Monday Morning Meeting Report on “Peace Agreements in Assam”

Dr. Pushpita Das, Research Fellow, Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA), spoke on “Peace Agreements in Assam” at the Monday Morning Meeting held on 14 October 2024. The session was moderated by Col. DPK Pillay (Retd.), Research Fellow, MP-IDSA. The scholars of the institute were in attendance and participated in the discussion.

Executive Summary

The presentation focused on discussing various peace agreements in Assam, highlighting the significance of recent peace accords between the Indian Government and various insurgent groups in the region. These agreements mark a substantial decline in violence and indicate progress towards lasting peace. Five major peace agreements were signed between 2020 and 2023 with different ethnic insurgent groups in Assam, particularly focusing on the Bodo, Karbi, and Dimasa insurgencies. The agreements aim to balance tribal political aspirations and Assam’s territorial integrity, while also addressing socio-cultural and developmental needs. However, unresolved demands for separate statehood and ethnic tensions among smaller tribes pose ongoing challenges to sustained peace.

Detailed Report

Col. DPK Pillay (Retd.) began the meeting with a brief introduction of Dr. Pushpita Das and the topic that she was to present at the meeting. Dr. Pushpita Das began her presentation by setting the context for the peace agreements, which have played a pivotal role in reducing violence in Assam. She explained that the region has long been troubled by insurgent groups with political goals ranging from demands for political autonomy to full secession. These groups, formed by ethnic tribes in Assam, have waged armed struggles over the years, seeking to safeguard their customs, traditions, and territorial rights. She further informed the scholars that the violence associated with these movements has placed Assam in a cycle of despair for decades. However, the last five years have seen a series of peace agreements signed between the Indian Government, both at the state and union levels, and various insurgent factions. Dr. Das noted that these agreements have significantly reduced the frequency of violent incidents, as a growing number of militants have surrendered and chosen to negotiate with the government, bringing a much-needed sense of peace and hope to the people of Assam.

Dr. Das proceeded to discuss the timeline of the peace agreements, highlighting five major accords that were signed between 2020 and 2023. The first major peace agreement, signed on 27 January 2020, involved four factions of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB). This tripartite agreement marked a critical moment in the history of Assam’s insurgent movements. The NDFB, one of the most prominent insurgent groups in the region, had been involved in violent activities for decades, primarily in pursuit of a separate Bodo state. Over time, however, the group fractured into several factions: NDFB Progressive, NDFB Dhirendra Bodo, NDFB Ranjan Daimary, and NDFB Saoraigwra. NDFB-P had surrendered as early as 2005, and by January 2020, NDFB-S followed suit. The signing of the agreement led to the disbanding of various Bodo insurgent groups, significantly reducing violence in the region.

The second peace agreement was signed on 4 September 2021 and involved various Karbi insurgent groups that had been active in the districts of Karbi Anglong. Dr. Das explained that these groups, like the Bodo factions, had long demanded a separate state. However, after years of armed struggle, over 1,000 Karbi insurgents surrendered following the signing of the peace agreement. This marked another significant step toward peace in Assam, particularly in the Karbi Anglong region, which had been a hotbed of insurgent activity for many years.

On 15 September 2022, the third peace agreement was signed between the Union Government and several Adivasi insurgent groups. Dr. Das noted that the Adivasi militants had initially surrendered in 2012, and peace talks with them had begun in 2016. However, it was not until 2022 that a comprehensive agreement was reached. Following the signing of this agreement, more than 1,000 Adivasi militants surrendered.

The fourth peace agreement was signed on 23 April 2023 between the State Government, the union government, and Dimasa insurgent groups, including their political wing, the Dimasa People’s Supreme Council. This group had suspended its operations on 28 October 2021, and after the agreement, 281 Dimasa cadres surrendered, effectively ending the insurgency in the Dimasa-dominated areas of Assam.

The final peace agreement that Dr. Das discussed was signed between the ULFA (Pro-Talk) faction and the Union Government on 20 December 2023. The United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) had been one of the most prominent and violent insurgent groups in Assam, with its demands centred on the creation of an independent Assam. However, over time, the pro-talk faction of ULFA entered into negotiations with the government, and the December 2023 agreement represented a significant achievement in resolving the ULFA insurgency. The Indian Government agreed to consider the ULFA (Pro-Talk) demands in a time-bound manner, and following the agreement, the militant group was officially disbanded on 23 January 2024.

