of armed gangs involved in similar crimes.

It is important they could return unharmed. Now that they are reunited with their families, they will have time to recapitulate how life actually was in captivity. Did they fear for their lives? If so, what a relief it is now to enjoy the freedom of life! If only others -male or female -abducted all across the country could have a similar story to tell!

Girls and women abducted in the country now are not lucky enough to return without being abused. Many simply do not return alive and others go missing without leaving any trace. In a predatory society, security of girls and women is always under threat. Even advanced societies in the West are no exception to this damn male aberration. Indigenous societies, particularly the matriarchal ones, have a lesson to teach their apparently far superior peoples.