ULFA signs peace accord with Centre, Assam govt; Amit Shah assures time-bound implementation of pact

The United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA)’s pro-talks faction on Wednesday signed a tripartite peace accord with the Centre and the Assam government in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah who assured time-bound implementation of pact.The agreement came after 12 years of unconditional negotiations between the ULFA faction led by Arabinda Rajkhowa and the government, marking a significant breakthrough in northeast's insurgency problem.Apart from Shah, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, and more than a dozen top leaders of the pro-talks faction of the ULFA, headed by Arabinda Rajkhowa, were present during the signing of the peace agreement."This is a new start of a period of peace for the whole Northeast especially Assam. I want to assure ULFA representatives that the faith you have kept in Govt of India, from the side of Ministry of Home Affairs(MHA), a programme will be made in a time-bound manner to fulfill everything, without you asking for it. Under MHA, a committee will be formed, which will work with the Assam govt to fullfill this agreement," said Shah.The accord will take care of a host of long-standing political, economic, and social issues concerning Assam, besides providing cultural safeguards and land rights to the indigenous people, the officials said.The peace pact is expected to end decades old insurgency in Assam.However, the hardline faction of the ULFA headed by Paresh Baruah is not part of the agreement. Baruah is believed to be residing at a place along the China-Myanmar border.The ULFA was formed in 1979 with the demand for a "sovereign Assam".Since then, it has been involved in subversive activities that led to the central government declaring it a banned outfit in 1990.The Rajkhowa faction joined peace talks with the government on 3 September, 2011, after an agreement for Suspension of Operations (SoO) was signed between it and central and state governments.With inputs from agencies