A tripartite Memorandum of Settlement between the Government of India, Assam Government and representatives of Dimasa National Liberation Army/Dimasa Peoples’ Supreme Council (DNLA/DPSC) was signed on Thursday in the presence of Home Minister Amit Shah here.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, senior officers from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and the Government of Assam were present on the occasion.

The Home Minister said that the agreement will put a complete end to the insurgency and with Thursday’s settlement, there are no more armed groups in Assam today. He said that the agreement will bring a complete end to the insurgency in Dima Hasao District of Assam.

Under the agreement, the DNLA representatives have agreed to abjure violence, surrender all arms and ammunition, disband their armed organization, vacate all camps occupied by DNLA cadres and join the peaceful democratic process as established by the law.

As a result of this agreement, over 168 cadres of DNLA are joining the mainstream by laying down their arms, it was announced.

The Home Minister said that the agreement is another significant milestone towards making North-East insurgency-free by 2024 and fulfilling the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a peaceful and prosperous North East.

Mr Shah said that the Prime Minister has put forward the vision of a terror-free, violence-free and developed Northeast before the country and the Ministry of Home Affairs is moving forward in this direction under the guidance of the Prime Minister.

Under the agreement, a Dimasa Welfare Council will be set up by the Government of Assam to protect, preserve and promote social, cultural, linguistic identity to meet political, economic and educational aspirations and will ensure speedy and focused development of the Dimasa people residing outside the jurisdiction of the Autonomous Council.

Along with this, agreement also provides for appointment of a Commission under Paragraph 14 of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India to examine the demand for inclusion of additional villages contiguous to North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council (NCHAC) with the Council.

The Agreement also provides for necessary measures to be taken by the Government of India and the Government of Assam to rehabilitate the surrendered armed cadres of DNLA. To this effect, a Special Development package of Rs 500 crore each, will also be provided by the Government of India and Government of Assam over a period of five years, for all round development of NCHAC as well as Dimasa people residing in other parts of the State.