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CHT talks enter ’crucial stage’

By Special Correspondent
Talks between the government and PCJSS leaders in the city for peace In the troubled Chittagong Hill Tracts entered a "crucial stage" yesterday, according to meeting sources.
But the sources indicated that an early breakthrough may not be possible unless "something dramatic" takes place during an expected meeting of the leaders of the PCJSS (Parbattaya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samity) either with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina or the Home Minister today.
There might be another round of talks, possibly in Dhaka again in near future, ostensibly to allow the PCJSS leaders go back to their sanctuaries for consultation amongst themselves, the sources said.
The PCJSS leaders are scheduled to leave today afternoon for their 'temporary
headquarters' in Dudukchhara from where a military MI-17 helicopter had llown them to Dhaka on Saturday for the first ever peace talks in the capital. Dudukchara is near the frontier with the Tripura state of India.
Earlier, nine rounds of talks were held at Khagrachhari since a ceasefire was agreed in August 1992. which preceded • another six rounds of talks in mid eighties at Punjgaon. a hamlet straddling the frontier.
"The talks are progressing well." an ever smiling ABM Mohiuddin Choudhury. Mayor of Chittagong City Corporation and a member of the National Committee on CHT told newsmen after nearly six hours of close-door talks at the state guest house Meghna yesterday evening.
The talks will resume at 10 am todav.
The National Committee was led by Chief Whip of the Jativa Sangsad Abu Hasnat Abdullah. The committee included three MPs from the hill districts.
We are yet to reach the final Stage of the talks, for which we are trying our best after offering them (the leaders of PCJSS) the government's proposal to resolve the hill issue.' Mohiuddin said but declined to elaborate what the proposals were.
He said a draft was laid before the table for perusal of the PCJSS leaders. "Talks narrowed down to point-by-point negotiatic is on proposals by the government to hammer out a solution." Mohiuddin added.
"Motamuti Bhaalo" (more or less good) was Mohiuddin's response to newsmen, pressing for progress on the crucial negotiations to bring an end to the 24-year-old problem. "We are trying to reach an accord exchanging drafts and notes." he added.
Asked it they had agreed on withdrawal of the military and settlers from the hill districts and total control on land ownership as demanded by the PCJSS leaders in their five-point charter, Choudhury said, “you should not make any advance comments like that."
Insiders said talks bogged down on the issue of ownership of land and settlers.
The government side proposed that those who had lost their lands or had been evicted would get back then lands under the existing law provided t: -v have documents of ownership.
The government side also stressed on peaceful coexistence' between the tribespeople and non-tribespeople.
But the PCJSS delegation, led by its supremo Jyotirindra Bodhipriyo Chakma alias Shantu Larma, stuck to their demands for return of lands to tribespeople from those (settlers) who had "occupied" those since 1974. scaling down their demand a bit.
Earlier yesterday, they insisted that all non-tribesp’eople who had been living in the hill districts since 1947 should be evicted and their lands given to the tribespeople.
However, the talks ended in the evening before Iftar. Newsmen were not allowed inside the high walled state guest house Meghna where talks were held and the PCJSS delegation are staying. Even authorities declined to brief newsmen. After much persuasion. Mohiuddin Choudhury was sent in.
The sources further said that another issue that figured in disagreement was the withdrawal of military totally from the hills, as demanded by the PCJSS.
Meanwhile, the authorities, expecting a breakthrough, have begun preparing the government machinery to welcome and resettle refugees who have been living in camps in Tripura since the trouble flared up in the hills in the wake of the collapsed peace talks in 1986.