30 January 2003, The Daily Star
Editorial
Recent reports of abduction, extortion and murder from Chittagong Hill Tracts
have raised a fresh concern about lack of peace in the area. Clashes between
activists of PCJSS which signed a peace accord with the former AL government
and those of UPDF who opposed the treaty, have interminably erupted. At least
250 people have reportedly been killed since the signing of treaty in 1997.
In fact, intelligence reports of fresh recruitment by UPDF and their training
in batches point to possibilities of further unrest.
The present, rather bleak scenario could be ascribed to a continuous delay and,
to some extent, the stalemate in the implementation of the peace accord during
the last more than five years. The PCJSS repeatedly expressed frustrations at
the 'taking-it-slow' attitude of the previous Awami League government to the
accord which the former had actually signed with the latter. The present BNP-led
government had in the past opposed the treaty but have not been expressly averse
to it since coming to power. But nothing has materially changed in terms of
the implementation status of the peace agreement in the one and a half years
of BNP rule. It must be remembered that two decades of an insurrection-ridden
atmosphere thankfully yielded place to a reasonably normal ambience in the region
because of the peace accord.
The authorities should tell us exactly what is obstructing the implementation
process. We would like to say it categorically that we don't want a return of
insurgency to the area in any shape and form. The delay has already divided
the tribal leadership to a great extent; we just hope that it doesn't blow up
into a bigger conflict.
We said it in the past and we are saying it again -- it was the peace accord
that brought down the insurgency and the unrest of more than two decades and
our best chances for moving things forward lie with it. The government has to
build on this achievement much the same way that the tribal leadership should
unitedly rally behind the cause of peace and development in the area. Only then
the frustrations and disappointments of last five years could be washed away
and the people of the hill tracts will be able to feel safe and secure, both
mentally and physically as the region forged ahead.