7 insurgent outfits to lay down arms during Shah's visit to Assam next week: police

Militant outfit People'sDemocratic Council of Karbi Longri (PDCK) on Thursday declareda unilateral ceasefire prior to laying down of arms, alongwith six other proscribed groups, during Union Home MinisterAmit Shah's scheduled visit to Assam's Karbi Anglong districton February 25, police said.

A senior police official said that the surrender ofarms by seven outfits such as the PDCK, Dima Halam Daogah(DHD) and the Karbi Peoples' Liberation Tigers (KPLT) will endinsurgency in the states three hill districts - KarbiAnglong, West Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao.

PDCK Chairman J K Lijang said in a statement that theorganisation has decided to declare ''unilateral cessation ofhostilities to give impetus to resolving the vexed politicalconflicts among all stakeholders''.

Lijang also expressed hope that the central governmentwould respond with the ''same seriousness and sincerity for anamicable political situation''.

The PDCK also submitted a memorandum addressed to Shahdemanding an autonomous state for the Karbi tribal communityclaiming that it is only ''viable'' solution towards harmoniouscoexistence between the hill tribes and the plain people.

The memorandum submitted through an intelligenceofficial also called for social justice for Karbis at a parwith other tribes in the plain districts of the state andsought measures to preserve and develop Karbi language, customand culture.

''We also seek grant of general amnesty from allcriminal charges and compensatory financial grant for theirrehabilitation in society, Lijang said.