http://www.thedailystar.net/2004/01/05/d40105020228.htm
The Daily Star, Mon. January 05, 2004
The arrival of a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) team from
the headquarters to review the development scenario in the hill
districts is a significant development in an otherwise deadlocked
situation. Its presence apparently prompted by a representation from
Shantu Larma, chairman of the interim regional council and chief of
PCJSS, is expected to end the impasse hit by the UNDP development
projects.
The tribal leader had alleged on behalf of the interim regional council
that the local UNDP office was being exclusionary in terms of
associating the regional and district councils with the development
process. The allegations went so far as to object to the UNDP's
inclusion of plainland settlers as beneficiaries of its projects.
The litany put a stop to the resumption of development activities which
were planned to be undertaken in full-swing from July last year. It is
important to note that the decision to resume UNDP work followed a
detailed risk assessment survey conducted by a team of experts. The
reassessment was done in light of the abduction of three foreign
nationals in February 2001 that brought the UNDP's involvement to a
standstill. All this means that while the overall risk assessment was
favourable, an entirely new dimension of tribal objections came in the
way of continuing with the development projects.
Both the UNDP resident office and the headquarters have, in effect,
proved sensitive to the need for associating the indigenous people with
the development processes in CHT. If it were not so, the work itself
wouldn't have stopped following the 'reservations' voiced by the tribal
leadership in the first place. Also, by the same token, the headquarters
wouldn't have sent a team to the CHT if they were not committed to the
all-round development of the inhabitants of the CHT. This inherent truth
must not be overlooked by the leaders of all communities in the hill
districts.