Centre, Assam ink peace pact with 8 tribal militant groups

New Delhi, September 15

The Centre and Assam Government today signed a tripartite peace pact with eight tribal militant outfits of Assam in presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and state Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. The accord was signed 10 years after the peace process started.

2012 ceasefire

• The Birsa Commando Force, Adivasi People’s Army, All-Adivasi National Liberation Army, Adivasi Cobra Military of Assam and Santhali Tiger Force have been in a ceasefire with the government since 2012
• The cadres of the militant outfits have been staying in designated camps since
• Except the hardline faction of ULFA and the Kamatapur Liberation Organisation, all other rebel groups have entered into peace agreements with the government

The eight rebel groups include Birsa Commando Force (BCF), Adivasi People’s Army (APA), All-Adivasi National Liberation Army (AANLA), Adivasi Cobra Military of Assam (ACMA) and Santhali Tiger Force (STF) and the remaining three outfits are splinter groups of the BCF, AANLA and ACMA.

The BCF, APA, AANLA, ACMA and STF have been in a ceasefire with the government since 2012. The cadres of the militant outfits have been staying in designated camps since.

On January 27, 246 insurgents of two militant groups of the state laid down their arms and returned to the mainstream.

“I am sure signing of the agreement will usher in a new era of peace and harmony in Assam,” Sarma said.

Except the hardline faction of the banned ULFA, led by Paresh Baruah, and the Kamatapur Liberation Organisation, all other rebel groups active in the state have entered into peace agreements with the government.

Meanwhile, Shah held a high-level review meeting on issues relating to boundary dispute between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh and urged the two Chief Ministers to resolve them in order to fulfil Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a peaceful and prosperous Northeast.

Shah also assured both the CM – Sarma (Assam) and Pema Khandu (Arunachal Pradesh) — of maximum possible assistance from the central government in this regard, sources said.

Twelve panels were formed by the governments of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh following discussions between the two CMs on July 15.