In a significant breakthrough in the northeast's insurgency problem, the Centre signed a peace accord with the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) on Friday. The pro-talks faction of the insurgent group signed the deal with the Centre and Assam government in the presence of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The tripartite Memorandum of Settlement pact was signed after the militant group agreed to give up violence and join the mainstream.
Tripartite peace accord comes after 12 years of negotiations
According to officials, the development came after 12 years of unconditional negotiations between the ULFA faction led by Arabinda Rajkhowa and the government. The peace pact is likely to end decades-old insurgency in Assam. The agreement, however, does not include the hardline faction of the ULFA headed by Paresh Baruah. It is believed that Baruah is residing somewhere along the China-Myanmar border.
Amit Shah's statement
Speaking on the development, 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 the 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," he added.
Historic day for Assam: Sarma
Meanwhile, the Assam Chief Minister termed the day as "historic". "Today is a historic day for Assam. During PM Modi's tenure, under the guidance of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, work for Assam's peace was always underway...three accords have been signed and with three accords tribal militancy has come to an end in Assam," he added.
Why ULFA was formed?
It should be noted here that the ULFA was formed in 1979 with the demand for a "sovereign Assam". Since then, it has been involved in subversive activities that led to the central government declaring it a banned outfit in 1990. The Rajkhowa faction joined peace talks with the government on September 3, 2011, after an agreement for Suspension of Operations (SoO) was signed between it and central and state governments.
Here's chronology of ULFA insurgency in Assam
- April 7, 1979: ULFA was formed at Rang Ghar, an Ahom-era amphitheatre, in Assam's Sivasagar.
- June, 1979: Members meet at Moran to discuss the outfit's name, symbol, flag and constitution.
- 1980: Begins flexing its muscles by targeting Congress politicians, business houses from outside the state, tea gardens and public sector companies, particularly oil and gas sector.
- 1985-1990: Assam slips into turmoil during the first term of the Asom Gana Parishad government-led by Prafulla Kumar Mahanta with the ULFA unleashing a spate of kidnappings, extortions and killings, including Russian engineer Sergei.
- November 1990: Unilever's seven tea executives airlifted from Doomdooma with the help of Union home ministry and without the knowledge of the Assam government.
- November 28, 1990: Operation Bajrang launched by Army against ULFA.
- November 29, 1990: President's Rule imposed with the dismissal of Mahanta-led AGP government.
- November 1990: Assam declared a Disturbed Area and the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act invoked. ULFA declared a separatist and unlawful organization.
- January 31, 1991: Operation Bajrang called off.
- September,1991: Operation Rhino launched against ULFA.
- March 1992: ULFA splits into two factions with a section coming over ground and surrendering and organising themselves as Surrendered ULFA (SULFA)
- 1997-2000: Series of killings of family members of ULFA militants allegedly by SULFA which was termed as 'Secret Killings'.
- 2001: Congress government with Tarun Gogoi as the chief minister assumes office.
- December 2003: 'Operation All Clear' launched by the Royal Bhutan Army to close down ULFA and other NE militants camps in the neighbouring country.
- 2004: ULFA agrees to hold talks with the government.
- June, 2008: Leaders of ULFA's 28th Battalion declare unilateral ceasefire.
- December 2010: Jailed ULFA leader forms 'Citizen Forum', comprising intellectuals, writers, journalists and professionals to urge government for talks.
- 2012: ULFA submits 12-point charter of demands to the government.
- 2015: ULFA general secretary Anup Chetia released from a Bangladesh jail after serving a term of 18 years since 1997.
- May 2021: BJP's Himanta Biswa Sarma becomes chief minister and extends olive branch to Paresh Barua-led ULFA(I).
- April 2023: Centre sends draft of the proposed agreement to the ULFA (pro-talks) faction.
- December 29, 2023: Tripartite signing of Memorandum of Settlement between the Centre, state government and ULFA (pro-talks) faction.
(With inputs from PTI)
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