Diphu, May 2, 2026: Several Karbi civil society and student organisations have voiced strong opposition to certain provisions of the Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) signed on March 15, 2026 between the Government of Assam and four Kuki/Hmar armed groups, warning that the proposals could affect the demographic balance and land rights in the hill districts.
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| Leaders of Karbi civil society organisations address the media in Karbi Anglong, expressing opposition to the proposal in the Assam–Kuki MoS to reserve two seats for the Kuki community in the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC). |
At a joint press conference, Karbi Cultural Society President Humson Bey and other leaders expressed concern over proposals to reserve two seats for the Kuki community in the 26-member Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) and plans to allocate land for the resettlement of families displaced during the ethnic violence of 2003–2004.
The organisations said such measures, if implemented without broader consultation, could dilute the political representation of indigenous communities and alter the demographic composition of the region. They stressed that the KAAC, established under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, is meant to safeguard the rights, identity, and land of tribal populations in the district.
While acknowledging the importance of peace and rehabilitation, the groups maintained that decisions affecting land ownership and political representation must involve local stakeholders and traditional institutions. They cautioned that land allocation for resettlement could create long-term challenges related to land and resource distribution in the sensitive hill districts.
The MoS was signed in a tripartite agreement involving the Government of Assam, the Central Government, and four armed groups - United Kuki Organisation (UKO), Kuki Revolutionary Army (KRA), Kuki Liberation Organisation (KLO/KLA), and Hmar People’s Convention-Democratic (HPC-D). The agreement aims to end insurgency and promote socio-economic development through the creation of Kuki and Hmar Welfare Development Councils.
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Meanwhile, the Joint Action Committee for Autonomous State (JACAS) and its allied organisations have also opposed the proposal to create special seats for the Kuki community in the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) and the North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council (NCHAC), stating that such provisions could disturb existing peace and trigger tensions among tribal communities.
The organisations have urged the Government of Assam and the signatory groups to review and revise the contentious clauses of the MoS, emphasising that lasting peace in the region can only be achieved through inclusive dialogue and consensus among all communities.
