Historic Karbi Peace Accord Signed: All You Need To Know About The Treaty

GUWAHATI: The state government has decided to provide financial compensation of Rs. 5 lakh (each) to the next kin of people who had lost their lives in agitations in connection with the demand for an autonomous state for Karbis.

Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma shared about this on Twitter on Sunday. The CM also attached copies of the Karbi Peace Accord which was signed in New Delhi on Saturday. Check the tweet below for all the details:

The Karbi Peace Accord was signed in New Delhi on Saturday evening by the People's Democratic Council of Karbi Longri, United People's Liberation Army, Karbi Longri NC Hills Liberation Front, Kuki Liberation Front and Karbi People's Liberation Tiger with representatives of the Centre and Assam government. The agreement, which would mean restoration of peace after decades of violence, was finalised in the presence of Union home minister Amit Shah, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and former Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

The accord holds major significance as it is related with the matter of insurgency by Karbis – an ethnic community in Assam – which had a long history in the state in context to killings, violence, ethnic clashes, kidnapping and extortion since the period of late 1980s. According to sources, a large number of Karbi militants, who were among the 1040 militants to have laid down their arms and surrendered before the state government in February this year, were present during the signing of the accord on Saturday.

1040 militants of Karbi Anglong district had surrendered before the Assam government at an event in Guwahati on February 25 this year in the presence of former chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal. Altogether, 338 weapons, including eight light machine guns, over 11000 bullets, 11 M-16 rifles and 58 AK-47 rifles were submitted on that day.

Memorandum of Settlement

Preamble

The Government of India and the Government of Assam have made persistent efforts in the past to fulfill the legitimate aspirations of 'the Karbi people, which led to the devolution of more autonomy to the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council and the development of the area. Notwithstanding these initiatives, organizations representing the Karbi people continued to demand the creation of an Autonomous State under Article 244A of the Constitution.

In an effort to find a comprehensive and final solution to the issue, several rounds of tripartite discussions were recently held with the leaders of Karbi armed groups as well as elected representatives of the Karbi people. The negotiations have led to the signing of this Memorandum of Settlement which will ensure greater devolution of autonomy to the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council; protection of identity, language, culture, etc. of Karbi people; rehabilitation of cadres of the armed groups; and focussed development of the Council area, without affecting the territorial and administrative integrity of Assam. The signatory armed groups have agreed to abjure violence and join the peaceful democratic process as established by law of the land.

2. Karbi Anglona Autonomous Council/KAAC

2.1. The Committee of the Legislative Assembly of Assam, as envisaged under Article 371B of the Constitution, will be constituted expeditiously.

2.2. The Government of India may expedite passage of the Constitution (125th Amendment) Bill, 2019 which proposes to rename the Council as Karbi Anglong Autonomous Territorial Council and increase the number of members to not more than 50, of whom, 6 members including at least 2 women members will be nominated by the Governor and the rest of the members will be elected on the basis of adult suffrage.

2.3. The Government of India and the Government of Assam will take necessary steps to reserve 34 seats for STs and 10 seats under Open category for all communities, out of 44 elected seats in KAAC.

2.4. The Constitution (125th Amendment) Bill, 2019 proposes to transfer a number of subjects to KAAC by amending paragraph 3A (1) of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution (Annexure-I). Necessary steps will be taken to transfer the following additional I subjects to KAAC:-

i) Implementation of schemes under rural electrification, non-conventional energy sources, solar energy, renewable energy and mini-hydel projects.

ii) Welfare and Development of Minority communities/ Indigenous faith.

iii) 'Medium' to be added to 'Small, Cottage and Rural Industry subject to the provisions of entries 7 and 52 of List I of Schedule VII'.

iv) 'Vocational education' to be added to 'Education that is to say primary and secondary education, higher secondary education including vocational training, adult education and college education (general). 'Protection of Wildlife' to be added to 'Forests (other than reserved forest)'.

