http://independent-bangladesh.com/news/dec/05/05122003ed.htm#A1
The volatile situation prevailing in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) for quite sometime past has further worsened during the last one week following the agitation programme enforced by the Parbattya Chattagram Janasanghati Samity (PCJSS) demanding full implementation of the CHT peace agreement. The PCJSS is a signatory to the Peace Accord signed on December 2, 1997. The blocade of road communication programme in all the three hill districts of Rangamati, Bandarban and Khagrachhari was observed a couple of days ago at the call of PCJSS with spontaneous participation of the tribal people.
More tougher action programmes including a day-long hartal for December 8 have been announced in pursuance of its demand. The samity, for the first time in its efforts to realise implementation of the peace agreement in toto, has sought support from other political parties.
But the crisis has further deepened owing to the opposition to PCJSS's demand for implementation of Peace Accord by another powerful organisation of the hill people, the United People's Democratic Front (UPDF). The UPDF has put forward a demand for full autonomy of the hill people by scrapping the Peace Accord. The UPDF's demand has added a new dimension to the CHT crisis. Both UPDF and PCJSS maintain armed cadres and their internal conflict resulted in increasing criminal incidents including killings, abduction for ransom and extortion. On the other hand, reports have it, many dwellings of the hill people in nine villages were torched by Bangalee settlers on August 26 this year. Hundreds of local people were rendered homeless following arson causing a critical humanitarian problem.
The most ominous sign of the prevailing conflict between the PCJSS and the UPDF is that the armed cadres of both the organisations are now trying to gang up against Bangalee settlers and launch combined operation to establish their supremacy.
Armed 'fighters'
If gang-up by the two groups of armed activists succeeds more violence is bound to occur much to the detriment of the local inhabitants as well as law and order in the region. The trained armed activists of the hill region possess modern and sophisticated firearms. It has been reported that the armed 'fighters' buy weapons from smugglers. They procure money to purchase arms by kidnapping wealthy people and resorting to looting at will. Borders along CHT region and the sea routes are used for smuggling in arms.
The government must not sit idle and take effective steps to restore peace in CHT. If the Peace Accord, or some clauses of it, cannot be implemented the authorities should find solution to the present impasse before it turns from bad to worse.