AL govt takes anti-CHT accord steps : Santu

Top PCJSS leader Jyotirindra Bodhipriya Larma on Wednesday alleged that Awami League government in its nine years in power did not take any effective steps to implement the Chittagong Hill Tracts Accord rather took anti-accord steps.
Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti president Jyotirindra Bodhipriya Larma, also known as Santu Larma, at a press conference in Dhaka said time wasting by the ruling class in implementing the accord was creating a complex situation in Chittagong Hill Tracts again.
‘The government will be responsible for any untoward incident in CHT area as people there have their back against the wall and have no alternative,’ Santu Larma warned, addressing the press conference orgainsed to mark 20 years of signing the CHT accord.
The accord between the PCJSS, the political wing of the armed Shanti Bahini, and the government was signed ending 22 years of guerrilla insurgency on December 2, 1997. 
‘Sheikh Hasina-led government in nine years did not take any effective steps to implement the accord,’ alleged Santu Larma, who signed the deal with the government on behalf of PCJSS.
‘The government is rather taking one after another step that were against the interest of accord and hill people,’ said Santu Larma.
He said that the Chittagong Hill Tracts Land Dispute Resolution Commission remained ineffective although some controversial clauses of the corresponding law were amended one year ago.
‘CHT accord calls for withdrawal of all temporary military camps but there are at least 400 such camps in the area and Operation Uttaran is still there.
‘The government is yet to amend Police Act 1861, police regulation, and Forest Act 1927 in line with CHT accord.’ 
The government, however, hurriedly amended laws about governing the district councils in the three hill districts and CHT development board for the party interest ignoring protest from the hill people.
‘Land acquisition and hand over of land for CHT regional council complex are pending for 20 years but they have established Rangamati Science and Technology University and Rangamati Medical College bypassing the hill people,’ said Santu Larma, also the CHT regional council chairman.
The accord considered CHT region as a tribe inhabited area and recognised the need of preserving the characteristics of the region. But the government did not take any steps in this regard, alleged Santu.
Moreover, the government is rehabilitating Bengali settlers, expanding cluster villages for settlers, including outsiders into the voters list. Deputy commissioners are providing permanent residence certificates to outsiders, leasing land to the outsiders and sending more Muslims to make them majority there, violating the accord, Santu alleged.
Regarding the implementation of the accord, the government is spreading falsehood by saying that they have already implemented 45 clauses out of 72, another 15 clauses partially and nine are in the process, said Santu.
The government actually has implemented only 25 clauses, he said.
District councils in the three hill districts have turned into ruling party unit offices and epicenter of corruption, he alleged.
‘If the government was democratic, pro-people and non-communal, they could implement the accord,’ Santu observed. 
Oikya NAP president Pankaj Bhattacharya, columnist Syed Abul Maksud, Dhaka University history professor Mejbah Kamal, rights activist Numan Ahmed Khan also attended the press conference. 
News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net