http://www.bangladeshobserveronline.com//new/2003/12/02/front.htm
Special Correspondent
Bangladesh could amend the constitution to accommodate the political hopes and aspiration of ethnic communities, especially for the indigenous population of Chittagong Hill Tracts.
Former Chief of Caretaker government Justice Habibur Rahman Shelly said the constitution has provided adequate guarantee of equal rights for all citizens and equal job opportunity. However, if ethnic minorities of CHT feel that it was not adequate, then the constitution could be amended.
Mentioning that as the constitution was amended twice for one person, there is a scope for amendment to the constitution. He believes that there was no conflict with the constitution and the peace treaty with the hill rebel's Parbattiya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samity (PCJSS).
He was speaking as the chief guest at a seminar on the eve of the sixth year of signing the historic on organised jointly by Bangladesh Adivasi Forum and Research and Development Collective (RDC) at CIRDAP auditorium on Monday.
Justice Rahman said the PCJSS leaders have demonstrated their professional skills and utmost restrain in their goal for achieving peace and security in the Hill Tracts.
Two keynote papers were presented by Rupayan Dewan, Vice-President of PCJSS and Mesbah Kamal, an academician of Dhaka University and also General Secretary of RDC. The seminar was presided by Jotindra Bodyipriya Larma alias Shantu Larma, others who participated in the discussion were Abdul Jalil, General Secretary of Awami League, Rashed Khan Menon (Workers Party), Mujahidul Islam Selim (CPB), Bazlur Rahman, Editor of Dainik Sangbad, Dr Quazi Farooque, President of Proshika, Mamunur Rashid (theatre activist), Akbar Haider Rano (Workers Party), Sumonalankar Bante (Buddhist monk), Neem Chandra Baumik (Dhaka University) and Dr Ajoy Rai (DU).
Shantu Larma lamented the hopes of peace and security is fading from the minds of the people in Hill Tracts. But he has expressed his satisfaction that their movement to achieve peace has received overwhelming support from the civil society, pro-democracy, progressive forces in Bangladesh.
He said the treaty was signed with the government and not with any ruling party and the treaty was signed for existence and recognition of the hill people in CHT. “I do not believe that the sacrifices of the CHT people will go in vain,” he quipped.
Blaming the lack of political commitment of the present government and also mentioned that the regime of Awami League could have done more in implementing the peace treaty in three years time they had. He reiterating PCJSS demand that the four lakh Bangalee settlers could be resettled and rehabilitated in the khas lands with the budget for food ration of 48,000 metric tons per year.
Asked whether the military is supreme and can over rule the political commitment of the government, which is sovereign. As long the government is weak in implementing the commitment of peace treaty, the military will continue to dominate the CHT affairs, he added.
The fiery Shanti Bahini commander Shantu Larma concluded that CHT would be destabilised because of the delay of implementing the peace treaty.
Rupayan Dewan in his paper said the government flouted its own laws which the introduced. The government failed to implement the handing over the 33 different subjects to the CHT Regional Council.
He also blamed that there was unofficial censorship of news in CHT and the news despatches by different journalists for national dailies were controlled by the military.
Mesbah Kamal said in his presentation that the rules and regulations for the CHT has developed an opaque relationship between the governance institutions, which includes both mainstream administration as well as the newly emerged once.
He remarked that apparently the socio-political conditions of CHT has been peaceful after the 1997 peace treaty, people still lack confidence.
Abdul Jalil of Awami League said despite limitation the government of Awami League made sincere effort in ensuring peace in the Hill Tracts. The present ruling BNP conspired against the treaty which challenged the execution of the treaty.
He said Operation Uttaran which was launched for development initiative of the downtrodden people of CHT, the PCJSS was suspicious of the development efforts entrusted with the military. This has led to non-cooperation from the PCJSS and the hill people and was frustrated.
The AL General Secretary appealed all pro-active forces to unite to implement the treaty for betterment of the life and society of the hill people.