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HILL TRACT CONFLICTS


Brief political history of the hill tracts conflict also known as Montagnard resistance.
The problem in this region first erupted when Pakistan began a campaign supporting India's Naga dissidents from secret CHT base. Naga National Council chief, Angami Zapu Phizo was smuggled into CHT. The resistence was financed and helped by the Pakistani Inter Services Intelligence (ISI). By 1966 CHT became a sanctuary for Mizos until 1971. The ISI advise and assistance to the Naga guerrillas was to creating a conflict to began struggle against the Delhi authority in the Naga hills. A. Z. Phizo's Naga National Army began their struggle and used CHT for covert operation since 1956. The help lasted until the birth of Bangladesh.

The main purpose was to break India without risking direct confontrations. Which latter after the independence the tribals got split on the question of Independence. Raja Tridiv Roy,The Chakma chief fled to Pakistan to become a member in Bhutto's cabinet. The Chakma and Marma leaders opposed independence and sided to Pakistan due to that they were promised to have a full autonomy.

1666 The Mughals captured this area and their dominance continued till 1760.
1760 The area ceded to the British East India company by the Bengal Nawab Mir Qasim Ali Khan.
1777 The Kuki-movement started under the leadership of Rona Khan and Chief Sherdaulat Khan stopped payment of taxes.
1860 The area was separated from Chittagong largely because of administrative crisis.
1863 The Chittagong Hill Tracts area was demarcated.
1900 Chittagong Hill Tracts Regulation was passed and the region was declared 'Non- regulated Area'.
1920 Under the Chittagong Hill Tracts (amendment) Regulation, CHT remained exclusively under the jurisdiction of the Governor General as an 'excluded area'.
1935 Government of India act brought CHT under the ministry of state and frontier regions in Pakistans central government.
1946 Tribal Chiefs formed 'The Hillmen Association' and proposed a princely state status.
1947 The Radcliff Commission made CHT a part of Pakistan. But Sneha Kumar Chakma, opposing it, hoisted Indian flag at Rangamati on the 14th August. At the same time, the 'Marmas' hoisted Burmese flag at Bandarban.
1955 The provincial administration in Dhaka decided to strip CHT of its special status, integrate it with the province, extend its control.
1956 The first Pakistani constitution retained the 'excluded area' status of CHT and it, for the first time, gave the tribals the right to franchise.
1962 The new constitution promulgated by Ayub Khan changed the administrative status of CHT from the 'excluded area' to that of 'tribal area'.
1964 The status of 'Tribal Area' was abolished and the Regulation of 1900 reintroduced.
1965 The High Court of East Pakistan declared Rule 51 of the Regulation 1900 as ultra-vires of the constitution and as a result the deputy commissioner could not expel any non-political person from the CHT.
1966 Tribal Student Organisation was formed in Dhaka and Chittagong headed by M N Larma.
1970 Rangamati Communist party (RCP) was launched.
1971 The tribals got split on the question of Independence. Raja Tridiv Roy,The Chakma chief fled toPakistan to become a member in Bhutto's cabinet. The Chakma and Marma leaders opposed independence and sided to Pakistan which triggered off anger among the freedom fighters and they allegedly committed excesses there. The freedom fighters plundered the area 2 days before the victory, 200 houses were burnt, 22 tribal people were killed in the Kukichhara shelter trench and another sixteen were sloughtered near by jungle.
1972 On the 29th January, a delegation was formed to meet PM Shiekh Mujibur Rahman demanding regional autonomy. 15th February M. N. Larma led a delegation to the PM with a charter of demands. It failed when PM advised M. N. Larma's delegation to accept integration by becoming Bengali.
1973 Mujib's response to their demands rising tribal insecurity facing the prospect of even more danger, the tribal members of the Civil Armed Forces, who fled to deep forests, gradually reorganised themselves. Following this encounter, M. N. Larma and his younger brother Jyotirindra Bodhipriyo Larma ( Shantu) established the PCJSS the political wing of the Shanti Bahini.
1974 The Shanti Bahini sought help from India. But India, instead, conveyed it to the Bangladesh government.
1975 The Shanti Bahini split the Hill Tracts into different parts for the convenience of their guerrilla war. In November, after the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, M N Larma started open insurgency which got clear support from India.
1976 Shanti Bahini executed their first attack on some police personnel, following which Santu Larma was apprehended by the Army. In the same year Chittagong Hill Tracts Development Board was formed headed by the GOC of Chittagong.
1976-80 Was marked by massive Shanti Bahini insurgency spreading panic throughout the country.
1981 Santu Larma was released to facilitate a dialogue with the government. After the killing of Ziaur Rahman on the 30th may, be went in hiding.
1985 Chittagong Hill Tracts were divided into three districts : Khagrachari, Rangamati and Bandarban.
1986 Large number of people were forced to leave their houses and take shelter in Tripura refugee camps.
1989 Parbatya Chattagram local government council was formed.
1992 Shanti Bahini declared cease-fire. Interestingly they declared peace for 34 times and broke it. Lastly, cease-fire got the extension till 30th September '97.
1992-96 A number of dialogues took place. But to the utter disappointment of all every effort went in vain.
1996 Separatist tribal rebels have extended a truce until end of October. The truce, has been unilaterally extended by the Parbatya Chhatragram Jana Sanghati Samity (PCJSS), the political wing of rebel Shanti Bahini (peace force). 1997 Dialogue starting on the 14th July continued for quite some days without any conclusive outcome.
Thus it is amazing how a fabulous region of beauty slowly and gradually turned into an unholy region marked by exploitation and hostility. With the signing of the peace treaty on the 2nd December between government and the Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samity (PCJSS) peace and tranquillity once again is likely to come back in this region.


BACK TO CONTENT © Shamim A. Chowdhury 1998