The UNDP's proposed security assessment mission to the Chittagong Hill
Tracts (CHT) will be delayed further as the government is yet to endorse it,
according to sources.According to highly placed government sources, the
mission could be delayed until Prime Minister Khaleda Zia returns from the
USA on May 26.
"We want the mission to be a joint effort by the UN body and the government.
For some technical reasons it is taking some time to fix a date for the
mission," a foreign ministry source said. Initially, the UNDP proposed
the
mission from May1 to May 10 to assess the overall situation in the CHT and
asked the government to arrange one or more representatives from the armed
forces to be included in the mission.
However, the government is yet to announce its team for the mission,
according to sources. Meantime, the UNDP has already finalised its team and
had a meeting with Foreign Minister Morshed Khan and other foreign ministry
officials on the proposed mission. The team includes two security experts
from the USA and Canada. The UNDP also appointed Maj. Gen. (Rtd) Moinul
Islam Chowdhury its advisor for the mission. A retired military bureaucrat,
Chowdhury also served the last caretaker government as advisor.
The main objective of the mission is to find out if donors could resume
their development programmes in the CHT without risking lives. Also, the
mission will have a look at the impact of the peace accord signed between
the government and the Parbattya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samity (PCJSS) in
December 1997.
Since signing of the peace accord, donors cautiously extended development
assistance to the region. But, after the abduction of three foreigners in
Rangamati in February last, they suspended operation. The UNDP mission will
talk to a cross section of people in three hill districts and 25 thanas
including the local administration to draw its conclusion on the situation,
according to sources.
The UNDP move came against the backdrop of increased armed clashes between
pro-peace treaty PCJSS and anti-peace accord group United People's
Democratic Front (UPDF) and also the deteriorating law and order. In April
alone about 10 people died in clashes between the PSJSS and the UPDF and
between army and the UPDF. Any future donor assistance for the region will
depend on the outcome of the assessment, according to sources.
-end
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