Mutiny

Dear Mom:

It's over. The rebels have surrendered and released their
hostages.
Don't worry.

Love,
Cindy

While we were not in any danger (although there was some gunfire in Chittagong), the past couple days were concerning. We left school early and were instructed to stay indoors. The government also shut off the cell phone network. And I got numerous reassuring (*sarcasm) emails from American Embassy saying little besides "All Embassy personnel are to remain safe within the walls of the Embassy". Too bad for the rest of you!

A group of soldiers in Dhaka, part of the Border Patrol (which is also part of the Army in some way), started a mutiny over pay and, ironically, the lack of opportunities to participate in well-paid United Nations peacekeeping missions. It lasted for about two days, stopping only after the Army's show of force in taking tanks to the streets. Altogether, the death toll now stands at 100. Supposedly some of the Border Patrol in Chittagong and other towns also took part in the mutiny, in solidarity I presume.

Now, as officials are going through the Border Patrol camps where the mutiny originated and where the hostages were held, is the saddest part. They've already found 30 bodies of high-ranking officers held hostage and killed by the mutinous guards. Some bodies were left in the sewers, others were thrown into a hastily-dug mass grave site. Worst of all, those found in this grave site were killed after the surrender. Not that there is ever a good reason to kill, but that ranks with the lowest of the low.

The saddest thing, to me, is that this is what the soliders felt they had to do to be paid a decent wage. It's not that only evil, immoral people sign up for this group-- there is just no other avenue they could take. The government is barely there, so corrupt, so overloaded with other problems . . . of course, the newly elected Prime Minsister's son described her handling of this event as "a triumph for democracy" according to the BBC.

News stories:
Here
Here
and Here