The pro-talks faction of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) is expected to finalize a peace agreement with the Indian government and the Assam state government on December 29. The 30-member delegation, which includes 16 ULFA members and 14 representatives from civil society, arrived in Delhi on December 26 to engage in talks.
Anup Chetia, the general secretary of the organization, stated that the signing of the peace agreement is scheduled for the evening of December 29. The ULFA, a separatist group formed in April 1979 in response to concerns about undocumented immigrants from Bangladesh, split into two factions in February 2011. The faction led by Arabinda Rajkhowa chose a non-violent approach and engaged in unconditional talks with the government, while the faction led by Paresh Baruah (ULFA-Independent) opposed negotiations.
The pro-talks faction has advocated for constitutional and political reforms to safeguard the identity and resources of Assam’s indigenous people, including their right to land. The Union government presented a draft agreement to the ULFA pro-talks faction in April, and talks have been ongoing since then. Previous discussions between the two parties occurred in Delhi in August.
The Union government has successfully signed peace deals with various insurgent groups in Assam, including the Bodo, Dimasa, Karbi, and Adivasi outfits, over the past three years. Once the peace agreement with the ULFA pro-talks faction is finalized, the banned ULFA-Independent led by Paresh Baruah would be the only major insurgent outfit remaining in the state.
