On Friday, the pro-talks faction of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) signed a peace accord with the central and Assam governments, signaling an end to violence and the group’s integration into the mainstream. The agreement, inked in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, follows 12 years of unconditional negotiations between the ULFA faction led by Arabinda Rajkhowa and the government. The historic peace pact is expected to bring an end to the long-standing insurgency in Assam. However, it’s important to note that the hardline faction of the ULFA, led by Paresh Baruah, remains outside the agreement, with Baruah believed to be residing along the China-Myanmar border.
The ULFA, formed in 1979 with the demand for a “sovereign Assam,” has been involved in subversive activities over the decades, leading to its ban by the central government in 1990. The faction led by Rajkhowa initiated peace talks in 2011, following the signing of a Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with the central and state governments. The latest development is a significant step toward resolving the insurgency issue in the region.
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