End of Tribal Insurgency in Assam, India

from Republic World, 28 April 2023, and EastMojo

The signing of a tripartite Memorandum of Settlement between the Centre, Assam government, and representatives of DNLA/DPSC on Thursday, is considered to be a significant milestone towards creating an insurgency-free Northeast region by 2024.

The agreement according to which over 168 cadres of DNLA have joined the mainstream by laying down their arms, proposes to end the insurgency in the Dima Hasao district of Assam. As per this agreement, Dimasa Welfare Council will be set up by the Assam government 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. The DNLA representatives have agreed to give up violence and surrender, including surrendering arms and ammunition, disbanding their armed organisation, vacating all camps occupied by the DNLA cadres and joining the mainstream. 

Union Home Minister Amit Shah lauded the agreement, saying, “This agreement marks another significant milestone towards making the Northeast insurgency-free by 2024 and fulfilling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a peaceful and prosperous Northeast… PM 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 making forward strides in this direction.”

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma also hailed the tripartite agreement and said, “For the first time since Independence, Assam has become completely free from insurgency in tribal areas… With the signing of today’s Memorandum with Dimasa National Liberation Army, curtains have finally closed on armed movements in tribal areas.”