Fate of CHT accord hangs in balance

Special Correspondent

Today is the fourth anniversary of the signing of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) peace accord between the government and the Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samity (PCJSS).

Unlike in the previous years, the government is ignoring it and the PCJSS is observing it without much fanfare. The accord was signed on December 2, 1997.

The ruling BNP is committed to reviewing the treaty, providing for equal rights to all sections of people inhabiting the 14,200 sq km forest clad hilly region, rich in energy and other resources. It feels that almost half of the over one million people of the region, who are settlers from the plains, have been ignored in the accord.

But the PCJSS thinks that the accord is yet to be fully implemented and sticks to its demand for resettlement of the settlers elsewhere and prepara tion of a new voter list, only enlisting permanent residents of the CHT.

The settlers say this would strip them of their constitutional rights as citizens and that the demand was ignored by the immediate past Awami League government which signed the treaty, the caretaker government and the Election Commission.

The PCJSS called a general strike on October 1 and stayed off the general elections.

It has now renewed its call to the government to 'fully implement' the accord.

PCJSS leader Jyotirindriya Bodhipriya Larma alias Shantu Larma, who is also Chairman of the Regional Council (RC) of CHT, has a host of other issues and has sought a meeting with Prime Minister Khaleda Zia to resolve those, sources close to him said.

Besides, the issue of three hill district councils is yet to be resolved. The past government as per a High Court order only extended their tenure.

The last extension was made in July this year and it expires on December 31.The councils were elected on June 25, 1989. The task before the new government is to hold their elections or extend their tenure again.

Another issue to be resolved is the demand by the settlers for their proper representation in the RC. Its 22 members including six settlers were nominated by the government, along with the chairman, in October 1998 after a long dispute with Larma over implementation of the accord.

Apart from these, the government faces the biggest challenge of maintaining law and order in the CHT.

PCJSS is at odds with those who broke away on the question of peace accord, demanding 'full autonomy'. There were a number of abductions of each other and clashes between the two sides.

Against this background, the new government perhaps wants to take 'cautious steps' regarding the CHT issue, sources pointed out.

CHT situation deteriorating again: Hasina

Staff Correspondent

Former prime minister and Leader of the Opposition in the Parliament Sheikh Hasina has called upon the people to be united sinking all differences for building a prosperous nation.

In a message on the occasion of fourth anniversary of peace accord on Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), she said the accord signed on this day in 1997, ushered in a glorious chapter in our national history.

"It is the time to make all out efforts for development of our nation by putting aside all ethnic conflicts," Sheikh Hasina said while greeting the nation on the occasion.

She said that the past misrules and violation of basic human rights by dictators in the country had resulted in blood shed and warlike situation in the hill areas for the last two decades. The people of the area were thus pushed towards hunger, poverty, ignorance and illiteracy, she added.

The CHT peace accord had opened scope for peace, stability and development of the region and the country, she observed.

Sheikh Hasina however alleged that the situation in the CHT was deteriorating again. The collaborators of 'previous dictators' are spreading tension among the tribal people which is not desirable, she said.

She reminded all that those in power now have opposed the peace accord.

Hasina said that her government was able to make a lot of progress in establishing peace in the country without any support from a third party. She said the AL government had taken up a massive development programme of Tk 2,149.17 crore to develop CHT region. Approval was also given to set up a science and technology university in the area, she added.

She pledged for her continuous efforts to establish peace in the area saying that Awami League is committed to implementation of the peace accord.