DOCUMENT: JSSBANG5.TXT THE FIFTH GROUP MEETING HELD BETWEEN THE SUB-COMMITTEE OF THE BANGLADESH GOVERNMENT COMMISSION AND THE JANA SAMHATI SAMITI AT DHUDUKCHARA UNDER PANCHARI POLICE STATION WITHIN KHAGRACHARI DISTRICT ON JULY 12, 1995 (based on a letter written to me by the Jana Samhati Samiti on 19 July, 1995). A. BACKGROUND At the Fourth Group Meeting, which took place on December 26, 1994, both the Sub-Committee of the Bangladesh Government Commission (BGC) and the Jana Samhati Samiti (JSS) had reached the following agreements: 1)The period of the Cease-fire was extended upto March 31, 1995; 2) The Sub- Committee of the BGC would send a new set of proposals, drafted in consultation with the Government, to the JSS on or before March 15, 1995, for the opinion of the JSS; 3) The apprehended Members of the JSS (or Shanti Bahini = SB) would be released at the earliest moment; and 4) The next Meeting (Fifth Group Meeting) would be fixed with the consent of both sides through communications. The BGC failed to implement all the above-mentioned commitments. It violated the cease-fire. It did not send a new set of proposals to the JSS. It did not release any of the seven arrested Members of the JSS (or SB). At the same time, it arrested in violation of the cease-fire another eight Members of the JSS (or SB). It did not arrange the Meeting. On the other hand, it repeatedly asked the JSS to extend the cease-fire. The peace-loving JSS extended the cease-fire again and again but refused to participate in the Fifth Group Meeting until all the detained Members of the JSS (or SB) were released. In a communication of May 29, 1995, the BGC sent the JSS the following suggestions: 1) The Fifth Group Meeting between the JSS and the Sub-Committee of the BGC be held on July 12, 1995; 2) The BGC's Draft Proposal will be submitted to the JSS at the Fifth Group Meeting; 3) The cease-fire be extended upto August 31, 1995; and 4) Five Members of the JSS (or SB) have already been released and the rest would be released by June 30, 1995. In reply, the JSS sent the following message to the BGC on 7 June, 1995: 1) The JSS has agreed to hold the Fifth Group Meeting on 12 July, 1995 but it will review this decision if the BGC failed to set free all the remaining JSS (or SB) Members and pass on the information about their release to the JSS by June 30, 1995; 2) The JSS has accepted the BGC's proposal that the Draft Proposal will be submitted to the JSS at the Fifth Group Meeting to be held on 12 July, 1995, although the Sub-Committee of the BGC had promised at the Fourth Group Meeting to submit the Draft Proposal to the JSS fifteen days before the Fifth Group Meeting took place; 3) The JSS has agreed to extend the cease-fire upto July 20, 1995; and 4) The JSS has regretted that only five out of fifteen JSS (or SB) Members have been released despite the Sub-Committee's assurance given at the Fourth Group Meeting that all the arrested JSS (or SB) Members would be set free at the earliest moment. B. THE PARTICIPANTS OF THE FIFTH GROUP MEETING a. The Members of the Sub-Committee of the BGC 1) Mr. Rashed Khan Menon, MP (Bangladesh Workers Party), the Read of the Sub-Committee of the BGC & Chairman of the Group Meeting; 2) Mr. Kalpa Ranjan Chakma, MP (Awami League); 3) Mr. Mohammad Shahjahan Chowdhury, MP (Bangladesh Nationalist Party); and 4) Mr. Mohammad Shahjahan Chowdhury, MP (Jamat- E-Islami), was not allowed to participate in the Fifth Group Meeting by his party high command because of virtual cancellation of his Parliamentary Membership. b. The Members of the JSS 1) Mr. Jyotirindra Bodhipriya Larma, the President of the JSS and Chief of the JSS Members; 2) Mr. Goutam Kumar Chakma, a Member of the JSS Central Committee; 3) Mr. Rupayan Dewan, a Member of the JSS Central Committee; and 4) Mr. Sudha Sindhu Khisa, a Member of the JSS Central Committee. c. The Members of the Coordination (or Liaison) Committee 1) Mr. Hangsadhwaj Chakma, the Convenor of the Coordination Committee; & 2) Mr. Mathura Lal Chakma, a Member of the Liaison Committee. d. The Members of the Bangladesh Government 1) Mr. Abu Hena Mostafa Kamal of the Special Affairs Department, Bangladesh Government, Dhaka; 2) Mr. Saiful Azad of the Special Affairs Department, Bangladesh Government, Dhaka; and 3) Mr. Mohammad Ismail, the Deputy Commissioner of Khagrachari District. C. THE FIFTH GROUP MEETING The Liaison Committee and the JSS combinedly arranged the necessary security measures for the Group Meeting. As per the agreed time schedule, the Meeting was to commence at 10.00 a.m. but the Members of the Sub-Committee arrived at the venue at 12.00 a.m. The Meeting began at 00.50 p.m. and continued till 03.45 p.m. with a lunch-break from 02.50 p.m. to 03.35 p.m. Mr. Menon invited Mr. Larma to speak first. Having taken the floor, Mr. Larma said that the Fifth Group Meeting was being held after a long gap of 7 months since