An Urgent Appeal to the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh for Proper, Speedy and Full Implementation of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Accord 1997
05 December 2022
Her Excellency Sheikh Hasina
Honorable Prime Minister
Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh
Her Excellency,
We, the representatives of the undersigned organizations and individuals, express our sincere thanks and congratulations to your government for the historic agreement, popularly known as “Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord” signed by your government with the Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samiti, the political party of indigenous Jumma peoples of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), on December 2, 1997, for a political and peaceful solution to the longstanding CHT problem.
It is highly commendable that your government has implemented many aspects of the agreement after signing the CHT Accord. However, according to research and studies undertaken by UN agencies and independent academics and researchers, key components of the agreement remain unimplemented. These are the following: 1) preservation of characteristics of the tribal area status of CHT region; 2) self-rule government; 3) demilitarization of the region; 4) resolution of land disputes; 5) rehabilitation of refugees and internally displaced persons; 6) amendment of relevant laws as per agreement; 7) relocation of settlers outside CHT.
It is undoubtedly encouraging that after coming to state power in 2009, your government has accepted the repeated recommendations of the consecutive Universal Periodic Reviews of the UN Human Rights Council in 2009, 2013 and 2018, including recommendations of 10th Session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in 2011 regarding the implementation of the CHT Accord. It is also commendable that your government pledges to implement the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and to ratify the ILO Convention No. 169 in the 6th, 7th and 8th Five Year Plan.
We do believe that through the signing of the CHT Accord, a historic opportunity has been created for a political and peaceful solution to the CHT problem to end the longstanding bloody conflict and communal clashes. The peace and development of the CHT region is our common aspiration which is important for the whole country and the world.
With your leadership, we earnestly appeal to you and your government to immediately undertake the following steps to implement the CHT, as well as the UNDRIP, that would preserve and strengthen tribal leadership in the CHT:
- Devolve the political, administrative, economic powers and functions, including subjects of general administration, law and order, police, land and land management, forest and environment, tourism, development of communication system to the CHT Regional Council and three Hill District Councils.
- Formulate Election Rules and Electoral Roll Rules, preparation of Voter List with the permanent residents of CHT and, accordingly, hold elections in the three Hill District Councils.
- Withdraw all the temporary camps, including de facto military rule “Operation Uttoron”.
- Formulate the Rules of the CHT Land Commission to settle the land disputes and return the dispossessed lands to the actual Jumma owners.
- Cancel land leases given to the non-residents and non-tribal persons.
- Rehabilitate the India-returnee refugees and internally displaced Jumma families in their lands after having returned the dispossessed lands to them.
- Appoint permanent residents in all jobs available in CHT with priority preference to the tribal people.
- To ensure consistency with the CHT Accord, amend all other laws applicable to CHT, including the Police Act of 1861, Forest Act of 1927 and CHT Regulation of 1900.
- Rehabilitate the Bengalee settlers outside CHT with dignity.
