HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, April 27: A tripartite Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) was signed with Assam’s militant outfit Dimasa National Liberation Army (DNLA) in the presence of Union home minister Amit Shah at North Block here on Thursday.
The tripartite agreement was signed between the government of India, government of Assam and the DNLA.
Union home minister Amit Shah on the occasion said following the signing of the historic agreement, there will be no tribal militant outfit roaming with arms in the forests of Assam.
“Under the guidance of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, the Ministry of Home Affairs has been working relentlessly with Government of Assam headed by Chief Minister of Assam, Dr.Himanta Biswa Sarma for bringing durable peace and development in the State of Assam,” said Shah, adding that the Modi government has been working to make Assam violence-free, insurgency-free and development oriented one.
The Union home minister also urged the militant outfit to eschew violence, lay down their arms, disband its outfit and camps and to join in the task of nation building. Shah announced a Rs 1,000 crore economic package, Rs 500 crore each from the Central government and state government for rehabilitation of the surrendered militants of DNLA.
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said it was a red letter day for Assam as another militant group, the DNLA signed the peace agreement with the government of India and government of Assam. “From today onwards there will be no tribal militant outfit in Assam. All of them have come overground and joined the mainstream,” he added.
The chief minister said the DNLA had already deposited some arms before the peace pact and they would surrender the rest in the coming days.
Sarma said under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah, the government of Assam has been working for ushering in lasting peace and development in the state. “The cadres of DNLA will now work in tandem with the government for peace, development and stability not only in Dima Hasao district but the state as a whole,” Sarma quipped.
Minister Nandita Gorlosa, chief secretary Paban Kumar Borthakur, CEM, NCHAC, Debolal Garlosa, DGP, GP Singh, principal secretary to CM, Samir Sinha, principal secretary, Home, Niraj Verma, ADG (SB) Hiren Chandra Nath were present on the occasion.
The DNLA announced the extension of unilateral ceasefire by another six months from April 2023 to September 30, 2023.
In September 2021, the DNLA in response to Assam chief minister’s demand for peace had declared a unilateral ceasefire for a period of six months ‘for better peaceful environment, developmental talks and co-relation among us (Government of Assam)’.
