181 Dimasa Militants Lay Down Arms In Assam, CM Himanta Hopeful Of ULFA-I Shunning Path Of Violence Soon

Speaking at the event, Chief Minister Sarma termed the laying down of weapons by the former members of the DNLA as a historic moment

Guwahati: A total of 181 former cadres of the Dimasa National Liberation Army (DNLA), an armed rebel group that was once active in Assam's Dima Hasao district, formally laid down their arms at a ceremony held at the District Sports Association ground in Dima Hasao district’s Haflong on Saturday.

The former cadres of the DNLA surrendered several sophisticated weapons in the presence of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Assam Director General of Police (DGP) Gyanendra Pratap Singh, a host of state cabinet ministers, and other senior government and police officials, the Chief Minister's Office said in a press release.

Speaking at the event, Chief Minister Sarma termed the laying down of weapons by the former members of the DNLA as a historic moment for Dima Hasao's forward march towards all-round prosperity and progress. He credited the members of the Dimasa civil society groups, intellectuals and prominent public figures, for playing the role of mediators in bringing the insurgent group to the negotiating table in 2021.

The Assam government extended an amount of Rs four lakh as financial grant in the form of fixed deposits to each of the 181 cadres. Chief Minister Sarma exuded confidence that the former rebels would make the best use of the financial grant and become financially self-reliant in the days to come, the statement further said.

Stating that a record number of insurgents have returned to the mainstream in the past two and half years, Chief Minister Sarma expressed hope that the United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I), would too one day drop guns and work towards the growth and development of Assam.

Later taking to X, Chief Minister Sarma said, “Since May 2021, nearly 7,200 insurgents have surrendered in Assam and the number of lives lost to extremist violence stands at zero, a stark contrast to the tragic toll of over 400 lives 2 decades ago.”

“Making Assam insurgency-free is paramount in ensuring we become amongst the top 5 states of Bharat. Now that peace and stability have returned to the region, and with the support and blessings of all, we will build a সোণালী অসম (golden Assam),” Chief Minister Sarma added.

The DNLA, formed in April 2019, seeking a sovereign territory for the Dimasa tribe, had signed a peace agreement with the Centre and the state government on April 27, 2023 in New Delhi in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Assam Chief Minister Sarma.

The DNLA was allegedly involved in a firing incident on a convoy of seven trucks in the Dima Hasao district in 2021 killing five people on the spot besides injuring another.

The writer is a senior independent journalist covering the Northeast.