Wednesday, November 10,

BODO ACCORD

A FAREWELL TO ARMS EMBRACING PEACE WITH DEVELOPMENT AND JUSTICE

On December 7, 2003, amid tumult, excitement and delight, a large gathering watched history being made
at Kokrajhar. On that crisp winter morning, as Bodo musicians played the flute and dhol and brightly as
attired young women swayed to the rhythm of traditional dances, Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani
watched the swearing in of the interim Executive Council of the Bodoland Territorial Council in Assam.

Sri Advani has especially flown in for the occasion after Bodo Liberation Tiger (BLT) leaders baid a farewell
to arms and cemented a negotiated settlement with the Government of India by
committing themselves to a democratic way of life. Sri Advani called
on other militant groups especially the United Liberation Front of Asom
(ULFA) and the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) to
follow the example ste by the BLT, which had renounced violence and
embraced peace with justice and development through a democratic
process. The meeting was attended by Dr. C. P. Thakur, Minister,
DoNER, Sri Tarun Gogoi, Chief Minister of Assam and Governor of
Assam, LT. Gen (Rtd) Ajai Singh.
The Previous day, December 6, 2003 had witnessed another
significant event when more than 2600 BLT militants bid farewell to
arms and surrendered their weapons at a public function at Kokrajhar. The militants shed their camouflage
uniforms and laid down their AK-47 rifles as they left the path of confrontation and violence, from an
uncertain life in the jungles to a return home, where they can take up productive work without fear or
favour. The Governor and Chief Minister of Assam as well as Sri Swami Chinmayanand, Minister of State for
Home were present.

During his visit, the Deputy Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of a Central Institute of Technology
(CIT) and emphasized the need to tackle the huge infrastructure needs in the area. Addressing the rally, Sri
Advani assured the Bodos that the Centre was committed to the economic development of their areas as
well as the entire North East, which lags behind other regions. In a step aimed at bridging infrastructure
gaps, he announced the setting up of a 100 bedded hospital and nursing college for the Bodoland Territorial
Autonomous District (BTAD).

The Bodo Liberation tigers, formed on June 18,

1996 --- had earlier pledged to fight for a
separate state out of Assam, but within the Indian
Union, through an armed struggle. The demand
for s separate state for Bodos was launched for
the first time in 1986 by the All Bodo Students
Union (ABSU) which culminated in the Bodo
accord in 1993, after much social unrest, violence
and disruption. The 1993 accord led to the
creation of the Bodoland Autonomous Council
(BAC). However, BAC failed to fully meet the
aspirations of Bodos and ABSU again lunched an
agitation denouncing the accord and demanding
creation of a separate state. The BLT also
indulged in a few acts of violence during this
period. But these difficulties did not deter the
National Democratic Alliance government at the
Centre from making fresh efforts to settle the
Bodo issue. The Government of India kept all its
channels of informal talks open with the BLT.