ULFA Pro-Talks Faction Signs Peace Accord With Centre, Assam Govt

The agreement intends to put an end to a decades-long insurgency in the northeastern state and will address a slew of long-standing political, economic, and social challenges in Assam. 

The United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) and the Union and Assam governments signed a tripartite peace pact on Friday, in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, and other prominent ULFA officials, news agency ANI reported. The agreement intends to put an end to a decades-long insurgency in the northeastern state and will address a slew of long-standing political, economic, and social challenges in Assam. 

According to Amit Shah, the ULFA, Assam's oldest rebel group, has resolved to forego bloodshed and abolish the organisation.

On United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) signing a tripartite Memorandum of Settlement with the Centre and the Assam government, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said: " This is a new start of a period of peace for the whole Northeast especially Assam. I want to assure ULFA representatives that the faith you have kept in Govt of India, from the side of Ministry of Home Affairs(MHA), a programme will be made in a time-bound manner to fulfill everything, without you asking for it. Under MHA, a committee will be formed, which will work with the Assam govt to fullfill this agreement."

According to Amit Shah, a large development package would be provided to Assam as part of the agreement with ULFA. The agreement will be completely fulfilled, he stated.

"Assam suffered for long due to violence by ULFA; 10,000 people lost their lives since 1979," he said. 

"It is a matter of great joy for me that today is a golden day for Assam's future. Assam has suffered from violence since a long time. Since Narendra Modi became the PM, efforts were made to shorten the gap between Delhi and Northeast. In the last five years, 9 peace and border-related agreements have been signed across Northeast, because of which peace has been established in major part of the region," he further stated. 

"Today is a historic day for Assam. During the tenure of PM Modi and under the guidance of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the process of bringing peace has continued. Nearly 8,756 members of militant organisations have joined the mainstream so far," said Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma. 

 Historic ULFA Peace Accord To Power Socio-Economic Optimism In Assam: Union Minister Sonowal

Terming the historic peace agreement with the insurgent group United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) as a moment of socio-economic optimism for Assam, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush, Sarbananda Sonowal, on Friday welcomed the development. “Peace with ULFA reaffirms ‘Modi Ki Guarantee’ for a resurgent, peaceful and vibrant Assam,” hailed Sonowal, the former Chief Minister of Assam.

Speaking on the historic moment, Union Minister Sonowal said, “Today is a historic day for the people of Assam. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, this historic agreement with the ULFA has been signed, ushering a new beginning for the people of Assam. This is ‘Modi Ki Guarantee,’ when decades-old insurgency has come to a halt, powering socio-economic optimism in Assam.” 

“I take this opportunity to congratulate Union Home Minister Amit Shah for his untiring effort to steer this peace process to reach its logical conclusion, ensuring the culmination of a historic incident on a positive note. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, it has ensured that permanent peace is maintained and sustained as Assam moves ahead towards a new age of peace and prosperity,” Minister Sonowal said. 

“Prime Minister Modi’s conscious effort is to take the region to an unprecedented platform of development and progress. Not only does this bring closure to an age-old issue, but it provides an opportunity for our society to explore avenues to become active members of nation building,” Minister Sonowal added.

ULFA Peace Accord

It will also offer indigenous people with cultural safeguards and land rights, according to the accord.

The ULFA's hardline wing, led by Paresh Baruah, would not participate in the accord since he has continuously rejected the government's olive offering.

Two prominent Rajkhowa leaders, Anup Chetia and Sashdhar Choudhary, have been in the national capital since last week, finalising the peace pact with government interlocutors, according to media reports.

Intelligence Bureau Director Tapan Deka and the government's advisor on Northeast matters A K Mishra are among those who have met with the ULFA group from the government side.

The Rajkhowa group began peace negotiations with the government on September 3, 2011, following the signing of an agreement for Suspension of Operations (SoO) between the ULFA, central, and state administrations.

The ULFA faction, led by Arabinda Rajkhowa, began unconditional discussions with the central government in 2011, amid considerable opposition from the hardline part led by Baruah, who is thought to be living near the China-Myanmar border.

The ULFA was founded in 1979 to advocate for a "sovereign Assam."

Since then, it has been involved in subversive actions, prompting the central government to declare it a prohibited organisation in 1990.

(With Inputs From Pallav Bora)