Ulfa agrees to shun violence, signs peace accord with Centre, Assam govt
New Delhi: The pro-talks faction of the United Liberation Front of Asom (Ulfa) on Friday signed a peace accord with the Centre and the Assam government, agreeing to shun violence, disband the organisation and join the democratic process.
Union home minister Amit Shah, who was present along with Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma at the signing of the accord here at North Block, said it was “a very big day for the people of Assamâ€.
At the signing ceremony, a Ulfa representative said: “This will bring lasting peace in Assam. I apologise for any wrongdoing from our side.â€
He also said in the Ulfa conflict, about 10,000 people from both sides, who were citizens of this country, had been killed, but today this problem was being completely resolved. He said the Centre had agreed to provide a huge package and several big projects for the development of Assam.
“Assam has suffered for a long time due to the violence of Ulfa and 10,000 people have lost their lives in this violence since 1979,†he said.
Shah said that Ulfa, the oldest insurgent group of Assam, had agreed to abjure violence, surrender arms, disband the organisation, vacate their camps and join the democratic process.
A big development package will be given to Assam as part of the accord, he said, pledging “every clause of the pact will be fully implementedâ€.
“The agreement is a significant milestone to fulfil Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a peaceful, prosperous and insurgency-free Northeast and bringing everlasting peace, prosperity and all-round development of Assam,†he said, adding that the accord will be implemented in a time-bound manner.
Shah also said the home ministry, under the PM's guidance, worked with the vision of a Northeast free from extremism, violence and conflict. In the last five years, nine peace- and border-related agreements have been signed with several insurgent groups in different Northeast states, establishing peace in large parts of the region, the home minister added.
Over 9,000 cadres have surrendered and the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) has been lifted from 85 per cent of Assam, he said.
The Assam chief minister said the accord was “historic†and that it had fructified due to the guidance and leadership of the Prime Minister and home minister Amit Shah.
“Nobody has answers why their sons and husbands were killed, those who were killing were also not aware why they were killed. The home ministry took a decisive step that they negotiated with Ulfa and brought a closure. This accord will fulfil the aspirations of the people. Modi's outreach has brought peace to Assam,†Sarma said.
He said among the 10,000 people killed in Ulfa violence, around 400 to 500 were security personnel while the rest were native people of Assam.
Under the accord, about Rs 1.5 lakh crore will be invested in Assam in various development projects. Besides, in future delimitation exercises, the existing principle will be applied in Assam so that the interests of the indigenous people of the state are protected, he said.
“The accord will give political security and constitutional safeguards to the indigenous people of Assam by way of delimitation, land rights,†Sarma said, adding that 726 more cadres will join the mainstream now.
Ulfa leader Sashadhar Choudhary, thanking the PM, Shah and Sarma, expressed the hope that the pact will bring durable peace and stability in Assam.
Besides the 16-member delegation led by Ulfa chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa, representatives from 13 civil society organisations were present. The accord came after 12 years of unconditional negotiations between the Rajkhowa-led Ulfa faction and the government, the officials said.
However, Ulfa's hardline faction headed by Paresh Baruah is not a part of the agreement. Baruah is believed to be residing at a place along the China-Myanmar border. The Assam CM said Baruah is likely to join the peace process now, and that state government representatives are in touch with him.
