ULFA has signed a peace deal with the Centre and the Assam government
New Delhi:
A tripartite peace deal between the Centre, the Assam government, and the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) has been signed in Delhi, bringing the curtains down on one of the biggest insurgent groups in the northeast region.
The ULFA (Independent) faction led by Paresh Baruah remains opposed to talks.
The peace deal aims to address issues such as illegal immigration, land rights for indigenous communities, and a financial package for Assam’s development.
Home Minister Amit Shah told reporters in Delhi the Centre will ensure all the reasonable demands by ULFA will be met in a time-bound manner, and ULFA as an organisation will be disbanded.
“We want to assure the ULFA leadership that their trust in the Centre to ensure the success of the peace process will be honoured,” Mr Shah said, and credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for bringing peace and stability in the northeast.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who sat beside Mr Shah, said the peace deal with ULFA will solve the problem of insurgency in the region to a large extent.
The Modi government has signed many peace deals with insurgent groups in the northeast after they agreed to lay down arms. In November, Manipur’s oldest valley-based armed group UNLF also signed a tripartite peace agreement with the Centre and the state government.
