Chakma organisations in India have urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina, who is on a four-day visit to the country from Monday, to initiate joint measures for full implementation of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Accord signed on December 2, 1997, and declare the CHT as a “region of peace”.
The Chakmas are the largest ethnic group in CHT in Bangladesh. The ‘Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti’ (Chittagong Hills People’s Solidarity Committee) was formed in 1972, soon after Bangladesh became independent with India’s military assistance and its armed wing ‘Shanti Bahini’ (Peace Army) launched its first attack on that country’s army in 1977.
In 1997, after Sheikh Hasina came to power, the CHT Peace Accord was brokered, ending the two-decades-long bloody rebellion. The accord allowed for the recognition of the rights of the peoples and tribes in the CHT region, among other issues.
“Key provisions of the Accord, especially the handing over of law and order and supervision of the three Hill District Councils of Bandarban, Khagrachari and Rangamati to the CHTs Regional Council; withdrawal of the Bangladesh Army camps established during the armed conflicts into the cantonments within the CHTs; resolution of the land disputes through the functioning of the CHTs Land Commission; and rehabilitation and resettlement of the returnee Jumma refugees from India and internally displaced persons within the CHTs remain unimplemented 25 years after signing of the Accord,” stated Rashik Mohan Chakma, a former MLA of Mizoram and president of the Chakma National Council of India, Mizoram Chapter (CNCI-Mizoram).
CNCI-Mizoram along with Chakma Development Foundation of India (CDFI), Tripura Rejyo Chakma Gabujyya Jodha and Chakma Hajong Rights Alliance (CHRA) submitted a joint memorandum to PM Modi and Hasina on Monday.
“The importance of implementation of the CHTs Accord for regional peace and security, especially for Bangladesh, India and Myanmar, cannot be stressed enough. In addition to civil unrest of indigenous peoples of CHTs collectively known as Jummas due to non-implementation of the Accord, the CHTs is often used by various insurgent groups,” said Suhas Chakma, founder of CDFI.
“Further, the armed conflicts in the Arakan province of Myanmar bordering the CHTs, the expulsion of over 1.5 million Rohingyas to Bangladesh by Myanmar and the refusal of the military junta government of Myanmar to repatriate any of these Rohingya refugees make the CHTs the source of regional instability and conflicts. In fact, peace in the region can be assured only through joint efforts of Bangladesh and India and meaningful participation of the indigenous Jumma people in these efforts by empowering them for self-governance through full implementation of the CHTs Accord,” added Suhas Chakma, currently heads the Delhi-based Rights & Risks Analysis Group.
The Chkma groups also urged New Delhi and Dhaka to ensure that the CHT region is not allowed to be used for insurgency activities.
“We have urged both the Prime Ministers to take measures for full and effective implementation of the CHTs Accord, declare an economic package to assist the Government of Bangladesh for effective implementation of the CHTs Accord including for rehabilitation and resettlement of the returnee Jumma refugees from India and internally displaced persons within the CHTs in line with similar economic assistance provided by India to the Internally Displaced Persons of Sri Lanka following the end of the armed conflicts with the ethnic Tamils,” said Priya Ranjan Chakma, president of the Tripura Rejyo Chakma Gabujyya Jodha.
On August 15, 1947, the Chakmas lost the short-lived “rebellion” they mounted to make their homeland in the Chittagong Hills a part of India and since then, the tribe is now scattered across northeast and other parts of India. Currently, there are 2.5 lakh Chakmas living in the country.
(With agency inputs)
The Chakmas are the largest ethnic group in CHT in Bangladesh. The ‘Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti’ (Chittagong Hills People’s Solidarity Committee) was formed in 1972, soon after Bangladesh became independent with India’s military assistance and its armed wing ‘Shanti Bahini’ (Peace Army) launched its first attack on that country’s army in 1977.
In 1997, after Sheikh Hasina came to power, the CHT Peace Accord was brokered, ending the two-decades-long bloody rebellion. The accord allowed for the recognition of the rights of the peoples and tribes in the CHT region, among other issues.
“Key provisions of the Accord, especially the handing over of law and order and supervision of the three Hill District Councils of Bandarban, Khagrachari and Rangamati to the CHTs Regional Council; withdrawal of the Bangladesh Army camps established during the armed conflicts into the cantonments within the CHTs; resolution of the land disputes through the functioning of the CHTs Land Commission; and rehabilitation and resettlement of the returnee Jumma refugees from India and internally displaced persons within the CHTs remain unimplemented 25 years after signing of the Accord,” stated Rashik Mohan Chakma, a former MLA of Mizoram and president of the Chakma National Council of India, Mizoram Chapter (CNCI-Mizoram).
CNCI-Mizoram along with Chakma Development Foundation of India (CDFI), Tripura Rejyo Chakma Gabujyya Jodha and Chakma Hajong Rights Alliance (CHRA) submitted a joint memorandum to PM Modi and Hasina on Monday.
“The importance of implementation of the CHTs Accord for regional peace and security, especially for Bangladesh, India and Myanmar, cannot be stressed enough. In addition to civil unrest of indigenous peoples of CHTs collectively known as Jummas due to non-implementation of the Accord, the CHTs is often used by various insurgent groups,” said Suhas Chakma, founder of CDFI.
“Further, the armed conflicts in the Arakan province of Myanmar bordering the CHTs, the expulsion of over 1.5 million Rohingyas to Bangladesh by Myanmar and the refusal of the military junta government of Myanmar to repatriate any of these Rohingya refugees make the CHTs the source of regional instability and conflicts. In fact, peace in the region can be assured only through joint efforts of Bangladesh and India and meaningful participation of the indigenous Jumma people in these efforts by empowering them for self-governance through full implementation of the CHTs Accord,” added Suhas Chakma, currently heads the Delhi-based Rights & Risks Analysis Group.
The Chkma groups also urged New Delhi and Dhaka to ensure that the CHT region is not allowed to be used for insurgency activities.
“We have urged both the Prime Ministers to take measures for full and effective implementation of the CHTs Accord, declare an economic package to assist the Government of Bangladesh for effective implementation of the CHTs Accord including for rehabilitation and resettlement of the returnee Jumma refugees from India and internally displaced persons within the CHTs in line with similar economic assistance provided by India to the Internally Displaced Persons of Sri Lanka following the end of the armed conflicts with the ethnic Tamils,” said Priya Ranjan Chakma, president of the Tripura Rejyo Chakma Gabujyya Jodha.
On August 15, 1947, the Chakmas lost the short-lived “rebellion” they mounted to make their homeland in the Chittagong Hills a part of India and since then, the tribe is now scattered across northeast and other parts of India. Currently, there are 2.5 lakh Chakmas living in the country.
(With agency inputs)