Karbi Anglong Agreement

• Country/entity

  India
  Assam
  
• Region

  Asia and Pacific
  Asia and Pacific
  
• Agreement name

  Karbi Anglong Agreement
• Date

  4 Sep 2021
• Agreement status

  Multiparty signed/agreed
• Interim arrangement

  Yes
• Agreement/conflict level

  Intrastate/intrastate conflict ( India-Adivasi Conflicts (1955 - ) (Northeast India) )
• Stage

  Framework/substantive - comprehensive
• Conflict nature

  Government/territory
• Peace process

  India-Assam agreement
• Parties

  Karbi People's Liberation Tigers/KPLT (M):
  
  - Mensing Kramas (Chairman)
  - Jishnu Barua (Chief Secretary. Govt of Assam)
  - Piyush Goyal (Additional Secretary/NE, MHA)
  
  Representatives of the following organisations append their signature to this agreement:
  
  
  (i) Karbi Longri North Cachar Hills Liberation Front/ KLNLF
  Pradip Terang (Chairman)
  
  
  (ii) People's Democratic Council of Karbi Longri/ PDCK
  Kongkát Teron (Vice-Chairman)
  
  
  (iii) United People's Liberation Army/ UPLA
  Wellesley Terang (Chairman)
  
  
  (iv) Karbi People's Liberation Tigers/KPLT (Ceasefire)
  Sam Sing Tisso (Chaiman)
  
  
  (v) Karbi People's Liberation Tigers/KPLT (R)
  Run Rongpi (Chairman)
  
  List of representatives of Karbi armed groups who attended the signing
  of Memorandum of Settlement
  
  
  (i) Karbi Longri North Cachar Hills Liberation Front/KLNLF
  Wiling Son Phangcho (Publicity Secretary)
  
  
  (ii) People's Democratic Council of Karbi Longri/PDCK
  Sanjit Phangcho (General Secretary)
  
  
  (iii)United People's Liberation Army/UPLA
  Longki Bey (General Secretary)
  
  
  (iv) Karbi People's Liberation Tigers/KPLT (Ceasefire)
  Dorsing Terang (General Secretary)
  
  
  
  (v) Karbi People's Liberation Tigers/KPLT (R)
  Goodwinson Kro (General Secretary)
  
  
  (vi) Karbi People's Liberation Tigers/KPLT (M)
  Men Sing Tokbi (C-in-C)
• Third parties

  Witnessed by:
  
  - Tuliram Ronghang (Chief Executive Member, KAAC)
  - Himanta Biswa Sarma (CM, Assam)
  
  Signed in the presence of Shri Amit Shah (Union Minister of Home Affairs and Minister of Cooperation)
• Description

  This agreement aims to set out a framework for comprehensive settlement between the Indian government, the regional Assam government and the Karbi people within Assam in recognising claims by the Karbi people to being autonomous within Assam. The agreement has territorial and economic power-sharing elements, making provision for a sub-state Karbi autonomous council establishing its governing powers and financial supports. There are also extensive development provisions for the area which also address Karbi identity and culture, defining their territorial areas and protection of their language. The agreement also addresses the rehabilitation of armed groups in the region through DDR provisions.

• Agreement document

  IN_210904_Karbi Anglong Agreement.pdf | Download PDF

Groups

Gender

State definition

Governance

Power sharing

Human rights and equality

Rights related issues

Rights institutions

Justice sector reform

Socio-economic reconstruction

Land, property and environment

Security sector

Transitional justice

Implementation

Memorandum of Settlement

1. 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 devolution of more autonomy to the Karbi

Anglong Autonomous Council and development of the area.

Notwithstanding these initiatives, organizations representing the Karbi

people continued to demand for 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 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 Anglong Autonomous CouncilKAAC

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 (125 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

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)’.

v) ‘Protection of Wildlife' to be added to 'Forests (other than

reserved forest)’.

2.5. 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.

2.6. Proposed amendments to Article 280 and the Sixth Schedule to

the Constitution as per the Constitution (125th Amendment) Bill,

2019 will further augment the Consolidated Fund of the State to

Supplement the resources of KAAC on the basis of the

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

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 Superintendents of Police of the

districts within KAAC will be posted in consultation with the Chief

Executive Member of KAAC.

2.9 Deputy Commissioners of the districts within KAAC shall report to

the Chief Executive Member through the Principal Secretary in respect of

all developmental activities in their districts with regard to the responsibilities assigned to them by KAAC.

2.10.

The Government of Assam shall create a post of DIG, Police

exclusively for the Hill districts.

2.11 An institutional mechanism shall be set up to streamline

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

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 creation of new posts and filling

up of vacant posts.

(C) Proposals of KAAC in connection with annual plan, allocation

and flow of funds, financial sanctions, utilization certificates,

etc.

(d) Proposals of KAAC regarding recruitment within its delegated

authority.

(e) Issues with regard to transfer of subjects to KAAC and powers/

functions of its functionaries.

(f) lssues with regard to local sources of revenue for KAAC

including minor minerals.

2.12.

The Government of India may consider reviewing the number of

Assembly constituencies within KAAC area through the process

of delimitation keeping in view the population and topography.

3. Issues relating to language, Identity, culture.etc.

3.1. The Government of India may refer to UPSC the demand for

exemption of ST (Hill) candidates from KAAC area from taking

one Modern Indian Language (MIL) in the Civil Services examinations conducted by UPSC.

