'Life Is not Ours' - Land and Human Rights in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh - Update 2

In March 1992, the Chittagong Hill Tracts Commission published an Update of its May 1991 report 'Life Is Not Ours; Land and Human Rights in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh.' Since the publication of the Update the situation in the Chittagong Hill Tracts has reached a new stage. From August 1992 a cease-fire has been in effect and in November 1992 negotiations commenced between the Government of Bangladesh and the Parbatiya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (PCJSS, usually referred to as JSS), the organisation of the Jumma people, the original inhabitants of the Chittagong Hill Tracts. The main focus of this second Update are the steps so far taken by the Bangladesh government and the JSS to reach a negotiated settlement of the over 20 years old conflict and an assessment of the present situation in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

This Update is based on information from a wide variety of sources provided by Jumma peoples' organisations, Bengali organisations, the government of Bangladesh, personal communications and the local press in Bangladesh and India. Mr. Wilfried Telkämper, Member of the European Parliament and co-chair of the international CHT Commission, visited Bangladesh from 28 February to 4 March 1994. Although he was on an unofficial visit, he met with Foreign Minister Mr. Mustafizur Rahman and Communications Minister Colonel (Rtd.) Oli Ahmed and others to discuss the CHT issue and the Flood Action Plan. Information given in this Update has been crosschecked as much as possible