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Saturday, December 3, 2011

Non-implementation may trigger further confrontation with govt

Santu Larma says about CHT Peace AccordNon-implementation may trigger further confrontation with govt→ Shawkat Ali Khan and Noman Chowdhury   Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samity (PCJSS) chairman Jotirindhro Bodhipriya Larma, popularly known as Santu Larma, has said non-implementation of the CHT Peace Accord may trigger further confrontation with the government.

“It does not matter who will be the winner or loser but such confrontation is never expected to the patriotic people of the country,” Santu Larma said in an interview with daily sun on Thursday.

He blamed the government for killing time in implementing the peace accord signed between the government and the PCJSS on this day in 1997 to restore peace in the Hill Tracts.

“A sense of frustration is prevailing among the hilly people who are now raising question about whether the government has any intention to implement the deal or not,” he said.

Although the CHT peace treaty steeped into 14 years but the hilly people are yet to see any light of hope regarding its implementation, Santu Larma added.

According to the treaty, the government is supposed to withdraw temporary military and paramilitary camps from the CHT.

“But the government has so far withdrawn only 66 temporary camps out of more than 500,” he said adding that CHT people have still remained under ‘Operation Uttaran’ instead of ‘Operation Dabanal.’ Santu Larma, also chairman of CHT Regional Council, said the government passed Zila Parishad Act and CHT Regional Council Act but the rules of business of these laws are yet to be framed.

The government formed the Land Commission to settle the disputes regarding the land of hilly people but the commission has remained non-functional as the government is reluctant to bring amendment to the Chittagong Hill Tracts Land Dispute Settlement Commission Act 2001.

The PCJSS chairman also came down heavily on the state minister for CHT affairs Dipankar Talukder for his recent remarks on implementation of the peace accord.

Dipankar in his remarks claimed that the CHT peace accord had been fully implemented except for settlement of land disputes.

“Except for withdrawing some camps, the treaty has been fully unimplemented,” Santu Larma said and also urged the government to immediately implement the deal.

He alleged that the government is encouraging the United People’s Democratic Front for working against implementation of the treaty. The decedent group has long been demanding full autonomy for CHT.

“But there is no terminology of full autonomy in the dictionary of political science,” he said demanding an immediate ban of UPDF activities as UPDF men are involved with extortion, abduction and killing.

He also held some fundamentalist militant groups and some South Asian countries responsible for not implementing the treaty.

When asked about the CHT development work, he said, “Development work is not going on as per the demand of the people rather development work is on to implement an evil design.”

Forests and environment have been destroyed in CHT areas in the name of development of road network so that the military can move quickly, he pointed out.

When asked whether the CHT Regional Council conflicts with the state machinery, he said, “This is not a conflict with the administrative structure of the state.”

Citing examples of United Kingdom, he suggested that more regional councils should be formed to ensure better development through decentralisation of power.
---------------------------------------------courtesy: The Daily Sun

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