ULFA, Centre and Assam government to sign historic tripartite peace accord on December 29

A Memorandum of Settlement is set to be signed on December 29 at 5 pm in New Delhi. The historic agreement will involve the Government of India, the Government of Assam, and representatives of the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), marking a crucial step towards resolving longstanding issues.

Announcing the momentous occasion, the Assam Government took to microblogging site X on December 28, revealing that the signing ceremony will be graced by the presence of Union Home Minister & Minister of Cooperation, Sh. Amit Shah. Also attending will be Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, along with more than a dozen top leaders of the pro-talks faction of the ULFA, headed by Arabinda Rajkhowa.

The peace accord aims to address a range of persistent political, economic, and social issues concerning Assam. Additionally, it includes provisions for cultural safeguards and land rights to ensure the well-being of the indigenous people.

Notably, the hardline faction of ULFA, led by Paresh Baruah, will not be part of the agreement, consistently rejecting the government's peace offerings. Key leaders of the Rajkhowa faction, Anup Chetia and Sashdhar Choudhary, were in the national capital last week for final discussions with government interlocutors.

Government representatives engaged in discussions with the ULFA faction include Director of the Intelligence Bureau Tapan Deka and the government's advisor on Northeast affairs A K Mishra. The Rajkhowa-led ULFA faction initiated unconditional talks with the central government in 2011, despite opposition from the hardline faction led by Paresh Baruah, believed to be residing along the China-Myanmar border.

Formed in 1979 with the demand for a 'sovereign Assam,' ULFA's involvement in subversive activities led to its designation as a banned outfit by the central government in 1990. The Rajkhowa faction commenced peace talks with the government on September 3, 2011, following the signing of an agreement for Suspension of Operations (SoO) between ULFA, the central government, and state governments.