Assam: KLO outfit calls for conclusion of peace talks with Centre, state government

The Kamatapur Liberation Organisation (KLO) has called upon the Centre as well as the state government to conclude the peace talks at the earliest. 

The KLO leaders have called upon the Centre as well as the state government to push for a conclusion to the peace talks between the outfit and the Centre and Assam governments. 

The KLO has also demanded that all charges against the outfit's chairman Jeevan Singha and other cadres should be dropped and they should be formally pardoned, to facilitate the smooth passage of a peace accord. The outfit further demanded that steps must be taken for the formation of a separate state of Kamatapur, carved out of portions of Assam and West Bengal. 

Along with this, the KLO also demanded that the the Kamatapuri language must be included into the Eight Schedule and given due recognition. Also, the KLO further demanded that the Koch Rajbongshi community must also be brought under the ambit of reservation under the Scheduled Tribes (Plain) category. 

The demand for conclusion of talks comes in even recently reports came in that Singha is poised to make a return to the mainstream political landscape. The much-anticipated bilateral peace talks between the Government of India and the Kamtapur Liberation Organization were also reported to be on the brink of completion. 

In January 2023, Jiban Singha Koch had announced that the bilateral discussions between the Government of India and KLO regarding the rights and welfare of the people of Koch-Kamtapur had reached an advanced stage. These talks were being mediated by the Chief Minister of Assam, highlighting the commitment to finding a peaceful resolution.

However, tensions had flared earlier in September 2023 when Jeevan Singha accused the Government of India of betraying the people of Kamtapur. In a video message to the media, Singha urged the people of Kamtapur to protest against the perceived injustice and reclaim their rights.

Singha criticized the government, alleging that it had failed to fulfill its promises to the Kamtapuri people, leading to growing disillusionment and dissatisfaction within the region. He also highlighted the need for the recognition and preservation of the Kamtapuri language, which he described as an integral part of Kamtapuri identity.

Referring to the historic Merger Agreement signed on August 28, 1949, between the state of India and the independent Greater Behar State, Singha lamented that the Kamtapur region has not received the recognition it deserves to date.