HT Correspondent
HAFLONG, March 17: The Kuki Inpi Assam (KIA), apex body of Kuki tribe accorded a warm welcome to Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) signatories of Kuki (extremist) Suspension of Operation (SoO) group signed with the Government of Assam at Ngullam Guite Memorial Hall at Sompijang village near Haflong in Dima Hasao on Tuesday.
Two MoS were signed on behalf of the Assam government by Ajay Tewari, Additional Chief Secretary of the Home and Political Department and representives of the SoO group including the United Kukigam Defence Army (UKDA), Kuki Revolutionary Army (KRA) and the Kuki Liberation Organisation (KLO)which is also known as the Kuki Liberation Army and Hmar group- Hmar People Convention- Democratic (HPC-D) in presence of Assam Minister, Ranoj Pegu at Guwahati on 15th of March.
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All members of both the SoO groups had laid down their arms in 2012.
As per the MoS, a Kuki Welfare Development Council and a Hmar Welfare Development Council will be formed in Kuki and Hmar -dominated areas of Assam (mainly Karbi Anglong, Dima Hasao and Cachar district) with its headquarters at Guwahati and their budgets will be prepared according to their requirements and submitted to the Transformation and Development Department.
The MoS also includes rehabilitation for surrendered members of the outfits and ex-gratia support for families who died during the conflict.
The development council will comprising 20 members a chairman, deputy chairman, chief executive member, executive members, including 4 members nominated by the Assam government.
Marking the day as ‘Red Letter Day’ Satmingthang Khongsai, information secy of KIA said that the council will initially function with interim members for the first term and will process for election in the following term.
He also informed that the council will focuss on road, education etc in over 150 Kuki villages across the state.
He also lauded the Assam Government under leadership of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma and his cabinet team for finally fulfilling the long pending demands of the indigenous Kuki people living in Assam.
