NEW DELHI: A tripartite peace accord to end Assam’s decades-long insurgency was inked between the pro-talks faction of the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), the Centre and the Assam government in New Delhi on Friday following years of negotiations.
The pro-talks ULFA faction vowed to shun violence, disband, and join the democratic process. However, the hardline faction, led by Paresh Baruah, is not a part of the accord. Union home minister Amit Shah, who was present along with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma at the signing of the accords, called it a golden day for Assam.
“The agreement is a significant milestone to fulfill 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.
After the accord was signed, representatives of the pro-talks faction said the Centre will take up more than 60 developmental projects in various sectors in Assam in the next five years and a special development package of Rs 5,000 crore will be provided.
They said that among their demands is the setting up of land banks from encroachment-free land, allotment of land to landless indigenous communities and the formation of a committee to study the problems faced by tea gardens and their workers. They have also called on the government to treat Assam’s flood and soil erosion problems as a national priority. Shah said all demands will be fulfilled and a panel will be formed to monitor the implementation of the accord.
Violence down by 87%
Amit Shah said violence is down by 87% in Assam
He claimed that 10,000 people lost their since 1979 in violence by ULFA