Restoring normal conditions in the hills
THERE is yet a good deal more that must be done for normal conditions in the Chittagong Hill Tracts to be restored. News reports of road and waterways blockades being put up by agitated people (and the latest concerns a group of Bengali settler students) are a huge damper on efforts to restore confidence among the population in Khagrachhari and Rangamati, enough to convince them that they can resume their normal life. At least six people, we understand, have been killed in the violence and scores of arrests have been made. That in itself is a sign of the grave nature of the situation. When you add to that the figures for the number of families affected, 94 in all, and the number of homes razed to the ground, 500 altogether (of which 400 happen to be those of the adivasis), it is easy to imagine the bitterness that must have caused tragedy on such a scale.
The efforts expended by the administration to contain the crisis are appreciable. Yet the fact remains that measures such as an imposition of Section 144 and a clamping of curfew need to be backed up by steps that we can truly regard as constructive engagement where a restoration of peace is concerned. We are a trifle concerned that during his visit to the affected areas on Wednesday, the minister of state for home could not come across many of the adivasis affected by the troubles. They remained in hiding because of twin fears: the first was the fear of being attacked by the settlers and the second was the fear of arrest by the law enforcing agencies. It is these fears that must be addressed swiftly if conditions are not to worsen. In this connection, the administration must convince the adivasis that there will be a fair and impartial inquiry into the crisis and that they can return home without fear of any discrimination. At the same time, the Bengali settlers should also be persuaded to believe that their legitimate interests will be upheld and that only through peaceful accommodation between them and the adivasis will there be peace in the hills. The peace procession led by local lawmaker Jatindralal Tripura is a commendable move that should be replicated by others. We suggest that, besides administrative steps toward restoring normalcy, the Jatiya Sangsad could play a major role through having an all-party parliamentary team visit the affected areas not only to study the situation but also to reassure people there that the nation is cognisant of the issues and will handle them to the satisfaction of all. Equally important is the question of engaging the leading lights of the indigenous people in any move toward a resolution of the crisis. The NGOs should be lending a hand in restoring normalcy.
As has been suggested by the local administration, the CHT Land Commission and the CHT Refugee Affairs Task Force should be activated, indeed must become functional if a solution to the crisis is to be arrived at. The on-going conflict in the hills makes it clear why such steps are more in need today than ever before.
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