(MENAFN- AsiaNet News) United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA)'s pro-talks faction on Friday (December 29) signed a tripartite Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) with the Centre and the Assam government in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Shah, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, and over a dozen key leaders from the pro-talks faction of ULFA, under Arabinda Rajkhowa's leadership attended the imminent signing of a crucial peace agreement.
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Addressing the gathering, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said, "Today is a historic day for Assam. During PM Modi's tenure, under the guidance of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, work for Assam's peace was always underway... three accords have been signed and with three accords tribal militancy has come to an end in Assam."
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said, "It is a matter of joy for me that today is a bright day for the future of Assam. For a long time, Assam, Northeast faced violence and after PM Modi became PM in 2014, efforts were made to reduce the gap between Delhi and Northeast."
According to officials familiar with the matter, the accord, that addresses a spectrum of enduring political, economic, and societal concerns in Assam, aims to extend cultural protections and land rights to the region's indigenous populace.
Ahead of the agreement, two prominent figures from the Rajkhowa-led group, Anup Chetia and Sashdhar Choudhary, had been in the capital for the past week, working closely with government negotiators to finalize the terms.
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It should be noted that the government figures engaged in discussions with the ULFA faction include Intelligence Bureau Director Tapan Deka and Northeast affairs advisor AK Mishra.
The Rajkhowa-led ULFA faction initiated unconditional talks with the central government back in 2011, despite staunch opposition from the Baruah faction, believed to be located along the China-Myanmar border.
Originating in 1979 with the aim of a "sovereign Assam," ULFA has been historically associated with subversive activities, leading to its banning by the central government in 1990.
The Rajkhowa faction's engagement in peace talks commenced on September 3, 2011, following the signing of a Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement involving ULFA, central, and state governments.
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