General Assembly of UNPO affirms our support to the fullest implementation of CHT Accord and calls upon the Government of Bangladesh for declaring a roadmap for its speedy and proper implementation

The XII session of General Assembly of Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation (UNPO) solemnly affirmed our support to the fullest implementation of CHT Accord of 1997 in its letter and spirits and called upon the Government of Bangladesh for declaring a timeline (roadmap) for speedy and proper implementation of the CHT Accord.
The XII Session of the UNPO General Assembly took place on 2-4 July 2015 in Brussels, Belgium. Around 45 representatives of 32 members, out of 46 UNPO members, attended the General Assembly. As a member of UNPO, from Chittagong Hill Tracts, Vice President of Parbatya Chatttagram Jana Samhati Samiti (PCJSS) and Member of Parliament of Bangladesh National Parliament Mr. Ushatan Talukder, Information and Publicity Secretary of PCJSS Mr. Mangal Kumar Chakma and human rights activist (CHT Foundation) Krishna R Chakma attended this General Assembly.
The UNPO General Assembly urged the Government of Bangladesh to take urgent initiatives for devolution of authority to the CHT Regional Council and three Hill District Councils, resolution of land disputes by amending the contradictory provisions of the CHT Land Disputes Resolution Commission Act 2001, withdrawal of all temporary camps and de facto military rule ‘Operation Uttoron’ (Operation Upliftment) from CHT, relocation of government-sponsored Bengali settlers outside the CHT, among others.
The UNPO General Assembly called upon the United Nations, the European Union and the International Community to support proper implementation of the CHT Accord with priority given to the land issue and good governance as well as to provide necessary economic assistance for CHT in line with the provisions of the CHT Accord and to exert their good offices upon Government of Bangladesh for implementation of the resolutions of the UNPFII adopted in 2011 about fullest implementation of the CHT Accord.
The UNPO General Assembly urged the government of Bangladesh to end the culture of impunity in order to ensure access to justice of indigenous Jumma people, including protection of women and girls as per commitment of the Government in the second cycle of the Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and election commitment.
In the General Assembly, a new 11-member Presidency Committee was elected. Mr. Nasser Boladai, international representative of Balochiistan People's Party from Iran was elected as President and Mr. Abidirahman Mahdi, Secretary of International Relations of Ogaden National Liberation Front from Ogaden Somalis was elected Vice President