From Our Correspondent
GUWAHATI: Decks have been virtually cleared for signing of a peace agreement between the Government of India and Karbi tribe militant outfit United People’s Democratic Solidarity (UPDS) from Karbi Anglong hill district of Assam.
Following a crucial round of talks between the UPDS leadership and Government of India’s peace interlocutor P C Haldar, Joint secretary home Sambhu Singh in New Delhi on Monday, the outfit’s general secretary Haren Singh Bey informed the media that all the contentious issueswere resolved in the meeting and the ball as now in the court of the government decide on signing of a peace accord. The UPDS which was waging war against the state for fulfillment of its demand for a Karbi tribe homeland, had declared truce in 2002 and since then had been engaged in a prolonged peace process with the government of India. The UPDS has demanded formation of an interim council in Karbi Anglong hill district that is governed under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, by dissolving the present elected body in Karbi Anglong Autonomous District Council. The UPDS’ key demand is formation of a Karbiland Territorial Council. However, signing of a peace accord is unlikely to solve the insurgency problem in the volatile and ethnically sensitive hill district given that the government if yet to arrive at an agreement with another militant group in truce, Karbi Longri North Cachar Hills Liberation Front (KLNLF), of the district. The KLNLF demands an autonomous state for Karbi tribe.