How have concerns about ethnic-national identity affected peace-building in the CHT since the conclusion of the CHT Agreement. The purpose of the field visits was to conduct primary research and to confirm information gathered in the literature review.
DATA DESCRIPTION
LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
While the researchers were eventually able to interview a former military official, the sensitivity of the CHT Agreement issue, the upcoming elections in Bangladesh, and the Rohingya refugee crisis may have all contributed to the government and military's lack of response. However, these were not implemented due to the sensitivity of the issue in Bangladesh and concerns about methodological limitations.
34; The Elusive Peace Accord in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh and the Plight of the Indigenous People.” Commonwealth & Comparative Politics 46, no. according to the constitution, and if [they wanted] to solve this problem in this constitution and this constitutional framework, [they had to] revise [their] demands.
CHITTAGONG HILL TRACTS (CHT) ACCORD
Despite sporadic improvements, however, many indigenous communities remain largely dissatisfied with the results of the CHT agreement.25. 28 Abdullah Al Faruque, “Implementation of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord: Challenges and Human Rights Issues”, (Bangladesh: National Human Rights Commission, 2014), 44.
IDENTITY AS A ROOT CAUSE
POWER VS INTEREST GRID
The biggest problem is that none of the powerful stakeholders are interested in the implementation of the Agreement. This is also the case of international donors and CSOs, who are at the mercy of the military and the government. Finally, indigenous minority groups have the lowest power, and in some cases the lowest interest in the Accord.
The opposition has little power, as it is not the incumbent party, and has little interest in the Accord succeeding while the other party is in power. Creating an environment in which the Accord is more prominent in order to increase government interest in the success of the Accord, and c.
CONFLICT DRIVERS
Finally, there is also a fundamental misunderstanding of the community's wishes and needs in terms of development and institutional support. According to the CDA framework, the continued presence of the military, despite the provisions in the agreement on its reduction, is one of the triggers of the conflict. The excessive presence of the military undermines the basic human rights of indigenous peoples, affecting trust and leading to more violence and less security in the CHT.
The agreement has taken on symbolic status over the past 20 years, and continued non-implementation of the agreement is fueling further conflict. Many respondents saw the agreement as a reminder of broken promises and a key point of contention regardless of the actual achievement of peace in the CHT.
ENGINES OF PEACE
While state or non-state actors will take the lead on a particular action, the recommendations also allow for some degree of flexibility and cooperation. Train teachers nationwide in teaching history State and non-state: MoE with NGOs and CSOs Lang-. Strengthen female participation in the country. dispute resolution State and non-state: Country.
Commission and CSOs Shift the Land Commission's judicial type of functioning State and Non-State: Land. Establish an updated database on land in CHT State & Non-State: Land Commission, Others.
EDUCATION: STRENGTHEN TEACHING OF MOTHER-TONGUE LANGUAGES AND HISTORY TO BUILD RECOGNITION AND
Initial pilot studies within CHT should be conducted in collaboration with local communities to determine the best way to learn indigenous languages – by making it either optional, compulsory or a combination of the two. The example of Cambodia can be used, as in the progressive reduction of minority languages in favor of the national language as students progress through their education.76 Within CHT there is also a strong reason to suggest that it would also be beneficial to teach of indigenous people to introduce languages for Bengali students, on an optional or compulsory basis. This must also be done, guided by the revised curriculum that integrates instruction in indigenous languages.
It is envisaged that if efforts to value indigenous languages and history in Bangladesh continue successfully for many years, these gains in education could be transferred to the promotion of indigenous languages and culture in other areas of society. In light of this, the recognition of indigenous languages could be seen as a stepping stone or intermediate gap on the way to possible constitutional recognition.
SAFETY AND SECURITY: IMPROVE RELATIONS BETWEEN
In the long term, if the pilot schools are well managed and implemented in CHT and yield positive results, the government should expand to other primary schools in Bangladesh. In addition, it is also important to consider secondary and tertiary education and how changes in primary schooling can be reshaped to increase domestic access to higher levels of education. It is acknowledged that constitutional recognition of indigenous peoples is not likely in the near future, but it may be noted that such recognition encompasses a range of variables that contribute to the distinctive characteristics of indigenous peoples.
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AND THE MILITARY, AND IMPROVE THE ROLE OF THE CIVILIAN POLICE IN CHT
Investing in behavioral change programming in the CHT and the military is recommended. Establishment of dedicated indigenous cadetship or internship in military and police forces operating in CHT. This is critical to reducing the victim mentality prevalent in Indigenous communities in relation to the military and the police, and to promoting more community-based policing and trust between authorities and communities.
