The Centre, Tripura government and two major insurgent groups – National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) and All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) – on Wednesday signed a peace agreement in the presence of Union home minister Amit Shah to end violence in the state.
Calling the pact a “milestone in Tripura’s journey towards peace and progress”, Shah said “the government is committed to the all-round development of the north-east”.
The agreement was signed in Delhi, with Tripura chief minister Manik Saha, senior officials of the Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) and representatives of both groups present.
The home ministry in October 2023 declared NLFT and ATTF “unlawful associations”.
Shah said the agreement “ends a 35-year-long conflict… renouncing violence and committing to build a prosperous and developed Tripura.”
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not only bridged the gap between the northeast and Delhi by connecting them through roads, railways and flights, but has also bridged the gap between hearts,” he added.
The government, he added, has signed 12 important agreements to bring peace and prosperity in the northeast, of which, three relate to Tripura.
Around 10,000 people have given up arms and joined the mainstream due to these agreements, he said.
Shah said 328 insurgents will give up arms and added that the government has earmarked ₹250 crore to develop areas where the two insurgent groups operated, particularly pockets dominated by tribal populations.
“The signing of this agreement is a major milestone in fulfilling the resolve taken by the Modi government to develop the entire Northeast by combining the ‘Ashtalakshmi’ concept and ‘Purvodaya’,” he said.
Chief minister Saha termed the signing of the peace agreement “a historic moment”.
“Glad to have witnessed this historic moment. On behalf of the people of Tripura, I also express my heartfelt gratitude to Hon’ble Prime Minister and Hon’ble Home Minister for earmarking ₹250 crore for the welfare of the returnees,” he said in a post on X.
Chief minister Saha lauded the home minister and spoke about the peace agreements signed in the last ten years under the leadership of PM Modi.
“…I would like to express my gratitude to HM Amit Shah for being instrumental in creating an atmosphere of peace, prosperity and goodwill in the entire northeast region. Under the leadership of PM Modi and the proactive initiative of Amit Shah, a dozen peace agreements have been signed in the northeast in the last 10 years to resolve many of the complex issues. Out of which for Tripura alone, there are three agreements so far,” Saha added.
Militancy rocked the state of roughly 3.6 million for several years between the 1980s and the early 2000s, with NLFT and ATTF two of the most prominent groups during that period.
NLFT was formed in 1988 under the leadership of Biswamohan Debbarma and sought a separate Tripura state. ATTF was similarly formed two years later with a stated aim of ejecting so-called “outsiders” from the state.
Both outfits are, over the years, reported to have killed hundreds of people.