Guwahati: Making a giant leap towards strengthening permanent peace in the state, five extremist groups of Assam, along with three other factions, laid down their arms before Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma at a programme held at Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra in Guwahati on July 6.
The extremist groups that laid down their arms are ACMA (Adivasi Cobra Military of Assam) and ACMA factional group, AANLA (All Adivasi National Liberation Army) and AANLA factional group, BCF (Bircha Commando Force) and BCF factional group, APA (Adivasi People’s Army) and STF (Santhal Tiger Force). Altogether, 1182 cadres of the eight groups laid down their arms, including 304 sophisticated arms and 1460 rounds of ammunition.
It may be noted that these extremist organisations surrendered before the government on January 24, 2012, and later signed the Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreement on October 4, 2016. Since signing the SoO agreement, several rounds of talks have taken place between these groups and the government. Subsequently, on September 15 2022, the Adivasi Accord was signed between these groups and the Government of India and Assam.
After the signing of the Adivasi Accord and in pursuance of Clause 3 of the Accord, on May 22 2023, the Government of Assam constituted a 16-member Adivasi Welfare and Development Council. Today along with the arms laying down ceremony, the members of the Council led by its Chairman Ashim Hasda took oath as Secretary, Tribal Affairs (Plain), Social Justice, and Empowerment Binita Pegu administered the oath in front of the Chief Minister.
On the occasion, Chief Minister Sarma said, “Our efforts of bringing all disgruntled elements to the peace process has yielded dividends as eight Adivasi extremist groups laid down their arms to come to the mainstream of the society. It is an important day for strengthening peace in Assam and taking along everybody on board towards the forward march of the state”.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister also appealed to ULFA (I) for talks. He said, “In Assam when all the militant groups have come over ground, ULFA should also come for talks in the interest of all sections of the people of the state”.
CM Sarma also thanked Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the occasion. He said it was because of the keen interest of the Union Home Minister in peace and development of Assam and other North Eastern states the region is witnessing unprecedented development. On the occasion of the rehabilitation, the Chief Minister announced Rs 4 lakhs each for all the cadres. The amount will be fixed deposited, as the cadres can take loans up to Rs 3 lakhs against the fixed deposit amount. He also said that the government would give each cadres Rs 6 thousand monthly for three years to help them towards self-employment. He also asked them not to be carried away by any external stimulus and to refrain from taking arms in their hands again. He, on occasion, also paid his deep tributes to those personalities who lost their lives during the armed struggle of the Adivasis.
The Chief Minister also said that Assam is on the robust path of peace and development, where all sections of the people are enjoying the fruits of development. He said that for the Tea community’s development, the Adivasis government has set up 119 model schools. Moreover, besides reserving seats for MBBS for the Tea community and Adivasis, there will be reservations for BSc Nursing, ANM and GNM courses. Moreover, three per cent of reservations will be earmarked for government jobs for the Tea community and Adivasis. He also said that the State government is taking steps to safeguard the Adivasis’s culture, language and literature.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister also congratulated the 16-member Adivasi Welfare and Development Council on taking the oath. He said that considering a series of steps that the State government has been taking for the socio-economic, cultural and academic empowerment of the tea and Adivasi community, the Council has a larger role.
Minister Water Resources etc. Pijush Hazarika, Minister, Welfare of Tea Tribes Sanjay Kishan, MP Pallab Lochan Das, Kamakhya Prasad Tasa, MLAs Rupjyoti Kurmi, Krishna Kamal Tanti, Rupesh Gowala, DGP GP Singh, Principal Secretary Home and Political Niraj Verma, Principal Secretary Social Justice and Empowerment Mukesh Chandra Sahu, ADGP Hiren Nath and others were present at the arms laying down ceremony.
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