Assam: Militant outfit DNLA declares unilateral ceasefire for six more months

Militant outfit Dimasa National Liberation Army (DNLA) has declared a unilateral ceasefire for another six months.

In a letter addressed to the Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Juhthai, the chairman of DNLA, had desired to extend the period of the Ceasefire Agreement Sign of DNLA to another six months, from April 1, 2023, to September 30, 2023.

In the letter addressed to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, it states- " It hereby informs you that the Dimasa National Liberation Army (DNLA) has resolved to extend the period of another six months of Ceasefire Agreement Sign from April 2023 to 30th September 2023 for better peaceful environment, developmental talk and co-relation among us. This is for information and necessary action."

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Earlier, in September 2021, the Dimasa National Liberation Army (DNLA) declared a "Unilateral Ceasefire" for six months as a gesture of goodwill while responding to the call for peace by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. 

The announcement was made through a press release issued by the outfit's Publicity Secretary Mungsri Ringsmai Dimasa.

The announcement came exactly two weeks after DNLA allegedly killed five persons and injured one when they indiscriminately fired at a convoy of seven trucks and set them afire on August 26 in the Dima Hasao district. "As a goodwill gesture and a positive response to the call for peace by the chief minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma, we the DNLA, are hereby declaring 'unilateral ceasefire' on September 7, 2021, for six months for creating an atmosphere for peace talks with the government of Assam and Government of India," the press release said.

The DNLA was formed back in April 2019 to seek sovereignty for the Dimasa people through an armed movement. The DNLA is believed to be active in the Dima Hasao and the Karbi Anglong districts as well as parts of the neighbouring Nagaland.