In a historic move, the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), a separatist group that aimed to establish a sovereign Assam, has formally disbanded itself after 44 years since its inception.
The decision to disband ULFA was made at the outfit’s final general meeting in Sipajhar, 25 days after signing a memorandum of settlement with the Centre and the Assam government on December 29. The pro-talk ULFA had entered into a tripartite agreement, and as per the pact, it was required to abjure violence, surrender all arms, and disband within one month.
ULFA’s General Secretary, Anup Chetia, stated that the decision to dissolve the organization was taken in accordance with the settlement signed in Delhi. The move will lead to the lifting of sedition cases against the outfit.
Implementation of the Tripartite Agreement
A seven-member monitoring committee, with Anup Chetia as the convenor, will oversee the implementation of various clauses of the tripartite agreement. Additionally, a socio-cultural organization named ‘Asom Jatiya Bikash Mancha’ will be formed to protect the cultural and linguistic identity of the society.
The formal handover of arms and ammunition to the state government is scheduled to take place in a ceremony later this month.
It’s noteworthy that another faction of ULFA, led by Paresh Barua, remains steadfast in its demand for sovereignty and has not yet engaged in talks. This faction’s decision adds complexity to the overall scenario, indicating that the resolution of Assam’s separatist movement involves multifaceted challenges.