Prothom-alo, 11 February 2004
News text: The Jana Shamhati Samiti (JSS), the regional political party of CHT,
has called for a mass gathering at Rangamati on 23rdFebruary and decided to
declare stringent program to implement its four points demand towards implementation
of the CHT Peace Accord. The JSS has declared this after not getting any positive
response from the part of government even after successfully observing a few
strikes and CHT blockade programs since 2nd December 2003.
It has been known that on the pre-programmed mass gathering of 23rd February,
Dr. Kamal Hossain will also make his presence while the declaring outits (JSS)
future program. Apart from that, the leaders of national parties who support
the CHT Peace Accord and the renowned intellectuals, journalists andprofessional
people will also be invited in this gathering.
In the gathering of the JSS at Rangamati last Tuesday, it alleged that the government
is trying to complicate thesituation by pampering those who oppose the CHT Peace
accord. The JSS furtheralleged that in the name of "Operation Uttaran"
the military forces are harassing hill people in different parts of CHT, like
the situation before peace accord and conducting their searching operation.
Mr Rupayan Dewan, the vice President of JSS said yesterday, "Wemust understand
in which direction the government is trying push us by notimplementing the peace
accord". He said, "We cannot challenge with the Bengali nation. We
want peace. To draw attention of the government and thepeople of the world to
implement our demand we are continuing our democraticmovement peacefully."
Mr. Palash Khisha, the general secretary of JSS, Rangamati district, said if
the government does not response to our demands positively, stringent programs
will be adopted in the mass gathering of 23rd February.
It should be mentioned in this connection that the JSS is carrying out its movement
for implementation of the peace accord with an allegation that the government
has failed to implement the most of the important articles of the CHT Peace
accord and also demanding removal of Mr. WadudBhuyan from the post of Chairman
of CHT DevelopmentBoard, withdrawal of Operation Uttran, removable of all the
temporary military camps and Answar camps and appointment of a full-fledged
minister from the hill people entrusted with the responsibility of the CHT ministry.
(Translation from Bangla by Japan CHT Committee)