**6. Steps towards conflict resolution**

Historical review suggests that the Jumma people have been affected largely by the policies of migration, land eviction, cultural assimilation and ethnic discrimination by successive Governments. In their struggle for autonomy, they have been targets of massacres, extra judicial executions, rape, torture and forced relocation. However, the Government took some initiatives in order to calm the situation. Table 5 summarizes the chronological initiatives for peace in the CHTs. Finally after series of meetings and negotiations, Bangladesh Government and the PCJSS came up with a Peace Accord on December 02, 1997. The 68 points Accord deal with variety of subjects ranging from administration to military status, land question, refugee settlement and others. One of the elements of the Peace Accord was to recognize the rights of indigenous communities to land and other sovereign issues. It was agreed that the Ministry of CHTs Affairs will be headed by an indigenous representative. Government also agreed to repatriate and rehabilitate the CHTs refugees in India, resolve land disputes, and cancel illegal leases of land to non-indigenous people. This Accord endorsed a partial release of power to the indigenous authority declaring creation of the 'Regional Council' to look after the entire region. Under the Accord, the militants agreed

Conflict and Corollaries on Forest and Indigenous People: Experience from Bangladesh 197

Affairs Ministry, etc. But the most important provisions of the Accord, such as the withdrawal of temporary military camps and resolution of land conflicts, remain unimplemented till to date. Since assuming the power by the new elected Government (2001-2006) who kept themselves out of the treaty, implementation of the Peace Accord was quite ignored. During this period the military began to expropriate vast areas of land defying the provisions of the Accord. However, by now various new issues have appeared and the limitations of many provisions of the Accord are hindering the implementation even under the current Government who signed the Accord in 1997. Individual respondent opinion as well the focus group discussion show that indigenous people have again become more sceptical and are loosing their confidence over the Accord. The Peace Accord is facing

> "*It was better for us when the British were here. We were protected by special rules. Even under Pakistan it was better as we were independent. When the CHTs became part of Bangladesh, every right was taken over. These hills that were once the land of Jumma aren't for us now. Slowly the Bengalis*

a number of difficulties regarding implementation as follows.

*have taken over everything.*"

Box 1. Perception of the conflict by an aged indigenous man

continue to remain unresolved.

a. Accord is not recognized by the main political opposition (and their allies) of 1997. b. Implementation Committee can not do their work because of political interferences. c. Political movement of the indigenous people after the Peace Accord have divided into two groups; the PCJSS - the major group of the Peace Accord and the UPDF (United

Ajit Tanchangya (79)

d. Land crisis, a very delicate issue of conflict, between indigenous and Bangali migrants

Though the Accord got acclamation from the World community including UNESCO declaring Houpet-Felix Boigny Peace Award in 1999, the CHTs Jumma people still live under duress because of continuous pressure from the civil administration manned by nonindigenous and non-local officials and communal attacks by the Bangali settlers with direct back up from many camps of the Bangladesh security forces (Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization [UNPO], 2004). The non-implementation and in some cases violation of vital clauses of the Accord by the government in one hand and extreme Bengali fanatic fronts float against the Jumma people on the other has seriously deteriorated the CHTs situation in recent months (UNPO, 2004). It is found that the Government does not give

People's Democratic Front) - a group opposing the Peace Accord.

to surrender and de-commission their arms for general amnesty (Adnan, 2004). However, the Accord was not protected by the constitutional safeguards, and is open to amendment or revocation at any time. It makes no provision for forest and environmental protection and the existing forest act, rules and regulation were not referred. Besides, it makes no provision for social reconciliation between tribal population and migrated Bangali population.


Source: Chowdhury, 2002; Hosena, 1999; Jumma Net, 2009

Table 5. Summary of conflict resolution initiatives the CHTs
