Liberation-Bangladesh
I'm speaking on behalf of the Indigenous Youth People of Bangladesh. The Chittagong Hill Trust
Accord of 1997, popularly known as CHT Peace Accord, signed between the Government of
Bangladesh and the PCJSS, recognizing the reestablishment of the rights of the indigenous youth
people over the CHT region, south-eastern part of Bangladesh, with the formation of four local
councils as controlling and supervisory bodies over land and land management, law and order, civil
administration, local police development, primary and secondary education, forest and environment.
Unfortunately, after the lapse of six and a half years under three successive governments, the Accord
could not bring any exemplary development of the situation except the halting of regular fighting
between the Bangladesh security forces and the Shanti Bahini Peace Force of the PCJSS. This is still a
remote reality in the CHT region due to non-compliance with the fundamental points of the Peace
Accord by the Government of Bangladesh. Such points, among others, include effective enforcement
of the CHT Regional Council and Field District Council Acts of 1998. Settlement of land disputes
between Indigenous and non-Indigenous settlers, rehabilitation, the Indigenous refugees, and the
internally displaced Indigenous youth, people, and withdrawal of the settlers and the temporary
military, and paramilitary comes from the CHT. The impacts of such non-compliance with a peace
accord on the socio-economic condition of the local indigenous youth people are damaging. The nonimplementation, in some cases, violation of vital clauses accorded by the government in one hand,
and helping extreme settlers fanatic fronts against indigenous youth people in the other, has
seriously deteriorated the CHT situation in recent months. Unfortunately, the government's initiative
to help the situation develop is not encouraging at all. With a view to articulate the concerned
quarters and individuals on the present state of the accord we need international support to raise
concern in favor of the implementation of the accord so that the whole issue doesn't go out of both
control of the government in the PCJSS. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.