Assam: 181 DNLA rebels lay down arms in presence of CM Himanta Biswa Sarma

CM Himanta Biswa Sarma is hopeful that a day will come soon when talks betwee the ULFA and the government would begin

Over 181 rebels of the Dimasa National Liberation Army (DNLA) have formally shunned the path of violence by laying down their arms in presence of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma today. The arms laying down ceremony was part of the tripartite peace pact signed by the DNLA with the Centre and the Assam Government on April 27 this year.

According to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), the DNLA had agreed to lay down arms and abide by the Constitution.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma who welcomed the DNLA cadres for embracing the path of peace said, “Today DNLA has given up their arms and returned to the mainstream. An accord was signed by our Dimasa friends and brothers in presence of Union HM Amit Shah, and as per that accord they have left given up arms. We have also handed over the rehabilitation package to them. In the last 7 years 7,220 insurgents have returned to the mainstream, they handed over at least 1,700 automatic weapons to the government. Now, except the ULFA there is no terrorist organisation in Assam. I hope that a day will come when talks between the government and the ULFA will happen.”

One of the DNLA cadres shared his thoughts on the occasion and said, “We have a sentiment towards our community. We did not want to take up arms and stay in the jungles, but we had to remain because of some reasons. We are not enemies with anybody, but we have been seeking our rights. We held several talks with the government and it seems those deliberations have succeeded today. The dynamic Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has supported us a lot. We have full faith that the MoU which was signed in New Delhi would be implemented in letter and spirit under the leadership of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.”

On September 2021, the DNLA had declared a unilateral ceasefire for a period of six months following an appeal by Chief Minister Sarma. The ceasefire has been extended since then.
The DNLA was formed in April 2019.

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