the Fourth Group Meeting took place on 26 December, 1994. He also said that at the Fourth Group Meeting the Sub-Committee had agreed to send a Draft Proposal to the JSS 15 days before the Fifth Group Meeting was held. He further said that the BGC had proposed later to submit the Draft Proposal at the Fifth Group Meeting to be held on July 12, 1995. Then, Mr. Larma wanted to know whether the Sub-Committee had brought it. In reply, Mr. Menon said that the Fifth Group Meeting was taking place after all. In the meantime, he explained, so many troublesome incidents had occurred. For example, some Members of the JSS (or SB) had been apprehended and the JSS had blamed the Government for violating the cease-fire. On the other hand, the Government side had also alleged cease- fire violations by the JSS (or SB). So, harsh-worded letters were exchanged between the two parties. However, Mr. Menon commented, both sides had expressed their positive attitude towards the continuation of the peace-process. At the same time, he further commented, the main four issues of the CHT problem - 1) The constitutional guarantee for the CHT status, 2) The recognition of the ethnic entity of the Jumma People, 3) The formation of a Council for the CHT, and 4) The Land question - had been discussed in the Meetings and they had been narrowed down to some extent. Although the overall political situation in Bangladesh had changed due to the resignation by 147 Opposition MPs on 28 December, 1994, the Council Committee (on the CHT affairs), of which the Prime Minister is the Head and many top Bureaucrats are Members, met on January 9, 1995, to find out a formula for solving the CHT problem and to frame a Draft Proposal on that basis. Col. Oli Ahmed, the Chairman of the BGC & Communication Minister of Bangladesh, Mr. Menon and others were present at the meeting. The Council Committee discussed whether the CHT problem could be resolved by modifying the CHT Development Board. Mr. Menon had suggested that the CHT Development Board should be put under the control of the Jumma People but pointed out that only the modification of the CHT Development Board would not be enough to meet the Five Demands of the JSS. The Council Committee could not find out any other formula and asked Mr. Menon to convey to the JSS that the Government was not in a position to give a solution and to formulate a Draft Proposal under the present political situation which would not allow to make any constitutional amendments or to seek the consensus of the Opposition Parties about any amendments necessary for resolving the CHT problem. After disclosing the Government's failure to frame a Draft Proposal, Mr. Menon proposed that the cease-fire be extended upto the General Elections, which might take place in January or February, 1996, and that the present peace-process be kept up so that the Dialogue could be resumed after the General Elections. Regarding the release of the remaining 5 arrested Members of the JSS (or SB), he said that he had persuaded Col. Oli Ahmed to release them.. by July 12, 1995, and that the latter promised to do so. Then Mr. Menon read out the list of the detained Members of the JSS (or SB) who were as follows: 1) Mr. Mathura Lal Tripura, 2) Mr. Jekentu Chakma, 3) Mr. Neutan Chakma, 4) Mr. Mong Paiching Marma, and 5) Mr. Dipti Kanti Chakma. (Perhaps, it is important to note that they were not set free by July 12, 1995). Then, Mr. Larma replied that he understood the necessity of observing the cease-fire. But, he pointed out, the Bangladesh Security Forces had not adhered to the cease-fire at all on the one hand, and the Bangladesh Government had been implicating the JSS (or SB) falsely in cease-fire violations on the other. For instance, Mr. Larma said, on 14 June, 1995, a Bank at Rajasthali Thana (Police Station) Headquarters within Rangamati District was looted. The area has been well-fortified by setting up Army and Police camps and it will be quite impossible for anyone to raid a Bank in such a well-protected area. It was also learnt from the Local Army, Police and Civil Authorities that the Armed Group, who was responsible for the Bank-raid, was ambushed by the Bangladesh Army at a place far away from the Rajasthali Thana Headquarters but within the area under the jurisdiction of Rajasthali Thana. It was also learnt that the Bangladesh Army shot dead 2/3 members of the Armed Group and captured from them very valuable documents written in foreign language which confirmed that the Armed Group came from a foreign country. Still the Bangladesh Government widely publicised that the Bank was looted by the JSS (or SB)! At that point, Mr. Hangsadhwaj Chakma, the Convenor of the Liaison Committee, said that on June 15, 1995, he had a meeting with Col. Oli Ahmed at the Railway Bhavan in Dhaka. During their conversation, the Communication Minister blamed the JSS (or SB) for the Bank-robbery and