Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma chaired a meeting on Thursday with a 13-member delegation from the disbanded pro-talks faction of ULFA. The discussions primarily centred around the rehabilitation of former ULFA cadres in Guwahati. During the meeting, the delegation presented their demands, emphasizing the need for measures to enable them to lead respectable lives post-disbandment.
In response to the delegation’s demands, Chief Minister Sarma assured them that a rehabilitation mechanism would be devised promptly to address their concerns. He expressed the government’s commitment to proactively resolving all issues to ensure that the ex-cadres and their families can lead decent lives.
Furthermore, Himanta Biswa Sarma pledged to collaborate with all stakeholders to expedite the implementation of the Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) signed in a tripartite agreement on December 29. The agreement involved the Central government, the State government, and the pro-talks faction of ULFA. The delegation, led by President Rajib Rajkowar and General Secretary Golap Barua, made their demands during the meeting.
Key officials, including DGP GP Singh, Additional Chief Secretary Home and Political Avinash Puroshattam Das Joshi, ADGP Hiren Nath, and other senior officers from the Home department, were present at the meeting.
The December agreement holds significance as it marked the end of ULFA-Independent as the only major insurgent outfit in the state, following the pro-talks faction’s agreement with the Central and Assam governments. The ULFA originated in April 1979 during an agitation against undocumented immigrants from Bangladesh (then East Pakistan). The group split in February 2011, with the Arabinda Rajkhowa-led faction renouncing violence and opting for unconditional talks, while Paresh Baruah, leading the ULFA-Independent faction, remained opposed to negotiations.
The delegation’s visit to Delhi for the settlement pact included a series of talks with officials in the Central government. It is noteworthy that the Union government has successfully signed peace deals with various rebel groups in Assam, such as the Bodo, Dimasa, Karbi, and Adivasi outfits, over the past three years, ending decades-long instability in the region.
