New Delhi: In the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the Dimasa National Liberation Army (DNLA), an insurgent group operating mostly in Assam’s Dima Hasao district, on Thursday (April 27) signed a peace agreement with the government. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and senior officers from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and the Government of Assam were present on the occasion.
After the group signed the memorandum of understanding (MoU), the Union Home Minister said that this agreement is another significant milestone towards making North-East insurgency-free by 2024 and fulfilling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a peaceful and prosperous North East.
‘All tribal militant groups joined mainstream’
“This agreement will put a complete end to the insurgency and with this, there are no more armed groups in Assam today,” he said adding that, "With this, all tribal militant groups in Assam have joined the mainstream." Shah said that Prime Minister Modi has put forward the vision of a terror-free, violence-free and developed Northeast before the country and the Ministry of Home Affairs is moving forward in this direction under the guidance of Prime Minister Modi.
Over 168 cadres of DNLA joining mainstream
He said that under the agreement, the representatives of DNLA have agreed to abjure violence, surrender all arms and ammunition, disband their armed organization, vacate all camps occupied by DNLA cadres and join the peaceful democratic process as established by the law. As a result of this agreement, over 168 cadres of DNLA are joining the mainstream by laying down their arms.
The Home Minister said that today’s agreement will bring a complete end to the insurgency in the Dima Hasao District of Assam. Under the agreement, Dimasa Welfare Council will be set up by the Government of Assam to protect, preserve and promote a social, cultural and linguistic identity to meet political, economic and educational aspirations and will ensure speedy and focused development of the Dimasa people residing outside the jurisdiction of the Autonomous Council.
Assam CM on agreement
Assam CM said that except ULFA, all other problems have been solved in the state. "Agreement was signed between the extremist group Dimasa National Liberation Army (DNLA) and the Government of Assam. Except ULFA, all other problems have been solved in the state," he said.
Along with this, the agreement also provides for the appointment of a Commission under Paragraph 14 of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India to examine the demand for the inclusion of additional villages contiguous to the North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council (NCHAC) with the Council.
The Agreement also provides for necessary measures to be taken by the Centre and the Assam government to rehabilitate the surrendered armed cadres of DNLA. To this effect, a Special Development package of Rs 500 crore each, will also be provided by the Government of India and Government of Assam over a period of five years, for the all-round development of NCHAC as well as Dimasa people residing in other parts of the State.
On September 2021, the DNLA had declared a unilateral ceasefire for a period of six months following an appeal by the chief minister. The ceasefire has been extended since then. The DNLA announcement in 2021 came two weeks after the insurgent group allegedly fired upon on a convoy of seven trucks in the Dima Hasao district, killing five people and injuring one. The DNLA was established in April 2019 seeking a sovereign territory for the Dimasa tribals and launched an armed insurgency to achieve its goal.
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