threatened that the Bangladesh Government would order the Bangladesh Security Forces to destroy the JSS (or SB) and also the Jumma communities at Rajasthali. Then, Mr. Larma remarked that Mr. Ahmed, as a responsible Minister, could make proper inquiry into the incident before blaming the JSS (or SB) and that it was very irresponsible of a Cabinet Minister like him to pronounce a naked threat to the helpless and innocent Jumma People. The Bangladesh Government, he further commented, is making all sorts of false allegations about the cease-fire violations in order to defame the cease-fire-abiding JSS (or SB) and to cover up its cease-fire breaches as well. At that stage, Mr. Kalpa Ranjan Chakma said that according to the Brigade Major of the Khagrachari Brigade, the JSS (or SB) was killing the Officers & soldiers of the Bangladesh Security Forces. Replying to this question, Mr. Larma said that without any provocations from the JSS (or SB) side, the Bangladesh Security Forces frequently attacked the JSS (or SB) camps & personnel and so the JSS (or SB) had to fight back in self defence. For example, some 500 soldiers from Lakshmichari, Naniachar and Mahalchari Military Zones launched unprovoked massive campaigns against the JSS (or SB) & the Jumma villagers in the hilly regions under the jurisdiction of Lakshmichari & Mahalchari Thanas within Khagrachari District and also in the hilly regions under the jurisdiction of Naniachar Thana within Rangamati District for 11 days from 14 to 24 June, 1995, in violation of the cease-fire. Although the JSS (or SB) was strictly and sincerely observing the truce, it had no other alternative but to return fire in order to defend its camps. Therefore, the Bangladesh Security Forces were fully responsible for any casualties. In this connection, Mr. Larma gave another typical example of how the Bangladesh Government attempted to malign the good name of the JSS (or SB) by making false allegation against it. There is a Bangla Desh Rifles (BDR) camp at Old Lankar in the Sajek valley under the jurisdiction of Baghaichari Police Station within Rangamati District. The Bangladesh Government has also set up a base for a Foreign Armed Group adjacent to the BDR camp. In the month of May, 1995, under the instructions of the BDR Commander, the Foreign Armed Group attacked the nearby JSS (or SB) camp. So, the JSS (or SB) was compelled to engage in the battle and chase the invaders out of the area. To fight back in self-defence does not violate the ceasefire terms & conditions. But the Bangladesh Government widely propagated that the JSS (or SB) had attacked the BDR camp at Old Lankar in violation of the cease-fire. Then, the JSS delegation raised the issue of Bangladeshi Muslim infiltrator settlement and land-grabbing in the CHT. In response, Mr. Menon said that he was aware of the issue but he was not aware of the State-planned transfer of plainsmen from other districts into the CHT at the moment. The JSS team asserted that the Bangladesh Government was not only continuing the State-financed Bangladeshi Muslim migration into the CHT but also helping the Muslim infiltrators to capture the control of the Local Governments. For instance, the Bangladesh Government has been continuing to settle Bangladeshi Muslim infiltrators in the Latiban Union. When the Muslim population grew big, the Bangladesh Government divided the Latiban Union under the jurisdiction of Panchari Police Station within Khagrachari District into 2 Unions - 1) Latiban & 2) Ultachari. The Ultachari Union has now 2700 Muslim votes & only 1100 Jumma votes. In any elections, the Muslims will win the Chairmanship and most of the Memberships of the Union Council. This division has been imposed against the will of the Jumma People of the Latiban Union. Moreover, according to the CHT Regulation of 1900, these Bangladeshi Muslim infiltrators have no right to settle in the CHT nor have they residential qualification to vote in any elections in the CHT. Therefore, the JSS delegation registered its opposition to the formation of the new Union. Regarding this question, Mr. Mohammad Ismail, the Deputy Commissioner of Khagrachari District, explained that the Latiban Union was divided into 2 Unions 3 years ago and that the Jumma People had not only rejected the division but also boycotted all the subsequent elections. Having been fully convinced by all these compelling evidence, the Sub-Committee of the BGC promised to take the matter up with the BGC. Thereafter, Mr. Larma criticised the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) for not pressuring the Bangladesh Government to release the remaining 5 arrested Members of the JSS (or SB) and also to solve the CHT problem. In reply, the BNP Member, Mr. Mohammad Shahjahan Chowdhury had assured him that he would personally raise the matter with the Government so that the detained Members were set free as soon as