Peace agreement signed between government and ULFA, Home Minister Amit Shah said- ‘Big day for Assam’
The pro-talk faction of the United Liberation Front of Assm on Friday signed a peace accord with the Center and Assam government, agreeing to give up violence, disband the organization and join the democratic process. Officials said that the agreement was signed here in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Amit Shah said that this is a big day for the people of Assam. He said, “Assam was plagued by ULFA violence for a long time and from 1979 till now, 10 thousand people had to lose their lives.”
He said that ULFA, the oldest militant organization of Assam, has agreed to give up violence, dissolve the organization and join the democratic process. He said that under the agreement, a big development package will be given to Assam.
Shah said that each clause of the agreement will be fully implemented. He said that now in Assam there has been a reduction of 87 percent in incidents of violence, 90 percent in deaths and 84 percent in kidnapping incidents.
CM Sarma called the agreement historic
Chief Minister Sarma described the agreement as “historic” and said that this agreement has been possible due to the guidance and leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Shah.
Agreement reached after 12 years of talks
Officials said the agreement was signed after 12 years of unconditional talks between the Arabinda Rajkhowa-led ULFA faction and the government. This peace agreement is expected to end the decades-old insurgency in Assam.
Paresh Baruah is not part of the factional agreement
However, the radical faction of ULFA headed by Paresh Baruah is not part of this agreement. It is believed that Barua lives at a place near the China-Myanmar border.
ULFA was formed in 1979
ULFA was formed in 1979 with the demand for “Sovereign Assam”. Since then, it has been involved in subversive activities due to which the Central Government declared it a banned organization in 1990.
Rajkhowa faction was involved in peace talks in 2011
The Rajkhowa faction joined peace talks with the government on September 3, 2011, when an agreement was signed between it and the central and state governments to stop its activities.
