CHT Peace Agreement
'Almost all vital clauses still not implemented'
Ethnic leaders at a regional dialogue on Sunday urged declaring roadmap for full implementation of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) peace accord.
Marking three years of its formation, CHT Citizens Committee (CHT-CC) organised the dialogue at the conference room of Rangamati District Sports Association in the town.
Earlier the execution process of CHT peace accord remained stalled during the last BNP-led four-party alliance government, said speakers at the dialogue.
After coming to power, the present Awami League-led grand alliance government did nothing for full execution of the peace treaty although the same party government signed the deal in 1997, they said.
Many indigenous people were killed and many more injured in violence between the ethnic people and Bangalee settlers over land disputes in hills as the peace deal has not been implemented fully, they added.
Slating CHT Affairs Minister Dipanker Talukder for playing 'anti-peace treaty role', they said almost all vital clauses of the deal including land dispute have remained unresolved.
They urged all irrespective of party, race, caste and creed to come forward with positive mind for the betterment of hill people.
Among others, U Kya Jen, member of the committee, Nirmolendu Tripura, advocate Gyanendu Bikash Chakma, Nirupa Dewan, member of National Human Rights Commission, Kajal Talukder, Chingkiew Roaza, senior vice president of district AL, Nirapad Chakma, and Santoshita Chakma Bakul, president of CHT Jummo Refugee Kalyan Samity, spoke at the dialogue presided over by Goutam Dewan, chairperson of CHT-CC.
Prof Mong Shanoo Chowdhury presented the key note paper at the function while Josheswar Chakma, secretary of CHTCC, gave the welcome speech.
CHTCC put seven-point demand to the government -- declaration of a specific time frame for execution of the deal, activation of Hill District Council (HDC) acts, bringing amendment into CHT Land Dispute Resolution Commission to resolve land disputes, constitutional safeguard of all traditional and customary laws, steps for holding election to HDCs and resuming 34-member body system of interim council in the HDCs for ensuring representation from all indigenous communities, rehabilitation of all jummo refugees in their own land and withdrawal of all makeshift security camps from the hills.
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