Govt signs peace accord with 5 insurgent groups in Assam

PTI, Sep 4, 2021, 7:25 PM IST

New Delhi: A tripartite agreement among five insurgent groups of Assam, the Centre and the State government was signed on Saturday to end years of violence in the Karbi Anglong region.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who was present on the occasion, said the accord will bring lasting peace and all-around development in Karbi Anglong.

The insurgent groups which signed the peace accord are: People’s Democratic Council of Karbi Longri (PDCK), Karbi Longri NC Hills Liberation Front (KLNLF), Karbi People’s Liberation Tiger (KPLT), Kuki Liberation Front (KLF) and United Peoples Liberation Army (UPLA).

About 1,000 militants belonging to these groups have surrendered along with their arms and have joined the mainstream.

Shah said the signing of the Karbi-Anglong Agreement is another milestone in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ”insurgency-free prosperous Northeast.”

”Over 1000 armed cadres have abjured violence and joined the mainstream of society, which reflects their trust in Modi ji’s leadership,” he said.

Shah said that a Rs 1,000 crore development package will be given to Karbi Anglong.

”I want to assure everyone that we will implement this accord in a time-bound manner,” he said.

The home minister said the Central and State governments are committed to the all-around development of Karbi Anglong and there will be peace in the region.

”We not only sign peace accords but implement them within our time too,” he said, citing the example of similar peace pacts earlier signed with other insurgent groups of the Northeast – the NDFB, NLFT and Bru groups.

Shah said ever since the Modi government came to power, its focus in the Northeast is not only to ensure peace but also overall development.

”We have ensured that there is all-round peace, no violence, no blast, no firing in the Northeast,” he said.

The accord is significant as Karbi Anglong, which is the territory of ethnic Karbi tribals, has seen years of violence, killings and abduction in the rebels’ fight for a separate homeland.

Union minister and former Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, who was present on the occasion, appreciated the efforts of the prime minister and the home minister in bringing peace in Assam and the Northeast.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said it was a historic day as the militants of these five insurgent groups will now join the mainstream and work for the development of Karbi Anglong.