Although there is no visible progress in implementing the core issues of the 1997 Peace Accord, indigenous leader Jyotirindra Bodhipriya Larma yesterday asked the government to announce a roadmap immediately.
Also known as Santu Larma, the president of Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (PCJSS), said they would declare fresh programmes from an event in Rangamati on December 2 to materialise the accord.
He made the comments while addressing a press conference in the city to mark the 18th anniversary of the accord. The Awami League government signed the accord on December 2, 1997 with PCJSS to end a decade-long armed struggle in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
Santu Larma said that the Regional Council and the three Hill District Councils should be operated in line with the accord. He also demanded that the government withdraw all the temporary camps, dispose of land disputes, rehabilitate the refugees and internally displaced people.
“The Hill Tracts have now become a vulnerable region due to non-implementation of the accord and bypassing it while taking up development projects,” he said.
Also chairman of the Regional Council, However, Santu said that the government should take proper measures to preserve the salient features of the indigenous peoples, resettle of the Bangali settlers in the CHT area and postponement all activities of Rangamati Science and Technology University and Rangamati Medical College until the accord is fulfilled.
Bangladesh Adivasi Forum Secretary Sanjeeb Drong, columnist Syed Abul Moksud, Oikya NAP President Pankaj Bhattacharya and Dhaka University’s Prof Mesbah Kamal were also present at the event.