One solution is to modernize and rethink the place of the military in CHT. Here, modernization of the military should be interpreted as softening the scope of military involvement in CHT and shifting its focus to peacekeeping activities, border security and arms control.
LAND: REDESIGN THE LAND COMMISSION TO EFFECTIVELY ADDRESS LAND-RELATED DISPUTES
It is recommended that the government re-establish the Land Commission as a fully autonomous and independent body equipped with competent staff and adequate funding, resources and technical infrastructure. The recruitment process for the appointment of a competent and impartial Chairman of the Land Commission, whose mandate expired on September 6, 2017, should be fully and openly initiated. In addition, education courses and training on land governance, such as regulation, legal reasoning, statutory analysis, case management, should be provided to the administration and leadership of the Land Commission to ensure their competence and knowledge related to land.
The other critical aspect of long-term reform is changing the judicial nature of the Land Commission's operation. It is particularly essential to explore the power of Bengali elders and indigenous leaders working in collaboration with the Land Commission, whose primary objective should be to restore community unity, cohesion and harmony.
AWARENESS: SENSITISE MEDIA TO DEVELOP GREATER ETHNIC UNITY WITHIN BANGLADESH
The aim of this work is not only to make land ownership and use more transparent, but also to help develop plans for land rehabilitation and disaster resilience in CHT, and possibly to combat illegal settlements, illegal logging and deforestation. As such, it is recommended to utilize these two streams to improve awareness of CHT issues within Bangladesh as a whole, and to promote the idea of a diverse Bangladeshi nation in which Bengalis and indigenous peoples both play an important role , and contribute to the rich. cultural substance. In the long term, this work aims to create an interested and knowledgeable civil society that can act as catalysts for change by practicing and promoting tolerance, acceptance and openness.
Using social media as an important platform, with additional traditional pieces in the mainstream media, civil society organizations should launch a positive campaign around the idea of diverse national identities. This may include using influencers, development organizations, universities and media outlets to promote the use of Bengali instead of Bengali, as well as sharing stories of inter-ethnic cooperation, indigenous contributions to Bangladesh, prominent indigenous personalities and stories of indigenous culture such as festivals and traditions.
ENGAGEMENT: BUILD BRIDGES BETWEEN BENGALIS AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLES TO FOSTER COOPERATION ON ISSUES
Progress in partnerships to improve the status of women in CHT could extend over time to community collaboration on other issues, such as the environment, disaster resilience, scarce land resources and conflict resolution, as well as a general increase in inter-community dialogue and discussions. To build a strong, diverse and engaged civil society in CHT, it is also important to place particular emphasis on and invest in young people. Exchange programs between upper secondary students in CHT and students from all over Bangladesh, of Bangladeshi and indigenous origin, exposing students to different cultures and ways of life in the country;.
Financial and/or organizational support for youth-led entrepreneurship and development initiatives in CHT that provide innovative ways to bridge the gap between communities and address the development challenges facing CHT;. Support the strengthening of existing shell youth organisations, such as the Bangladesh Youth Council, established in name but not in effect in 2012, to expand youth participation in CHT, with a view to developing mechanisms to engage youth in policy-making in the nation.81 This may include elected youth councils, public debates on policy issues, and the preparation of contributions to local and state government with policy recommendations for CHT.
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PLAN: POLITICAL PARTICIPATION, CAPACITY BUILDING AND ADVOCACY, AND DEVELOPMENT
The CHT accord was a powerful symbol of the indigenous people's struggle for their rights and identity as Bangladeshi citizens. The Accord serves as an important anchor of the indigenous peoples to their Bangladeshi identity. The implementation of the Accord is still high in the interest of people of CHT.
Although progress in implementation requires specific areas in the original principles of the agreement to be addressed. The Tragedy of the Chittagong Hills in Bangladesh: Indigenous Land Rights.” MA Thesis, Lund University, 2014.
ANNEX A – PAE INTERVIEWEES (AS OF 27 MARCH 2018)
ANNEX B – SET CODES
ANNEX C – TABLE OF THE IMPLEMENTATION STATUS OF THE CHT ACCORD
The council may supervise and control the functions of the leader, leader, ami, surveyor, kanungo and assistant. The CHT development board shall perform the duties assigned to it under the general and overall supervision of the council. The Government, in appointing the chairman of the development board, shall give preference to competent tribal candidates.
The Development Board disregards the authority of the regional councils in the performance of its duties. The government will patronize the cultural activities of the tribes and assist in their development.
