Chittagong Hill Tracts Conflict - Aftermath

Aftermath

There is no denying the fact that the 1997 peace accord has ensured a pause on long-standing self-determination armed conflict. However, unless the question of autonomy of CHT, which was the root cause of conflict, is resolved by implementing the peace accord and addressing the issues and challenges concerned with such implementation, it would be unrealistic to expect sustainable peace in CHT. The sooner the provisions of the accord are implemented, the quicker will be the mitigation of many of the existing problems and the elimination of the causes of potential conflict. Although there was no time frame in the accord for its implementation, it is time to develop a time-bound action plan so that stagnation in implementation of the various provisions of the peace accord does not create any doubt about a lasting peace. In addition, measure should be taken to ensure constitutional recognition of CHT so that the peace accord can be immune from constitutional litigation. Care should also be taken to reach a political consensus in support of the accord at national as well as regional level before the fragility of the ongoing peace is exposed. In particular, harmony between indigenous and non-indigenous people, who are almost equal in number and almost likewise victims of government policy, is a prime condition for the congenial atmosphere that might accelerate the pace of implementation of the accord.