On Friday, a memorandum of settlement was signed by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the Assam government, and the pro-talks faction of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA).
Highlighting the significance of the tripartite settlement for Assam’s peace, Home Minister Amit Shah announced the successful elimination of all violent groups in the state. He expressed optimism for Assam’s future, stating that ULFA cadres have agreed to surrender arms, vacate their camps, and transition into mainstream society, participating in the peaceful democratic process defined by law to uphold the country’s integrity. Shah revealed that the number of such cadres amounted to 700 since 1979, all of whom were citizens of the country.
A time-bound program will be established by the MHA to address ULFA’s demands, and a monitoring committee will be formed for oversight, Shah added.
Many rounds of talks
Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla stated that numerous rounds of negotiations with the ULFA had led to the culmination of the peace agreement.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma highlighted the toll of the Assam agitation, revealing that since 1979, approximately 10,000 lives were lost, leaving many families without answers about the reasons behind the deaths of their sons and husbands. Sarma praised the Home Ministry for taking a decisive step to negotiate with the ULFA, emphasizing that the accord would fulfill the aspirations of the people. He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s outreach for bringing peace to Assam.
Sarma noted that only 15% of the area in Assam remained under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA). He also extended an invitation for the Paresh Baruah faction to join the talks, expressing optimism about continuing the dialogue. Despite one of Baruah’s conditions being the conclusion of the present accord, Sarma believed that having reached this stage, they would be able to complete the rest of the journey, ensuring that the talks would persist.
Key points
The Chief Minister outlined key provisions of the peace accord, emphasizing that 97 out of 126 Assembly seats in Assam would be reserved for indigenous people, with future delimitation exercises adhering to this principle. This, he asserted, would address the political insecurity of the people of Assam.
He disclosed that a substantial investment of ₹1.5 lakh crore had been committed in the peace accord, ensuring constitutional safeguards by protecting land rights and imposing restrictions on migration between constituencies.
During the signing of the peace pact at North Block, a 16-member ULFA delegation, led by Arabinda Rajkhowa, was present. This group had entered peace talks in 2011 by signing a suspension of operation (SoO) with the MHA and the Assam government.
The other faction, ULFA-I, led by Paresh Baruah, has not participated in the peace process. Baruah, reportedly in China, commands the support of 100 cadres primarily operating along the Myanmar border.
Born during the anti-foreigners movement of 1979, the ULFA emerged while demanding a sovereign state for the Assamese people, triggered by an influx of Bengali-speaking individuals into India post-1971, coinciding with the Bangladesh Liberation War.
Sasadhar Chowdhury of the ULFA expressed optimism at the meeting, stating, “this will bring lasting peace and development in Assam.”