possible. Mr. Menon, then, proposed that further repatriation of the Jumma Refugees be arranged. In response, Mr. Larma disclosed that he had communicated with the Jumma Refugee Leaders before coming to the Fifth Group Meeting and learnt that they would return to the CHT only if the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Committee of the Red Cross be involved in their rehabilitation because the Repatriated Jumma Refugees had not yet been properly rehabilitated. Then Mr. Menon pointed out that India might not be willing to involve the UNHCR & the ICRC in the repatriation process. Replying to this question, Mr. Larma explained that there was no need to involve these 2 international organizations in the repatriation of the Jumma Refugees as the Refugees live near the border and so their repatriation would not cost anything. On the other hand, the said organisations could be easily involved in the rehabilitation of the Jumma Refugees because they had already been looking after the Rohingya Refugees in Bangladesh, further explained Mr. Larma. At that stage, Mr. Mohammad Shahjahan Chowdhury argued that if the Bangladesh Government was capable of rehabilitating the Jumma Refugees alone, then there was no need to involve the UNHCR & the ICRC in the rehabilitation process. Moreover, he continued his argument, the Red Crescent of Bangladesh had been involved in the rehabilitation of the Jumma Refugees. Then, Mr. Larma promptly turned Mr. Chowdhury's argument against him & quipped, "If the Bangladesh Red Crescent could be involved, why not the ICRC?" Having been boomeranged by their own argument, all the Members of the Sub-Committee of the BGC replied to Mr. Larma Is quip in chorus - "Because, the ICRC would certainly appoint its own personnel to supervise the rehabilitation of the Repatriated Jumma Refugees". Nevertheless, Mr. Menon appreciated Mr. Larma's proposal as a "Novel idea for solving the Jumma Refugee Returnees' problems" and promised to properly place it before the BGC. But Mr. Mohammad Ismail objected to the proposal and claimed that all the problems relating to the Repatriated Jumma Refugees had been properly solved. Then Mr. Larma challenged his false and misleading claim by citing examples of the Jumma Refugee Repatriates who had not yet been able to get back their homes, villages & agricultural lands. Mr. Kaladhan Chakma, he forcefully pointed out, had not only been deprived of his home & farmland by the Bangladesh Security Forces but also been arrested & detained in order to coerce him to give up his claim to his ancestral property. Needless to say, Mr. Larma's compelling evidence silenced Mr. Mohammad Ismail, who as the Representative of the Bangladesh Government did not want to expose his Government's failure to implement the 16-Point-Benefit-Package to the International Observers including the UNHCR & ICRC. Perhaps, it is noteworthy that after the Fifth Group Meeting was over, Mr. Samir Kanti Dewan, the President of the Repatriated Jumma Refugee 16- Point Bastabayan (Implementation) Committee, submitted a memorandum to Mr. Menon about the grievances of the Jumma Refugee Returnees in front of Mr. Mohammad Ismail. Then Mr. Menon showed Mr. Ismail the memorandum with a long list of complaints from the Repatriated Jumma Refugees and asked him why such a huge catalogue of grievances after he had claimed to have solved all the problems of the Jumma Refugee Repatriates in the Meeting. It was no surprise to see that Mr. Ismail had to eat his words. Thereafter, Mr. Larma blamed the ruling BNP Government for not achieving a peaceful political solution even after long 3-year-negotiation and even though the JSS had extended its fullest cooperation to the Bangladesh Government. In reply, Mr. Mohammad Shahjahan Chowdhury said that some progress had been made given the fact that the problem was a long standing one and that very difficult time had arrived. For example, he continued, the State-planned migration of outsiders into the CHT had been stopped. Then Mr. Chowdhury urged the JSS to be patient and also to continue the peace- process as long time was necessary to solve a very difficult problem like the CHT one. Once more, Mr. Menon proposed to extend the cease-fire until the General Elections was held. He speculated that the General Elections might be held in January or February, 1996. Responding to this proposal, Mr. Larma said that the extension of the cease-fire would depend on the observance of the cease-fire by both the Bangladesh Government and the Security Forces. For instance, he pointed out, the Bangladesh Government had agreed on the cease-fire but the Commander of the Karengatali Army Camp (under the Baghaichari Military Zone in the Kasalong Valley within Rangamati District) and other Commanders had often said that the Ceasefire was not binding to them as the Bangladesh Security Forces had never declared the cease-fire. Because of this