After formally signing a tripartite agreement on December 29 last year, the pro-talk ULFA took a historic step by dissolving 44 years after its inception.
As per the terms of the agreement, ULFA committed to renounce violence, surrender all weapons and ammunition, and disband the group within a stipulated period of 30 days. The agreement, a collaborative effort between ULFA, the central government, and the Assam government, marked a significant milestone in the peace process.
During a meeting held in Assam’s Darrang district on Tuesday, Anup Chetia, the organization's general secretary, announced the decision to dissolve the group. In line with the agreement, a seven-member monitoring committee was formed during the meeting to ensure the effective implementation of various provisions.
Anup Chetia will serve as the convenor of the committee, which aims to oversee the establishment of Asom Jatiya Bikash Mancha, a socio-cultural organization dedicated to preserving the linguistic and cultural uniqueness of the community.
Chetia revealed that the committee members plan to meet with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to discuss the agreement's implementation and formally inform him of the group's dissolution, as per the agreement's clause.
The meeting also addressed the potential organizational structure for the rehabilitation of cadres and their involvement in profitable business ventures, according to Mrinal Hazarika, a senior leader.
Additionally, ULFA committed to vacate all designated camps where its cadres were residing since the initiation of talks in 2011. An official ceremony is scheduled later this month for the formal transfer of weapons and ammunition to the state administration.
The agreement, signed in New Delhi in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, encompasses ex-gratia payments to the cadres, funding for their economic and vocational training, and the withdrawal of criminal cases for less serious offenses.
Founded on April 7, 1979, in Sivasagar by a group of 20 youths from Upper Assam districts, ULFA initially aimed to use violent resistance to establish a sovereign Assam. The recent dissolution marks a significant turn in the group's trajectory, paving the way for a peaceful resolution and a new chapter in Assam's history.
(With Agency Inputs)
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