Editorial
CHT peace accord emerging from back burner
Fresh approach to implementation on the card
The parliamentary standing committee on Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs at its first meeting in Bandarban, significantly held outside the legislative capital, has disclosed a couple of steps signalling a change in style and approach to the implementation of CHT peace accord. In the first place, the government it has recast the national committee for implementation with deputy leader of the House Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury as its chairperson. Secondly, the Land Commission is being reconstituted to inject dynamism into the body considered crucial in sorting out land settlement issues.
Although the peace accord's major achievement was restoration of peace in the region by ending two-decade long insurgency and blood letting in 1997, there is reason for despondency in the fact that even after 12 years of its signing some vital provisions of the accord remain unimplemented. As a result, we have observed exploitation of ethnic people continuing in some form or shape, and what's more, full potential for the region's growth remains unrealised. Now, the ambience at present in the hilly region for addressing the unfinished agenda couldn't perhaps be any better. AL government, the architect of the accord, is back in the saddle again and can only be expected to carry the process forward. As if to add to the atmospherics, AL candidates have won all the parliamentary seats in hill districts.
The formidability of the task, however, cannot be underestimated. The issues like land settlement, democratisation of administration, strengthening of tribal voice and all round development remain, platefully. Elections to regional and district councils where tribal people are to have preponderant representation and say will have to be held to make them truly representative in character and functioning. The Land Commission has yet to carry out survey and settle ownership rights. Need we say that a satisfactory solution of settlement issues holds the key to unlocking a whole range of prospects for peaceful and constructive coexistence between tribal people and settlers?
The hill tracts are a region of vast possibilities. It has tremendous prospects for private sector involvement and NRB participation in a large variety of development projects based on its natural resources. In the context of the economic meltdown we should be making serious efforts at diversifying the economy by seizing any new prospect for development. Let's unlock the CHT treasure-trove with determined vigour.
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