Hill Voice, 12 May 2025, International Desk: A three-day conference by Unrepresented Nantions and Peoples Organization (UNPO) on Re-imagining on Self-determination was concluded cheerfully Sunday (11 May) where many academicians, human rights activists, diplomats, etc. were present. The conference took place from 09-11 May 2025 in the vicinity of the University of Madeira, Portugal.

Among them to name some were Dr. Michael Walt van Praag, Prof. Fiona McConnel, Dr. Tenzin Dorjee, Prof. John Packer, Dr. Liam Saddington, Hon. Kalon Drawu Gyari Dolma, Senator Paul Strauss. Some speakers attended the conference online. Barrister Raja Devasish Roy also attended it online. As the Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati (PCJSS) is the founding member of UNPO, Mr. Priti Bindu Chakma represented the conference on behalf of the organization.

At the inaugural ceremony, Mr. Chakma explained about the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) and present situation. He said that in 1972, the Indigenous leader, then MP Manabendra Narayan Larma approached the Bangladesh Government to recognize the Indigenous peoples in the constitution, but the government rejected it without any consideration. So was the armed movement that took two and half decades to compel the regime to sign an agreement on Dec 02, 1997. During the armed movement, PCJSS became a founding member of UNPO in 1991 in order to get campaigning help. UNPO came forward to take the CHT issue to the international arena for support. He thanked UNPO. He mentioned that the accheivement of the Accord was a sort of self-determination.

He then breathed a pause and said that the Accord was not implemented fully even in 27 years because of the indifference of the government and anti-Accord role of the military. He urged UNPO to extend their more help.

Dr. Praag was quoted as saying that the government was hiding something in calling the CHT people as Indigenous and mentioned that a person or a community can live how it wants.

Raja Debashish Roy talked about the Chakmas of the CHT, India and Burma and the Indigenous peoples in general. He emphasized the need of self-determination.

UNPO will pass a resolution later on acquiring or re-imagining self-determination considering the present global situation.