‘CHT peace accord in uncertainty’

The government has kept the process of implementing the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Peace Accord in uncertainty, Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samity (PCJSS) claimed today.

"We have been seeing the reflection of government's lack of interest in implementing the peace accord since the last 19 years," said PCJSS President Jyotirindra Bodhipriya Larma, popularly known as Santu Larma.

"Rather, the government is initiating different activities one after another that go against the peace accord and interest of indigenous people," he said while addressing a press conference today.

Bangladesh Adivasi Forum organised the press conference at a hotel in the capital ahead of International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples to be observed on August 9.

This year, the day will be observed with the theme "Indigenous Peoples' Right to Education" internationally. But indigenous people of Bangladesh will observe the day with the theme "Indigenous Peoples' Rights to Education, Land and Life".

The PCJSS, an organisation of indigenous communities of the CHT, signed the accord with the then Awami League-led government on December 2, 1997.

The issues, which were supposed to be implemented by the PSJSS, have already been done on time. But the government, in most of the cases, has not performed its due responsibility to implement the peace accord, said Santu Larma, also the president of Bangladesh Adivasi Forum.

Reading out a written statement Santu Larma placed an 11-point recommendation that includes-- government's announcement of a roadmap to implement the peace accord, protecting indigenous people's rights to land, education and other issues.

Bangladesh Adivasi Forum General Secretary Sanjeeb Drong, noted columnist Syed Abul Maksud, veteran left politician  Pankaj Bhattachariya, also spoke at the function among others.