reason, the soldiers of the Karengatali Army Camp had attacked a JSS (or SB) camp on June 20, 1995, and other Commanders had also made similar attacks on the JSS (or SB) all over the CHT regardless of the on-going cease-fire, further pointed out Mr. Larma. Regarding the policy of the JSS on the General Elections, he promised to maintain peace during the time of Elections in order to facilitate the continuation of the democratic process in the country. However, Mr. Larma was not sure whether it would be possible to hold the General Elections under a neutral care-taker Government and was not sure when the Elections would take place. Considering the Bangladesh Security Forces total disregard for the cease-fire and also the total uncertainty about the General Elections, he opined, the JSS would not extend the cease-fire for a longer period. Then, Mr. Larma wanted to know if further Group Meetings between the Sub-Committee of the BGC and the JSS would take place or not. Answering the question, Mr. Mohammad Shahjahan Chowdhury stressed the need for the continuation of the Dialogue. Mr. Menon also spoke in favour of the Dialogue at least on the situation in the CHT so that the negotiation channel between the two sides could be maintained. Then, he assured the JSS that he would place the proposal before the BGC. After that, Mr. Larma wanted to know what actions the various parties of Bangladesh would like to take to solve the CHT crisis if the present peace-process was maintained. Replying to that question, Mr. Chowdhury gave the assurance that the next BNP Government the present Government) would solve the CHT problem by peaceful and political means. On that question, Mr. Menon disclosed that the Fundamental Rights Committee of Bangladesh would meet both Begum Khaleda Rahman and Col. Oli Ahmed to persuade them to promote public consensus about the resolution of the CHT crisis. Mr. Menon also disclosed that the Fundamental Rights Committee of Bangladesh would request all political parties to include the CHT issue in their respective manifestos during their electioneering campaigns. With regard to this constructive idea, Mr. Larma said that he would highly appreciate it if all political parties clearly expressed their stands on the settlement of the CHT problem in their manifestos. Then, Mr. Larma wanted to know when the remaining 5 arrested Members of the JSS (or SB) would be released. In reply, Mr. Menon promised to take the matter up with both the BGC and the Home Secretary and to impress them that the cease-fire and the entire peace-process would very much depend on their behaviour. At that stage, he asked Mr. Chowdhury to say about the time when the JSS (or SB) Members could be released. The latter agreed to release them within the next two months. Then, Mr. Larma became willing to extend the cease-fire upto September 30, 1995. Both sides made the following decisions: 1. The cease-fire would be observed by both sides for a further period till September 30, 1995, in the interest of maintaining the peace-process and the congenial environment in the CHT. 2. Communications between the two sides would be maintained through the Coordination (or Liaison) Committee in order to follow the present process and to arrange Group Meetings between the Sub-Committee of the BGC and the JSS if necessary. 3. The rest 5 arrested Members of the JSS (or SB) would be set free within the next two months (on or before 19 September, 1995). These decisions had been recorded on a paper which was initialled by Mr. Rashed Khan Menon on behalf of the Sub- Committee of the BGC, Mr. Jyotirindra Bodhipriya Larma on behalf of tie Jana Samhati Samiti, and Mr. Hangsadhwaj Chakma on behalf of the Coordination (or Liaison) Committee in order to prevent the Bangladesh Government from publicising distorted & fabricated information about the outcome of the Fifth Group Meeting through the State- controlled print & electronic media. The Fifth Group Meeting was held in a harmonious and peaceful environment. It ended at 03.45 p.m. (This report has been written by Ramendu Shekhar Dewan, a Spokesman of the Jana Samhati Samiti in Europe, on August 24, 1995). -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :: -= THE FOURTH WORLD DOCUMENTATION PROJECT =- :: :: A service provided by :: :: The Center For World Indigenous Studies :: :: www.cwis.org :: ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Originating at the Center for World Indigenous Studies, Olympia, Washington USA www.cwis.org © 1999 Center for World Indigenous Studies (All Rights Reserved. References up to 500 words must be referenced to the Center for World Indigenous Studies and/or the Author Copyright Policy Material appearing in the Fourth World Documentation Project Archive is accepted on the basis that the material is the original, unoccupied work of the author or authors. 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