Assam govt in peace talks with militant group KLO; "Jiban Singh now state's guest", says CM Sarma

Guwahati, Jan 23: With an aim to strengthen the peaceful environment in the region, the Assam government has initiated the process of peace talks with North-East's armed militant group, Kamtapur Liberation Organization ( KLO ), after the outfit's Commander-in-chief Jiban Singha Koch and few other leaders gave up the path of militancy and opted to join the National mainstream.

 

 

 

 

A senior official of Assam police confirmed that Jiban Singha Koch is now at a camp in Guwahati where he is interacting with concerned officials. "The government has initiated talks with KLO," the police official said. Sources added that Jiban Singha Koch is currently in a Border Security Force (BSF) camp near Guwahati where apart from health checkups he is interacting with officials. Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday (Jan 21) said in a press conference in Guwahati that Jiban Singha is now the state government's guest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

CM Sarma said, "It is very significant that the tribal insurgency in Assam is almost over as most of the tribal insurgency groups in the state from Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) to Karbi Anglong, Dima Hasao have laid down their arms and joined in the peace talks with the government." "In the year 2022, 757 arms, 5983 assorted ammunitions, 131 grenades, 26 IEDs and, 52 kg explosives were recovered and most of them have been recovered from NDFB, NLFT, Karbi, Dimasa, and Adivasi insurgents. Of the total recovery of arms in 2022, a majority of them were voluntarily deposited," he added.

 

  

The government signed several peace agreements with various tribal insurgent groups in 2022. Kamtapur Liberation Organisation (KLO) was formed in 1995 and since then, the outfit has been engaging in arms struggle for a separate Kamatapur state.

 

 

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