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Centre signs tripartite Karbi Anglong agreement, announces funds for development
A total of 1,040 militants of five militant groups surrendered along with their weapons during an event at Guwahati in Assam on February 25. The five groups are Karbi Longri NC Hills Liberation Front (KLNLF), People’s Democratic Council of Karbi Longri (PDCK), Kuki Liberation Front ( KLF), United Peoples Liberation Army (UPLA) and Karbi People’s Liberation Tiger (KPLT).
The Centre signed the tripartite Karbi Anglong agreement on Saturday promising to fulfil all the conditions for development of the Karbi people within the stipulated time.
The agreement was signed in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Minister of Shipping and Waterways, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and the representatives of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council in New Delhi.
“Signing of the historic Karbi Anglong Agreement: Modi government is committed to resolving the decades-old crisis, ensuring the territorial integrity of Assam,” Shah tweeted.
The agreement mainly promised to invest ₹1,000 crore by the Assam government for development of the Karbi Anglong area in the next five years, provide reservation for the people of Karbi for the first time, rehabilitation for the surrendered militants, setting up of Karbi Welfare Council by the Assam government, supplementing resources of Karbi Autonomous Council by augmenting consolidated fund of the state, along with protection of their language and culture etc.
After signing the agreement, Amit Shah said that the agreement would be written in golden words in the history of Assam and Karbi region as over 1,000 cadres of five different organizations have laid down their arms to join the mainstream. “Both the Central government and Assam government are fully committed to their rehabilitation,” said Shah.
He added that Narendra Modi, after becoming Prime Minister, has not only set his focus on the Northeast Region but was also working towards a developed, peaceful and progressive Northeast. It is the Modi government’s policy that we talk more politely to those who shunned their arms and give more to them than they ask for. After following this policy, we have resolved all pending problems one by one, the minister said.
Referring to previous agreements, Shah said that they had signed the Bodoland Peace Accord (Assam), Bru Rehabilitation Agreement and National Liberation Front of Tripura (Tripura) and 80 per cent of the conditions mentioned in those agreements have been fulfilled.
A total of 1,040 militants of five militant groups surrendered along with their weapons during an event at Guwahati in Assam on February 25. The five groups are Karbi Longri NC Hills Liberation Front (KLNLF), People’s Democratic Council of Karbi Longri (PDCK), Kuki Liberation Front ( KLF), United Peoples Liberation Army (UPLA) and Karbi People’s Liberation Tiger (KPLT).
A major ethnic community of Assam--- Karbis are dotted by many factions, and marked by ethnic violence, killings, abductions, taxation since the late 1980s.
