Leaders of Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samity (PCJSS) and its front organisations said full implementation of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) accord only could bring standing peace in hills. Keeping the deal abandoned, ensuring stability and peaceful co-existence among the communities in the region is not possible. Speakers said this while addressing a programme of 22nd annual council of Pahari Chhatra Parishad (PCP), a student body of PCJSS.
PCP, district committee organised it at the auditorium of Rangamati Small Ethnic Cultural Institute on Thursday. Ushatan Talukder, former parliamentarian and vice president of central unit PCJSS, was the chief guest while Rintu Chakma, president of district unit of PCP, in the chair. Shantidebi Tanchangya, general secretary of Hill Women’s Federation, Sumon Marma, vice president of central unit of PCP and Sagar Tripura Nanthu, assistant organising secretary of Juba Samity, were also addressed, among others.
Ushatan said fundamental clauses of the treaty have been left unimplemented over the past near about two decades. Land problem is the most vital provision in the accord which was remained unresolved. That is why, land dispute is taking a serious turn and it has become a grave concern for the people in hills. CHT Land Dispute Resolution Commission has failed to resolve a single case so far since its formation in 2001, lamented Talukder.
Moreover, formation of local police force, handing over of Land and Land Management, preparation of electoral rolls in which only the permanent residents will be voters to hold elections in three hill district councils and CHT Regional Council, withdrawal of all makeshift security camps and rehabilitation of internally displaced jumma families have remained unexecuted.
Bringing an amicable solution into CHT problem is only possible through full-scale execution of the accord and then establishing permanent peace and stability will sustained in hilly areas, pointed out Ushatan. About recovering of illegal weapons, he further said that the government should have involved local people and discuss with them on the issue to make easy in recovering unlicensed arms in hills. Otherwise, merely the members of the law enforcing agencies could not retrieve illegal weapons from the terrorists and stopping extortion and terrorism.
Speakers strongly criticised the government for keep torturing, oppression and harassment of their leaders and workers. Members of law enforcing agencies implicating in false cases and putting them in jail, they alleged. A 27-member district committee of PCP was formed after the council in which Milon Kumar Tanchangya and Jagadish Chakma were made president and general secretary respectively.