CHT braces for disquiet

A fresh stand-off between the Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samity (PCJSS) and the ruling four-party alliance supporters seems imminent in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) as the sixth year of the peace treaty ends tomorrow.

The political body of the indigenous people in the CHT, the PCJSS, as part of its agitation programme, has called for a road blockade on December 2 and a dawn-to-dusk hartal on December 8, which the ruling coalition supporters have vowed to resist, sources said.

PCJSS, which fought two-decade-long bush war against the government for its rights, announced the agitation programmes demanding complete implementation of the peace accord signed six years ago and resignation of ruling party MP of Khagrachhari Abdul Wadud Bhuiyan from the post of chairman of Chittagong Hill Tracts Development Board (CHTDB).

PCJSS chief Jyotirindra Bodhipriya Larma alias Shantu Larma announced the programmes in the workers rally of his party at Bagaihat of Rangamati for November 14 to 16.

Larma, who was also the chief of the indigenous rebels, threatened to cripple CHT by intensifying the movement if the security camps were not withdrawn from the hills before December 31.

Tension mounted in the hill districts following the announcement of the agitation plan prompting the authorities to tighten security ahead of the programmes, sources said.

"We have taken measures to deploy additional police force at all important points of the hills to foil any attempt to break peace during the PCJSS agitation programmes. Besides, army patrol will continue," Deputy Commissioner ofÊRangamati hill district Dr Jafor Ahmed Khan said while talking to The Daily Star.

"Moreover, we have already established communication with PCJSSÊand the leaders of the alliance, we have requested them not to create any trouble during the movement. We have urged both the groups to exercise utmost restraint," the DC said adding, "But we are ready to face every eventuality there."

Rupayan Dewan, vice president ofÊPCJSS, said, "If the government resorts to repressive measures during our agitation programmes, situation in CHT may deteriorate."

"We waited for the last six years forÊthe implementation ofÊthe peace accord, but it has not been materialised. So we have to go for movement in a democratic way and our agitation programmes have public support," Rupayan added.

Ushatan Talukder, political secretary of the PCJSS said, "We are really concerned over the delay in the implementation of the peace accord signed during the tenure of the previous government. We are now forced to go for movement as we are left with no other recourse."

Meanwhile, the four-party alliance hills unit led by the chairman of CHTDB, Abdul Wadud Bhuiyan MP, threatened to resist the agitation programmes of the PCJSS raising concern among the residents of CHT.

Pradipan Khisa of United Peoples Democratic Front (UPDF) of Khagrachhari unit said that the UPDF has rejected the peace treaty. The hill people do not support the PCJSS movement.

"If the government implements the treaty, it would hardly change the lot of the hill people. The only solution is full autonomy and not the implementation of the treaty," he said.