Peace Pact With Tribal Militant Outfit And Offer Of Deal With ULFA Triggers Hope Of End To Insurgency In Assam

The Dimasa National Liberation Army (DNLA) has signed a final peace pact with the government in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in New Delhi Thursday (April 27). 

Simultaneously, the Union Government has offered a peace deal with the pro-talks faction of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA).

These two developments have ignited hopes for an end to insurgency that has wracked Assam for decades. 

The DNLA, which used to operate mostly in the Dima Hasao district of Assam, had been responsible for a number of attacks on civilians and police. 

Insurgency in the Dima Hasao areas had brought life to a standstill there and disrupted rail and other modes of communication. 

As per the agreement, a total of 179 DNLA cadres will lay down arms, vacate the camps they have been staying in while the outfit will disband itself. The DNLA was the last tribal insurgent outfit that was still active in Assam. 

With its disbandment, Assam will be rid of tribal insurgency. 

The Union and Assam governments have been engaged in a dialogue with the pro-talks faction of the ULFA for the last twelve years. 

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that if the pro-talks faction of the ULFA accept the draft peace deal sent to it by New Delhi, a final settlement can be inked as early as net month, 

Sarma told Swarajya that negotiations with the Paresh Barua led faction of the ULFA (or the ULFA-Independent) are still on, but have not progressed as expected.