http://www.thedailystar.net/2003/12/02/d3120201077.htm
The Daily Star, Tue. December 02, 2003
Staff Correspondent
Even six years after the signing of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) peace accord that ended two decades of insurgency in the hills region, uncertainty over its implementation plagues the highlanders.
The Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samity (PCJSS) has called for a siege programme on the sixth anniversary of the accord today and a strike on December 8, demanding implementation of the pact.
The Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord was signed between the PCJSS and the past Awami League government on December 2, 1997.
The peace agreement was inked with a broad perspective, for changing the fate of the hills people and restore their rights that were being denied for decades. But it could not change the fate of the poor ethnic community of the CHT. Both the governments in the last six years -- former Awami League and the present BNP-Jamaat alliance governments -- seemed reluctant to implement the accord.
"Implementation of the pact has become totally uncertain now. The government has been violating the accord from the very beginning as the prime minister kept the CHT ministry in her own hands," said Jyotirindra Bodhipriya Larma, the chairman of the CHT regional council. "I don't see any difference between the past and the present governments so far as the implementation of the accord is concerned," he said. "The government will be fully responsible for any situation arising out of the non-implementation of the accord," he said.
After the signing of the peace accord, the Awami League government could only form certain committees and establish some offices in their three and half years in power. But in the real sense they could not go far enough to implement the accord.
After the signing of the accord, the hills people did not get the taste of development, as the donors are yet to start their development work. However, the UNDP formally announced launching their development activities in the region from last July.
Land Commission, the vital body constituted to resolve land disputes in the CHT, is yet to begin its activities while clashes over land are upsetting the peace process. Most of the 64000 indigenous internal refugees, who have returned home from India following the signing of the peace pact, are yet to get back their land. The government has also not taken any significant initiative to rehabilitate the refugees in the CHT. Rather the CHT Development Board has undertaken steps to settle the Bangalees permanently, said a PCJSS leader.
However, 71 army camps were pulled out from the region till 2000 following the signing of the peace accord while other camps are yet to be withdrawn, according to officials. But PCJSS leaders said that only 31 army camps were pulled out of the total of more than 400. Withdrawal of the camps from the region was one of the provisions of the accord.
The PCJSS's demands include proper implementation of the CHT peace accord, removal of Wadud Bhuiyan, president of the CHT Development Board, appointment of a full minister at the CHT affairs ministry and withdrawal of security camps from the region.
United Peoples Democratic Front (UPDF), another platform of the indigenous people, has been opposing the accord from the very beginning.
"We knew it all along -- the government signed the accord as an eyewash. The pact would not change the fate of the indigenous people of the CHT region. Only full autonomy can change the situation," said a top leader of the UPDF.
The BNP and the Jamaat-e-Islami, key constituents of the current coalition government, vehemently opposed the signing of the accord, terming it a serious threat to independence and sovereignty.
The present government did not make clear their position on the peace accord.
It has however filled some vacant positions as per the accord, but has been
violating some clauses of the accord. It has also taken measures to cut different
facilities to the hills people and increase those of the Bangalee settlers.
The government is yet to make separate voters' list of the natives of the region,
alleged a PCJSS leader.