Dr. Das highlighted that these peace agreements, particularly those with the Bodo, Karbi, and Dimasa insurgents, were all rooted in the long-standing demand for separate states. She traced the origins of these movements back to the time of Indian independence when tribal political elites expressed concerns about merging with the Union Government. These elites feared that such a merger would jeopardize their customs, traditions, and land rights. To address these concerns, the Indian Government agreed to establish a decentralised self-governance system, creating Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) in undivided Assam. Two of these councils, Karbi Anglong (established in 1951) and North Cachar Hills (established in 1952), became the focal points of the Karbi and Dimasa movements, respectively.

Dr. Das explained that the demand for separate states from the Karbi and Dimasa tribes did not initially gain momentum. However, after the Assam Reorganisation Act was passed in 1971, tribal leaders began to renew their demands for statehood. In 1979, following the Assam Agitation, the demand intensified. In the 1980s and 1990s, this discontent turned into violence, with militant groups like the United People’s Democratic Solidarity (UPDS) in Karbi Anglong and the Dimasa Halam Daogah (DHD) emerging to lead the armed struggle. In 2011, the government signed a peace agreement with the UPDS, and in 2012, a similar agreement was reached with the DHD. These agreements upgraded the district councils into territorial councils, granting them greater powers and financial resources for development. However, dissatisfaction persisted, and in 2021, the remaining insurgent groups surrendered, leading to the peace agreements signed between 2021 and 2023.

Dr. Das further asserted that the Bodos, unlike the Karbi and Dimasa tribes, had been demanding a separate state even before India’s independence. Their demands intensified in 1967 when the Assamese language was made the official language of Assam, prompting the Bodos to form two organisations: the Plains Tribal Council of Assam (PTCA) and the All Bodo Student Union (ABSU). In 1993, a tripartite agreement was signed between the Government and the Bodos, granting them a separate autonomous council called the Bodoland Autonomous Council (BAC). However, new militant groups like the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) and the Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT) emerged in the 1990s, leading to further violence. In 2003, a ceasefire agreement was signed with BLT, and the BAC was upgraded to the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC). However, the NDFB, which had been excluded from the peace talks, continued its insurgent activities until 2020, when all its factions surrendered, culminating in the peace agreement of January 2020.

Dr. Das identified several salient features of the peace agreements. First, they ensured the territorial and administrative integrity of Assam, rejecting demands for separate states. Second, the agreements empowered the autonomous councils by increasing legislative seats, transferring additional subjects from the state list to the councils, and providing more financial resources for infrastructure and economic development. Third, the agreements included provisions to protect and promote the socio-cultural identity of the tribes, including the recognition of Bodo, Karbi, and Dimasa languages as official languages in their respective regions. Finally, the agreements laid out measures for the sustainable development of council areas, including the rehabilitation of surrendered militants and the announcement of special economic packages.

Despite these successes, Dr. Das warned that several challenges remain. Most notably, the agreements do not address the core demand for separate statehood, which could lead to tensions in future. Moreover, granting autonomous councils to major tribes like the Bodos, Karbis, and Dimasas could lead to similar demands from smaller ethnic groups like the Kukis and Hmars, creating new sources of conflict. Additionally, the inclusion of villages in council areas with predominant populations of major tribes had resulted in ethnic cleansing of non-tribal communities earlier, and therefore, continues to be a source of concern.

In her concluding remarks, Dr. Das emphasised that while the peace agreements have brought relative peace in Assam, future stability will depend on addressing the unresolved demands for statehood and managing the ethnic diversity of the region.

Questions and Comments

Following Dr. Das’s  presentation, a lively discussion ensued among the scholars, focusing on the implications of these agreements for Assam and the broader Northeastern region of India. The session underscored both the progress made and the challenges that lie ahead in securing lasting peace in Assam.

Dr. Pushpita Das responded to the comments and questions of the scholars of MP-IDSA.

The report was prepared by Ms. Puspa Kumari, Intern, South Asia Centre, MP-IDSA.