Of them, the Parbatya Cha-ttagram Jana Sanghati Samity (PCJSS), led by Jyotirindria Bodhipriya Larma alias Shantu Larma, has warned the government of launching a new movement early this year demanding full implementation of the 1997 CHT peace accord that ended two decades of bush war in the region.

Shantu had asked the government to implement the peace pact within December 31 last, a deadline that ended without any response.

The United People Democratic Front (UPDF), another platform of hills people that opposes the peace pact, on the other side is building up its strength to start a movement seeking nothing but full autonomy for the CHT.

The third group -- Parbatya Gana Parishad (PGP), an organisation of Bangali settlers in the hill districts -- has also threatened the government of a road-blockade programme if its demands including disarmament of both the PCJSS and UPDF are not met by January 16.

The parliamentary standing committee on the CHT affairs ministry is to visit the region this week in a bid to thrash out a permanent solution to the problems.

"We are waiting for the visit of the parliamentary committee. After the visit, if we do not see any hope, we will announce a fresh programme," said Rupayan Dewan, vice-president of the PCJSS and a member of the CHT Regional Council.

Meanwhile, as the UPDF is opposed to the PCJSS programme, it has again started engaging in direct confrontations with the latter, with activists of both the parties using firearms.

Though both the PCJSS and UPDF have some common issues and are fighting for the hills people, they have been at each other's throats since long. More recently, these two groups have embarked on a fresh bout of tit-for-tat abductions and killings. Over the last couple of weeks, 20 persons were abducted by their rival groups in Rangamati and Khagrachhari districts.

Since the peace accord, clashes between these two groups have claimed more than 300 lives and injured many more. But the government initiatives to solve the CHT problems and correct the situation have moved on a snail's pace.

At a public rally last Friday, the UPDF claimed that the PCJSS activists had so far abducted 253 of its supporters and activists and killed more than 200 others. The PCJSS sources, on the other hand, claimed more than 50 of their supporters and activists to have been killed and 100 others abducted by their rivals.

In the latest spate of abductions, the PCJSS activists allegedly abducted 20 UPDF supporters and their relatives last Tuesday from a remote village of Khagrachhari. All of them were released later.

Next day, the UPDF members allegedly abducted eight PCJSS supporters from Naniarchar of Ranagamati in retaliation. Again, last Friday, three more UPDF activists were kidnapped.

Meanwhile, a 14-member PGP delegation met the parliamentary committee on the CHT affairs last week seeking a peaceful, arms-free atmosphere in the hills region.

Led by Jalal Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury and Moniruzzaman Monir, president and secretary of the platform, the team met the committee members at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban and expressed dissatisfaction at the activities of the other two rival groups.

"We are feeling insecure. Both the groups demand toll from us. If we refuse to pay, we are tortured by them," Jalal Uddin told the parliamentary committee, while placing 18 demands, including safety and security of the CHT people. The team requested the parliamentary body to take immediate actions to disarm both the groups.

The PGP leaders also urged the government to meet some of their demands by January 16. Otherwise, they warned of a road-blockade programme from January 17. They also voiced their support for Abdul Wadud Bhuiyan, the local member of parliament, who they claimed was working for their interests.