Recently, a historical agreement was signed between the Government of India, Government of Assam, and representatives of eight Armed Adivasi Groups to end the decades-long crisis of Adivasis and tea garden workers in Assam. As a result of this agreement, 1182 cadres belonging to tribal groups in Assam have reintegrated into mainstream society by surrendering their arms.
The agreement aims to secure and enhance the social, cultural, linguistic, and community-based identity of the tribes involved. It also seeks to fulfill the political, economic, and educational aspirations of these Adivasi groups. Moreover, the agreement presents a strategy for the rapid and concentrated development of tea gardens and Adivasi villages/areas throughout the state.
Under the provisions of the agreement, a Tribal Welfare and Development Council will be established to ensure speedier and more focused development of tea gardens. The agreement also promises rehabilitation and resettlement provisions for armed cadres and welfare measures for tea garden workers. A striking aspect of the agreement is the commitment to provide a special development package of Rs. 1000 crore over five years to develop infrastructure in areas populated by tribes.
Insurgency Figures: Significant Reduction since 2014
Data suggests that North East India has seen considerable success in mitigating insurgency-related issues in recent years. Since 2014, approximately 8,000 insurgents have joined mainstream society. The year 2020 saw the lowest number of insurgency incidents in the last two decades. When compared to 2014, there has been a 74% reduction in insurgency incidents in 2021. Moreover, there has been a 60% reduction in security force casualties and an 89% decrease in civilian casualties during the same period.
Governmental Measures towards Peace in North East India: Previous Agreements and Initiatives
The government has taken several significant measures to ensure peace in North East India. Notable among these are multiple peace agreements signed with different groups and communities.
The NLFT Agreement 2019 resulted in the surrender of 88 cadres with 44 weapons, addressing the issue of violence from the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) which had been operating from their camps across the international border since 1997.
The Bru-Reang agreement signed in January 2020 was a major achievement, as it resolved the 23-year-old refugee crisis by settling over 37,000 internally displaced people in Tripura.
In the case of the Bodo Accord 2020, this resulted in the surrender of 1615 cadres and a large quantity of arms and ammunition, effectively resolving a five-decade-long issue in Assam.
The Karbi Anglong Agreement 2021 marked another milestone in the peace process by encouraging over 1000 armed cadres to renounce violence and reintegrate into society. More recently, the Assam-Meghalaya Inter-State Boundary Agreement was signed in March 2022 to settle an interstate boundary dispute.
In April 2022, the Government of India partially withdrew the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958 from parts of three Northeast states- Assam, Nagaland, and Manipur. This act has been a significant point of contention as it is often cited as a major source of human rights abuses by security forces. The decision to partially withdraw AFSPA signals a crucial step towards greater peace and stability in the region.
