BSS, Rangamati
US ambassador in Dhaka Mary Ann Peters yesterday said she would do everything possible to convey to the donor countries and agencies the message of resuming their development activities in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) as peace and discipline has returned to the region and conducive atmosphere now prevails there.
Mary Ann Peters, who was here on a brief visit, made the observation during
a meeting with the chairman of Rangamati Hill District Council (RHDC) Manik
Lal Dewan at the latter's office.
The US envoy said peace, conducive atmosphere and congenial law and order situation
are preconditions for taking up development activities in the CHT.
Peters expressed her satisfaction at the prevailing situation in CHT, which
she said was conducive to resuming development activities, a press release of
RHDC quoted her as saying.
The development activities in the entire area remained stalled for quite some
time. The chairman of RHDC in the meeting sought the US envoy's cooperation
in conveying the message to other donor countries and agencies about resuming
development activities in CHT.
The ambassador, who was accompanied by Leonard A. Hill, counsellor for political
and economic affairs, had meetings at the Chittagong Hill Tracts regional council
office and Deputy Commissioner's office where she exchanged views with officials
about the situation prevailing in the area.
Before their departure for Dhaka, the visiting dignitaries enjoyed a cultural
function in Tribal Cultural Institute Auditorium.
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BSS, Rangamati
Sept 19: US Ambassador in Dhaka Mary Ann Peters said here yesterday that she would do everything possible to convey to the donor countries and agencies the message of resuming their development activities in the CHT as peace and discipline had returned and a conducive atmosphere now prevailed there.
Mary Ann Peters, who is here on a brief visit, made the observation during a meeting with the Chairman of Rangamati Hill District Council (RHDC) Dr. Maink Lal Dewan at the latter's office.
The envoy termed peace, conducive atmosphere and congenial law and order situation as pre-conditions for taking up development activities in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT).
Ms Peters expressed her satisfaction at the prevailing situation in CHT which she said was conducive to resume development activities, a press release of RHDC quoted her as saying.
The development activities in the entire area remained stalled for quite some time. The chairman of RHDC in the meeting sought US envoy's cooperation in conveying the message to other donor countries and agencies to resume development activities in CHT.
The Ambassador, who was accompanied by Leonard A. Hill, Counsellor for Political and Economic Affairs, had meetings at Chittagong Hill Tracts Regional Council office and Deputy Commission's office where she exchanged views with officials about the situation prevailing in the area.
Before their departure for Dhaka, the visiting dignitaries enjoyed a cultural function in Tribal Cultural Institute Auditorium.
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Comments by JCC
The visit of US ambassador in Dhaka Mary Ann Peters to CHT, has raised interest
in the concerned political circle of CHT citizens as well as for those who are
related to CHT -campaign and the academics who are studying the region etc.
Though the news report is silent about the purpose of her visit but one can
trace it back by checking the tour schedule of the ambassador. It was not her
direct visit to CHT with a definite program schedule. In fact before going to
CHT she had attended a program at Chittagong city named "American Week",
a program completely new to the people of Bangladesh. It is learnt that the
purpose of the "American week" program was to draw the attention of
the American investors in Bangladesh. At this connection it should be mentioned
that the foreign direct investment in Bangladesh had been reportedly reduced
by 78% within one year (current financial year), the lowest in the economic
history of that country.
The visit of the US ambassador and such a program in the port city of Chittagong
also created lots of speculations and debates which are reported in many Bengali
dailies ( not a faction of it are available in the English dailies). One such
well known debated issue is about giving permission to construct a private container
terminal project (in other way,a private port facilities) to an American private
agency with an aegis of SSA . However, a court case remains pending in the high
court of Chittagong and the company is in need of a favorable judgment from
the court to start the construction. The visiting US ambassador also expressed
hope that the American company might get a favorable judgment from the court.
Now how all these relate to CHT:
As you can see in the news item that there had been an urge to the US ambassador
for resumption of development activities or, in other way you can say it as
an appeal for keeping the fund following into the CHT. The ambassador is right
to say that "peace, conducive atmosphere and congenial law and order situation
are preconditions for taking up development activities in the CHT." But
it is difficult to understand on what ground she expressed satisfaction "at
the prevailing situation in CHT". No only that she had also remarked that
the prevailing situation is "conducive to resuming development activities".
The reason this is hard to understand is discussed below. But before that let
us recap some points that relates to funding and CHT development.
Just after signing the CHT peace accord the European Union and many other agencies
were ready to provide financial help for 'reconstruction and development' in
the CHT. Perhaps that was the high time to raise international funding for the
development in the CHT. But for better or, worse the JSS pointed out that the
government intention regarding implementation of the CHT Peace accord is not
clear. Later on the JSS blamed that the government failed to withdraw military
camps and did nothing to make the CHT land commission functional etc. and for
the same reason the JSS requested the international community not to provide
funding. Not only that the JSS also said it clearly that the Sheik Hassina government
also failed to do anything about the unwritten part of the agreement which is
well known as withdrawal of settlers from CHT. By this time the Sheik Hassina
government is defeated in the election. The BNP party that earlier declared
the CHT peace accord as unconstitutional formed the new government.
In the subsequent years the funding in the CHT reduced to a great extent not only for JSS's appeal but also for so many external and internal factors. In fact development aids to Bangladesh is recorded as the all time lowest for that country in the last one year. The black Sept.11 event and its subsequent financial impacts are perhaps also related to it to some extent. As result of this we can see 76% activities of CHT development board have been withheld. There had been a gradual withdrawal of public distribution support system or rationing. The JSS members, the returnee Jumma refugees and the most disadvantageous section of the Jumma society are not receiving their ration or food grains for last three months. But the settllers are getting their funding/rationing from various sources like Islamic NGOs etc.
In a situation like this one can easily understand why and under what circumstances the appeal had been made to the US ambassador by the Chairman of Rangamati Hill District Council. But question remains if similar efforts could be made just after signing the peace accord what could be achieved. Of course, funding itself will never help to develop CHT unless a transparent, responsible and a functional institution to carry out its well thought development plan could be formed by the people of CHT itself.
Now coming to the very point, why it is difficult to understand what made the US ambassador satisfied over the prevail situation. Does she mean that it is well improved than before?
The reasons for conflict in CHT are very simple like any other conflicting
region. It is the outcome of deprivation, a long long deprivation of socio-economic
and political rights of the indigenous people of the region. To compensate all
these injustice an accord had been signed by the government of Bangladesh. Unfortunately,
the government that signed the accord failed to implement the minimum conditions
of the peace accord. How the indigenous people of that region could be better
off by the subsequent deeds of injustice committed upon them. This simply goes
against any logic and for the same reason it is hard to understand her simple
remark.