In a significant development, a peace dialogue between the central government and a faction of the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) is poised to be signed this evening in the national capital, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in attendance. The dialogue, spanning over a decade, has paved the way for a Memorandum of Settlement, set to be signed at 5 pm today.
The 30-member delegation, comprising 16 ULFA members and 14 representatives from civil society, arrived in Delhi earlier this week for the historic event. The Memorandum of Settlement will be signed between the government of India, the government of Assam, and representatives of the ULFA pro-talks faction.
ULFA, emerging in April 1979 amid an agitation against undocumented immigrants from Bangladesh, witnessed a split in 2011. The pro-talks faction, led by Arabinda Rajkhowa, chose to engage in peace talks, while the ULFA (Independent) faction, led by Paresh Barua, opposed negotiations unless the ‘sovereignty’ clause was discussed.
The pro-talks faction, led by Arabinda Rajkhowa, renounced violence and committed to unconditional talks with the government. Anup Chetia, another key ULFA functionary, joined the pro-talks group in subsequent years. Anup Chetia, currently in Delhi, revealed that the talks between ULFA and the government are in the final stage.
In 2011, ULFA presented a 12-point charter of demands to the government, covering constitutional and political arrangements, protection of the identity and resources of the local indigenous population of Assam. The Union government sent a draft agreement in April, initiating a series of discussions leading up to the signing of the peace pact.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who assumed office in May 2021, has been instrumental in the state’s peace-building efforts. Over 7,000 insurgents from various rebel groups have surrendered to join the mainstream under his leadership. The state government has implemented rehabilitation programs to reintegrate former insurgents into society.
Himanta Biswa Sarma has repeatedly urged ULFA(I) leader Paresh Baruah to return to the mainstream and participate in the state’s development. The impending peace pact with the ULFA pro-talks faction will mark a significant step in resolving longstanding issues through dialogue.
Assam, grappling with decades-long insurgency, has witnessed operations from central paramilitary and armed forces. Operations Bajrang and Rhino were notable campaigns against ULFA. The insurgency prompted the imposition of the Disturbed Areas Act and Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in Assam in 1980, now limited to specific districts in Upper Assam.