In an effort to put an end to the decades-long insurgency in Assam, the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), the Centre, and the Assam government signed the much-anticipated historic tripartite peace accord here on Dec 29.  

Union home minister Amit Shah and Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma were present during the peace pact signing.

A delegation of 16 pro-talk members of the ULFA , headed by its chairperson Arabinda Rajkhowa, represented the faction.

The historic agreement is expected to go beyond previous agreements, highlighting an unmatched economic stimulus and strong safeguarding for indigenous populations, an official said.

More than 9,000 militant groups surrendered

According to the union home minister, the ministry of home affairs worked with the vision of a northeast free from extremism, violence and conflict.

He said that in the last five years, nine peace and border related agreements have been signed with different states in the northeast, and all these developments have established peace in a large part of the northeast.

Shah also said that more than 9,000 cadres (of militant groups) have surrendered and the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) has been lifted from 85% of Assam.

“So far, 7,500 cadres have surrendered in Assam alone, which will have an addition of 750 more today, thus the surrender of over 8,200 cadres in Assam alone is the beginning of a new era of peace,” the home minister added.

What is ULFA?

The demand for a “sovereign Assam” led to the formation of the ULFA in 1979.

Its subsequent subversive actions resulted in the Central government designating it as a prohibited group in 1990.

However, prominent leaders of ULFA were either arrested or surrendered around 2009. But the faction led by Paresh Baruah (known as ULFA-I) is still involved in insurgency activities and has not agreed to come to the table for talks.

(Source: IANS)

-Edited for style

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