Karbi Anglong Peace Accord: Expectations & Concerns

The historic tripartite Karbi Anglong Agreement was signed by the Union Govt., the Assam Government and five insurgency groups from Assam on 4^th September, 2021, to bring peace to the Northeastern state’s Karbi-Anglong district.

• The five groups include Karbi Longri North Cachar Hills Liberation Front (KLNLF), People’s Democratic Council of Karbi Longri (PDCK), United People’s Liberation Army (UPLA), Karbi People’s Liberation Tigers (KPLT) and the Kuki Liberation Front (KLF).
• It is an important milestone in fulfilling the government’s vision of 'Insurgency Free Prosperous North East.'

History of Karbi Insurgency

• Karbi-Anglong is Assam’s largest district in terms of area and is home predominantly to a tribal and ethnic population comprising members of Karbi, Bodo, Kuki, Dimasa, Hmar, Garo, Rengma Naga, Tiwa, and Man communities. Karbis make up more than 46 per cent of the district’s population and the region is marked with the inter-tribe clashes were common making it one of the most volatile regions of Assam.
• The first insurgency in Assam was the one started by the separatist United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) in 1979, seeking a breakaway “sovereign, socialist Assam".
• Then, in the 1980s, came the Bodoland movement led by the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), which sought the creation of an independent home for the Bodos, the largest ethnic group among the plain tribes of Assam.
• These outfits originated raising a core demand of forming a separate state.
• The entire political discourse in this constituency — comprising three districts of Karbi Anglong, West Karbi Anglong (split from the former in 2016) and Dima Hasao — revolves around the demand for granting of “Autonomous State” status to the region and more autonomy and power to the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) and the North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council (which administers Dima Hasao district).

Salient Features of the Accord

• A Special Development Package of Rs. 1000 crores over five years will be given by the Union Government and Assam Government to undertake specific projects for the development of Karbi areas. Rehabilitation of cadres of the armed groups will also be undertaken.
• The Government of Assam shall set up a Karbi Welfare Council for the focussed development of Karbi people living outside the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) area.
• The Consolidated Fund of the State will be augmented to supplement the resources of KAAC.
• It proposed to notify Karbi as the official language of KAAC.

Expectations from the Accord

• Ending Decades Old Crisis: The signing of this tripartite agreement marks the end of a decades-old crisis and ensures the territorial integrity of Assam. It will ensure long term peace and stability in the region.
• Development of Council Area: It will ensure greater devolution of autonomy to the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council, protection of identity, language, culture, etc. of Karbi people and focussed development of the Council Area, without affecting the territorial and administrative integrity of Assam. The Centre will allocate Rs. 1000 crore for the region for the development of infrastructure in the KAAC area over next five years.
• Peace, Prosperity: It will help promote peace and prosperity in Assam and ensure the development of the Northeastern region. Army, paramilitary forces and police will have to organise a special drive to recruit the Karbi youth, which will promote a spirit of harmony.

Concerns associated with the Accord

• Following the signing of the accord, more than 24 outfits representing indigenous and ethnic groups in Karbi-Anglong protested against the accord demanding creation of an ‘autonomous state’ under the provision of Article 244(A) of the Constitution. Demands have also been raised to reserve all constituencies in KAAC for the tribals living in Karbi Anglong.
• Apprehensions have been raised by certain groups with respect to marking of 10 seats on the KAAC for people from any community. It is being seen as paving the way for representation of other communities.
• Though autonomy has been given to the council, but there is always uneasiness with respect to interferences by the state administration in terms of trying to control and influence the working of the autonomous bodies.
• Often interest groups capture these bodies from within and misuse development funds.
• The rehabilitation of militants is a difficult task as they are prone to anti-social activities if they are not effectively accommodated in the society.
• Implementation of the agreement in letter and spirit is important to remove such apprehensions. Concerns related to loss of identity and lack of development needs to be addressed. The best way to address such concerns is to ensure that the identities are protected and development reaches all people.