5. The Government of India and the Government of Assam may consider enhancing budgetary provisions for KAAC to undertake development activities keeping in view the population and topography of the area Proposed amendments to Article 280 and the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution as per the Constitution (1252019 will further augment the Consolidated Fund of the State to supplement Bill, supplement the resources of KAAC on the basis of the I recommendations of the State Finance Commission.

2.7. Executive functions of KAAC shall be exercised through the Principal Secretary, not below the rank of Commissioner & Secretary to the Government of Assam. The post of Principal Secretary shall be encadred. Heads of various Departments/Directorates of KAAC shall not be below the rank of Additional Secretary to the Government of Assam. Officers of KAAC shall exercise administrative as well as financial powers commensurate with their ranks.

2.8. Deputy Commissioners and SuporIntondonts of Police of the r 119•- districts within KAAC will be posted In consultation with the Chief 11 Executive Member of KAAC.

Deputy Commissioners of the districts within KAAC shall report the Chief Executive Member through the Principal Secretary to in respect of all developmental activities in their districts with regard to the responsibilities assigned to them by KAAC. 2 1p. The Government of Assam shall create a post of DIG, Police exclusively for the Hill districts. 11, 9. An institutional mechanism shall be set up to streamline 1'"coordination between the State Government and KAAC. The mechanism shall be headed by the Chief Secretary, Government of Assam, with the Principal Secretary, KAAC as its member. The ff mechanism shall periodically review (not less than once in a quarter) the following issues in particular

(a) Bills/Regulations passed by KAAC awaiting assent by the Governor.

(b) Proposals of KAAC regarding the creation of new posts and the filling up of vacant posts.

(c) Proposals of KAAC in connection with an annual plan, allocation, and flow of funds, financial sanctions, utilization certificates,

(d) Proposals of KAAC regarding recruitment within its delegated authority.

(e) Issues with regard to the transfer of subjects to KAAC and powers/ functions of its functionaries.

(f) Issues with regard to local sources of revenue for KAAC including minor minerals, etc

2.12. The Government of India may consider reviewing the number of Assembly constituencies within the KAAC area through the process of delimitation keeping in view the population and topography.

3. 1. The Government of India may refer to UPSC the demand for exemption of ST (Hill) candidates from the KAAC area from taking one Modern Indian Language (MIL) in the Civil Services examination conducted by UPSC.

13.2. The Government of Assam will consider favourably the proposal I Is of KAAC to notify Karbi as the official language of KAAC,

However, Hindi, English, and Assamese shall also continue to be used for official purposes. 

3.3. Hindi, English, Assamese, and other indigenous languages shall be taught in educational institutions under KAAC.

3.4. The Government of Assam shall set up a committee to study the demand for notifying Karbi language as an associate language in the State. The Committee will also recommend measures to further strengthen and popularize the Karbi language at the national level including a suitable script in consultation with the Karbi Literary Society and other Karbi organizations.

3.5. The Government of India will examine the demand for notifying Karbi people living outside the KAAC area as ST in Assam, in consultation with the Government of Assam. The Government of Assam may also consider conferring ST (Hill) status to Karbi people living outside the KAAC area.

3.6. The Government of Assam shall set up a Karbi Welfare Council for the focussed development of Karbi people living outside the KAAC area.

3.7. The Government of Assam shall promote and support the annual Karbi Youth Festival through financial assistance.

3.8. The Government of India and the Government of Assam will take necessary steps to set up a Karbi cultural centre at Taralangso and an academy to promote Karbi language and culture at an appropriate location in the KAAC area

4.1. All signatory armed groups shall abjure the path of violence, surrender their weapons and disband their organizations within one month of the signing of the Agreement. All camps occupied by these groups shall be vacated forthwith. armed groups shall submit the lists of their cadres to Addl. DG,

4.2. Branch, Assam within a week of the signing of the Spec° gee__, me. The names of such cadres shall be scrutinized 

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