Govt signs peace deal with 5 Assam insurgent groups

Tribune News Service

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New Delhi, September 4

A tripartite agreement among five insurgent groups of Assam, the Centre and 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 would bring lasting peace and all-round development in Karbi Anglong.

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said the pact marked a historic day for the state. Under the pact, people belonging to the hill tribe were entitled to reservation under Schedule 6 of the Constitution. The insurgent groups that signed the accord are: People’s Democratic Council of Karbi Longri, Karbi Longri NC Hills Liberation Front, Karbi People’s Liberation Tigers, Kuki Liberation Front and United Peoples Liberation Army. About 1,000 militants belonging to these groups have surrendered along with their arms and joined the mainstream.

Noting that a development package of Rs1,000 crore for five years would be given to Karbi Anglong, Shah said the pact was “another milestone in Modiji’s vision of insurgency-free prosperous northeast”.