The PCJSS cannot fail to acknowledge the fact that were it not for the CHT Peace Accord they would not be publicly observing their founder president Manabendra Narayan Larma's death anniversary as they are doing today. During the outlawed phase of the Shantibahini the occasion had a clandestine ring about it in the perception of governments in Bangladesh. But now the perspective has intrinsically cljanged with the two-decade long insurgency having been replaced by a covenant for peace entered upon by the political wing of the Shantibahini, PCJSS, with the government of Bangladesh on December 2. 1997. In terms of the accord and closely on its heels, the armed Shantibahini ranks surrendered their weapons to the government, affirmed their avowal for peace and made themselves available for all kinds of listings for absorption in the mainstream. And cases against elements regarded as militants earlier on have been mostly dropped. And any remaining PCJSS grievance on this score is currently receiving utmost attention of the authorities. So, the peace accord has everything in it to mark a cleanslate start in the lives of the hill people.

To our understanding, the public observance of Manabendra Narayan Larma's death anniversary is a tribute to the free and open atmosphere fostered by the signing of the CHT peace accord, so that it cannot admit of being skewed by any quarters as an occasion to stoke any past rancour that has been clearly left behind. Now should it be used to whip up any emotion of discord over what remains to be done in terms of implementing the CHT peace covenant? PCJSS being a co-signatory to it must not do anything or seen to be doing anything which could even remotely present it as an impediment to the peace process.

Manabendra Narayan Larma was assassinated as a result of an internecine conflict in the PCJSS. That legacy needs to be lived down by the PCJSS speaking with one voice and acting in complete unison to pull their full weight behind the implementation of CHT peace accord.