3.2. The Government of Assam will consider favourably the proposal

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 Karbi language at the national

level including a suitable script in consultation with Karbi Literary

Society and other Karbi organisations.

3.5. The Government of India will examine the demand for

notifying Karbi people living outside 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 KAAC area.

3.6. The Government of Assam shall set up a Karbi Welfare Council

for focussed development of Karbi people living outside 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 KAAC area.

4. Rehabilitation of armed cadres

4.1. All signatory armed groups shall abjure the path of violence,

surrender their weapons and disband their organisations within

one month of signing of the Agreement.

All camps occupied by these groups shall be vacated forthwith.

4.2 All armed groups shall submit the lists of their cadres to Addl.

DG,

special Branch, Assam within a week of the signing of the Agreement.

The names

of such cadres shall be scrutinized and verified by the Screening Committee headed by Addl.

DG,

Special Branch, Assam, before their rehabilitation.

4.3. The Committee headed by Addl.

DG, Special Branch, Assam

shall assess the rehabilitation needs of individual cadres based

on age profile, educational qualification, general area of

residence, etc.

The Committee may also involve concerned

departments of the State Government, KAAC and successful

entrepreneurs/ NGOS in the process.

4.4. The Government of India, Government of Assam and KAAC shall

take necessary measures to rehabilitate the cadres of armed

groups.

Such measures shall include (i) lump sum payment of ex-

gratia, (ii) funding economic activities through existing

Government schemes relating to fisheries, piggery, organic

farming, poultry farming, agro-based industries, etc., (

iii) trade/

vocational/ skill development training based on locally available

resources, and (iv) recruitment in appropriate Government jobs as

per eligibility.

4.5. Efforts will be made to cover the cadres of armed groups under

various ongoing government schemes for employment generation

and other benefits.

4.6. Criminal cases registered against cadres of armed groups for

non-heinous offences will be withdrawn by Govemment of Assam

as per procedure established by law.

Criminal cases registered in

connection with heinous offences will be reviewed on case to

case basis according to the existing policy on the subject.

4.7. The Government of Assam will provide financial compensation @

Rs. 5 lakhs to each of the next of kin of persons who lost their

lives in agitations related to Autonomous State demand and have

not yet been compensated in any manner.

5. Special Development Packages

5.1. The Government of India may allocate Rs.

500 crores (Rs.

100

crore per annum) for development of infrastructure in KAAC

area.

Additionally, the Government of Assam will contribute Rs.

500 crores (Rs.

100 crore per annum) for development of the

area.

Illustrative list of projects to be taken up on priority under

the special development package is appended at Annexure-ll.

5.2 Amy, Paramilitary Forces and Police shall organise special

recruitment rallies to recruit Karbi youth.

Pre-recruitment training

exercises will be organized by the agencies to facilitate the

process.

Monitoring

A Joint Monitoring Committee shall be constituted with

representatives of MHA (Gol), Government of Assam, KAAC and

the signatory armed groups to monitor implementation of this

Agreement.

The above Agreement is signed on September 4, 2021 at New

Delhi in the presence of Union Minister of Home Affairs and

Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah.

Representatives of the following organisations append their signature to this agreement:

(i) Karbi Longri North Cachar Hills Liberation Front/ KLNLF

Pradip Terang (Chairman)

(ii) People's Democratic Council of Karbi Longri/ PDCK

Kongkát Teron (Vice-Chairman)

(iii) United People's Liberation Army/ UPLA

Wellesley Terang (Chairman)

(iv) Karbi People's Liberation Tigers/KPLT (Ceasefire)

Sam Sing Tisso (Chaiman)

(v) Karbi People's Liberation Tigers/KPLT (R)

Run Rongpi (Chairman)

(vi) Karbi People's Liberation Tigers/KPLT (M)

Mensing Kramas (Chairman)

Jishnu Barua

(Chief Secretary, Govt.

of Assam)

Piyush Goyal

(Additional Secretary/NE, MHA)

Signing of the Agreement is witnessed by

Tuliram Ronghang

Chief Executive Member, KAAC

Himanta Biswa Sarma

(CM, Assam)

List of representatives of Karbi armed groups who attended the signing

of Memorandum of Settlement

(i) Karbi Longri North Cachar Hills Liberation Front/KLNLF

Wiling Son Phangcho (Publicity Secretary)

(ii) People's Democratic Council of Karbi Longri/PDCK

Sanjit Phangcho (General Secretary)

(iii)United People's Liberation Army/UPLA

Longki Bey (General Secretary)

(iv) Karbi People's Liberation Tigers/KPLT (Ceasefire)

Dorsing Terang (General Secretary)

(v) Karbi People's Liberation Tigers/KPLT (R)

Goodwinson Kro (General Secretary)

(vi) Karbi People's Liberation Tigers/KPLT (M)

Men Sing Tokbi (C-in-C)

(vi) Karbi People's Liberation Tigers/KPLT (M)

Mensing Kramas (Chairman)

Jishnu Barua

(Chief Secretary, Govt.

of Assam)

Piyush Goyal

(Additional Secretary/NE, MHA)

Signing of the Agreement is witnessed by

Tuliram Ronghang

Chief Executive Member, KAAC

Himanta Biswa Sarma

(CM, Assam)