In a bid to raise awareness and foster unity among indigenous communities, a group named Conscious Indigenous People of Tripura has launched a leaflet campaign across the state, urging an end to the ongoing fratricidal conflict in Bangladesh’s Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT).
Leaflets were distributed in several areas, including Shilachari, Natun Bazar, Jatanbari, Taichakma, Korlyachari, Nandan Nagar, Chanmari, Nagichhara, and Abhaynagar. Posters of the leaflet were also reportedly seen pasted on walls in the Ijira and Ramchandraghat regions.
The leaflet appeals to indigenous communities — particularly the Chakma, Mog (Marma), and Tripuri peoples — to unite with their counterparts in Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, and beyond to demand an end to the violence in the CHT. It specifically criticizes the Santu Larma-led faction of the Jana Samhati Samiti (JSS) for escalating tensions since the 1997 CHT Peace Accord, accusing the group of authoritarian tactics and betraying reconciliation efforts.
According to the leaflet, democratic groups such as the United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF) have tried to foster peace through dialogue. Still, the JSS has continued to launch attacks, resulting in numerous civilian deaths. It alleges that the conflict ultimately benefits the Bangladesh government, the military, and Bengali Muslim settlers, while indigenous communities continue to suffer.
The message concludes with a stark warning: if the infighting continues, it could lead to the extinction of indigenous populations in the CHT. It calls on all indigenous groups to come together, act responsibly, and work toward a peaceful resolution of the crisis.