The country’s civil and other bureaucracies are still not in favour of full implementation of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord, alleged Jyotirindra Bodhipriya Larma, president of the Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (PCJSS).
He also said it is very difficult to fully implement the accord when bureaucracies are against it and want to destroy the existence of the Jumma people.
The PCJSS leader, popularly known as Santu Larma, was addressing a discussion yesterday, a day before the 19th anniversary of the CHT accord signing.
Bangladesh Indigenous Peoples Forum and Kapaeeng Foundation organised the event, titled “19th Anniversary of the CHT Accord: Land Rights and Realities of Local People”, held at The Daily Star Centre.
The speakers urged the government to hold a high-level dialogue to resolve the pending issues relating to the accord and announce a roadmap to its full implementation.
After two decades of conflict, the then Awami League-led government and the PCJSS, an organisation of the hill people, signed the accord on December 2, 1997.
Santu Larma said it is clear as day why the deal is yet to be fully implemented. Reluctance on the part of the government, its ultra nationalism and undemocratic and anti-people mentality are the main obstacles.
He said a vested group always provides wrong information on hill people to the policymakers, who, on the other hand, never come forward to know the facts.
After the accord signing, the AL government said it was not possible to incorporate the deal into the constitution as the ruling party then did not have two-thirds majority in parliament, Santu Larma mentioned.
But now the situation has changed, he said. “So why is the hesitation in adding it to the constitution?”
He also said, “The CHT people want to live like humans with dignity.” But if that doesn’t happen, they will not hesitate to take alternative measures, he added.
Santu Larma, also chairman of the CHT Regional Commission, criticised the civil society members as well as the left political organisations, saying they never highlighted the issue of the accord from their platforms and properly put pressure on the government to implement the deal.
At the discussion, former National Human Rights Commission chairman Prof Mizanur Rahman said land dispute is the main crisis in the CHT region. If the land dispute ends, other problems will also be solved one after another.
He also urged the officials concerned not to mislead the prime minister over the CHT issue.
Raja Devasish Roy, chief of the Chakma Circle, said many settlers want to leave the CHT and he urged the government to help those settlers relocate.
He noted that the important sections of the accord are yet to be implemented.
Shaheen Anam, executive director of Manusher Jonno Foundation, said it is very unfortunate for the country that it cannot celebrate 19 years of the accord signing as important sections of the deal are yet to be implemented.
“The important thing is what the CHT people think about the implementation of the accord. Do they feel free in their area?” she said, adding, “We don’t want to see any violence in the CHT.”
Before the discussion, Pallab Chakma, executive director of Kapaeeng Foundation, presented the keynote paper.
He placed recommendations that include cancelling illegal lease of land for rubber plantation, forming the CHT police force, rehabilitate Jumma refugees and relocate the settlers outside the hill tracts.
Sanjeeb Drong, general secretary of Bangladesh Indigenous Peoples Forum, said a high-level dialogue could be initiated over the full implementation of CHT accord.
Mentioning that the important sections of the accord are yet to be implemented, he hoped the government will take steps in this regard.
Shamsul Huda, executive director of the Association for Land Reform and Development (ALRD), said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has shown courage by passing the CHT Land Dispute Resolution Commission Act, and now the nation wants to see an initiative from her to implement the rest of the sections.
Prof Sadeka Halim, former information commissioner, said she is still hopeful about the full implementation of the deal as it was signed between two sides without any third party.
Prof Mesbah Kamal suggested forming a technical team to help the CHT Peace Accord implementation committee.
He said wait for the full implementation of the accord should end now.
Speakers also alleged that in the name of development and tourism projects, reserve forests and rubber cultivation, a section of people are grabbing the land of hill people.
They urged the government to finalise the rules of the CHT Land Dispute Resolution Commission Act as early as possible. Otherwise, they said, conflicts over land crisis will continue.
Criticising the government, they said it did not give sufficient power to the CHT Regional Council and the three district councils.
