The National Human Rights Commission chairman, Mizanur Rahman, on Wednesday said former military ruler Ziaur Rahman had sowed the seeds of unrest in the Chittagong Hill Tracts through settling Bengali people in the hill areas.
'Only full implementation of the 1997 Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord can restore peace in the hill areas through uprooting unrest,' he said while taking part in a discussion in the capital.
Bangladesh Adibasi Forum and ALRD, a non-government organisation, jointly organised the discussion on 'Importance of Land Commission in establishing human and land rights of the indigenous people' at the LGED auditorium.
President of Bangladesh Adibasi Forum and chairman of Chittagong Hill Tracts Regional Council Jyotirindra Bodhipriya Larma alias Santu Larma chaired the function while general secretary of the organisation Sanjeeb Drong and information secretary of CHT Regional Council Mangal Kumar Chakma read out keynote papers.
Mizan said the seeds of unrest sowed by Ziaur Rahman in the post-1975 period had got deep-rooted over the decades and now was the time to uproot the seeds of unrest in the greater national interest.
He said the situation in the hill areas worsened further when Zia handed over documents of land to the Bengali settlers in the hills although the tribal people had been enjoying ownership of their lands from generation to generation.
He said the National Human Rights Commission will extend its cooperation to minimise the gap between the Land Commission and the Chittagong Hill Tracts Regional Council with an aim to restore peace in the hill areas.
Sultana Kamal, who attended the function as special guest, demanded recognition of 'indigenous' people so that they could live in society through their self-identity.
Describing the land problem in the CHT region as a major one, she said the Land Commission had to be reformed to solve the crisis.
Santu Larma said the Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord signed on December 2, 1997 must be given constitutional recognition, otherwise it would be 'illegal'. He said cultural heritages of 54 ethnic minorities must be upheld.
Source : New Age
