Guwahati, Dec 27: In a significant development, the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA)’s pro-talks faction arrived in Delhi and is expected to sign a tripartite peace agreement with the Union and Assam governments by December end.
According to sources, after signing of the agreement with the pro-talks faction, most of the issues will be solved.
The pro-talks faction has sought constitutional and political reforms for the protection of the identity and resources of Assam’s indigenous people including their right to land.
The Union government in April sent it a draft agreement. An earlier round of talks between the two sides was held in Delhi in August.
The separatist ULFA was formed in April 1979 in the aftermath of an agitation against undocumented immigrants from Bangladesh (erstwhile East Pakistan).
It split into two groups in February 2011 with the Arabinda Rajkhowa-led faction giving up violence and agreeing to unconditional talks with the government. Paresh Baruah, who leads the other rebranded ULFA-Independent faction, is against the talks.
“Talks were expected to begin and the Union government would decide the date for the signing the agreement. It is likely to held before the end of this year,” said a source.
Anup Chetia, general secretary of ULFA, and Sasadhar Choudhury, the ULFA pro-talks faction’s foreign secretary, were set to meet AK Mishra, the Union government’s interlocutor, to discuss the agreement.
