A 16-member team of United Liberation Front of Asom, ULFA’s pro-talk faction reached Delhi, to participate in the momentous peace Accord signing ceremony that will be held on December 29.
On Wednesday, a discussion-oriented group of ULFA, brought a team of 16 members to New Delhi. Right after landing at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, the group has reportedly been taken to an undisclosed location by the local authorities. The details of their whereabouts are not known until now.
Under the leadership of President Arvind Rajkhowa, the ULFA delegation of 16 members includes prominent leaders such as Raju Barua, Chitrabon Hazarika, and Pranati Deka. ULFA’s editor-in-chief Anup Chetia and foreign secretary Shashadhar Choudhury are already in New Delhi.
A momentous event is scheduled to take place in New Delhi on December 29, 2023, when the pro-talk side of the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) gets ready to sign a peace agreement with the Indian government. This historic event is a big step towards ending prolonged conflicts and promoting peace in the area. 16 members of the ULFA pro-talk faction have reached the nation’s capital in order to complete this historic deal.
After talks started in 2011, the peace agreement has been in the works for more than ten years. It is anticipated to meet a detailed 12-point charter of demands presented by the ULFA. These demands include political and constitutional changes meant to safeguard the indigenous people of Assam’s identity and resources, especially their land rights. The details of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council’s land rights, the Rs 6 crore allocation for Assam Accord, and the preservation of seats in Parliament and the Legislative Assembly have been reportedly included in the agreement. However, the exact specifics of these provisions are not yet clearly known.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be present at the signing event, demonstrating the dedication of the central as well as state governments to achieving long-term peace in Assam.
This peace agreement, known as the “mother of all peace deals,” is regarded as a significant development in talks. It is well-positioned to concentrate mostly on development strategies that will help the area’s residents. To finalise the contents of the accord, the pro-talk faction of the ULFA, headed by prominent personalities like Anup Chetia and Sashadhar Choudhury, has been actively involved in conversations with senior officials of the Home Ministry.
There is hope that this peace agreement would end decades of conflict and insurgency in Assam and bring in a new era of stability and prosperity as the team travels to Delhi.
In essence, while the pro-talk ULFA leadership had initially aimed to create a significant impact on the government through the signed agreement, the Chairman of ULFA(Independent), Paresh Baruah, remains firm in his stance. Despite the signing of this accord, Paresh Baruah of ULFA(Independent) is unlikely to give up armed resistance. Moreover, if we look at the context of the 6th clause of the Assam Accord signed in 1985, even if there is an agreement now with the pro-talk ULFA leadership, the benefits for Assam from this accord are yet to be clearly defined in the coming days.
