Leaders of the Hmar and Kuki extremist groups sign a memorandum of understanding with the Assam government on March 15, 2026. Photo credit: Special arrangement
The Assam government on Sunday (March 15, 2026) signed a memorandum of understanding with three Kuki extremist groups as well as the Hmar group.
The organizations involved are the Hmar People’s Convention-Democratic (HPC-D), the United Kukigam Defense Army (UKDA), the Kuki Revolutionary Army (KRA) and the Kuki Liberation Organization (KLO), which is also known as the Kuki Liberation Army. Members of all these groups laid down their arms in 2012.
Assam Education Minister Ranoj Pegu, in whose presence the MoU was signed, said the agreement envisages the creation of Hmar Social Development Council and Kuki Social Development Council in the Hmar and Kuki dominated areas of Assam.
Tripartite negotiation
“A suspension of operations was signed between the state government and these groups after they laid down their arms. Thereafter, several rounds of tripartite talks involving the Center led to a memorandum of understanding,” said a senior officer of Assam’s Home and Political Department.
He said the settlement process has been expedited in recent months as an initiative for peace and tranquility in the state and fulfillment of the aspirations of both the communities.
“Each development board will consist of a chairman, vice-chairman, executive member, executive members and members nominated by the Assam government. Both the boards will be headquartered in Guwahati and their budgets will be prepared according to their demands submitted by the transformation and development department,” the officer said.
Rehabilitation measures
Mr. Pegu said that the state government would take appropriate measures to rehabilitate the cadres of the armed groups as per the existing procedure. “The government will also compensate the family members of the cadres who lost their lives during their armed struggle,” he said.
KLO, KRA, HPC-D and UKDA were established in 1992, 2000, 2003 and 2010, respectively.
The government claimed that the memorandum of understanding with the Hmar and Kuki groups ended the problem of ethnic militancy in Assam. It added that over 9,000 cadres of several extremist groups, including cadres from Bodo, Karbi and Adivasi communities, have been rehabilitated over the past few years.
Together, the groups stored 1,012 firearms, 25,488 rounds of ammunition and 34 grenades, the government said.
Published – 15 March 2026 20:57 IST
