Centre to sign peace accord with all Bodo rebel groups

The centre is all set to sign an 'inclusive peace accord' with as many as four factions of the Bodo rebel groups to bring a permanent solution of the Bodo insurgency in Assam. According to the sources, the talks with the four factions are in the final stages.

New Delhi: With an aim to bring a permanent solution of the Bodo insurgency in Assam, Centre is all set to sign an 'inclusive peace accord' with as many as four factions of the Bodo rebel groups very soon.

Government sources told ETV Bharat that the accord will be signed taking all four factions of Bodo rebel group (National Democratic Front of Bodoland) together.

Sources said talks with NDFB (Progressive, Soraigowara, Bidai and Ranjan Daimary factions) are at the final stage.

Interestingly, the NDFB (Soraigowara faction) recently signed a ceasefire of operation pact with the Government very recently.

The other three factions are already in talks with the government.

"This is a right step in the right direction. The government should explore all options to end the decades-long Bodo insurgency issue by signing an accord with all Bodo rebel factions," said All Bodo Students Union (ABSU) president Pramod Boro to ETV Bharat in New Delhi.The student leader said that Bodos have been demanding self-determination and political right for decades.

"It was in 1985 we have initiated the Bodoland movement and at the same time, Bodo rebel groups have started their demand for a sovereign Bodoland state. However, when it was felt that a sovereign state is not possible, there was a demand for a separate state...And I believe in the coming peace accord all our wishes will be looked into," he said.

It is expected that a peace accord with NDFB factions will be signed very shortly.

When asked about the possible benefit Bodos will get from the much-hyped peace agreement, Boro said that this will uplift the aspirations of the Bodo people.

It may be mentioned here that Assam already has a Bodoland Territorial Council (also known as BTAD) under Clause 6 of the Indian Constitution. Under this clause, Bodos have their land right as well as reservations in the territorial council.

BTC came into force in 2003 following a peace accord with erstwhile Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT).

"We have also been demanding for self-determination of the Bodos in Assam. If this peace accord fulfil our expectations that would be fine, or else we will keep doing our movement," said Pramod Boro.

It may be mentioned here that the incumbent Narendra Modi government at the centre has initiated steps to bring all insurgent groups of the northeast to the negotiation table for a permanent peace in the landlocked region.