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GUWAHATI: The Centre and the Assam government held another round of peace talks with the pro-talks faction of Ulfa on Thursday and Friday in New Delhi. However, there has been no headway yet.
This is the is first round of talks after Ulfa rejected a draft peace proposal from the Centre in May last on the ground that it does not cater to its principle demands of political and constitutional safeguards for the indigenous people of Assam with definite certainty. This is the first draft peace agreement from the Centre nearly 12 years after the start of the peace dialogue with the outfit.
The outfit’s general secretary, Anup Chetia, told TOI, “There is need for more discussions. The picture will be clearer only after some time. The focus now is on discussions and the next round will be held very soon”
The four-member team of Ulfa was led by its ‘chairman’ Arabinda Rajkhowa. Besides Chetia, the other members present were Sasadhar Choudhury and Raju Barua. From the government’s side, the team was led by interlocutor AK Mishra and had officials of MHA in the team.
The draft peace deal was based on Ulfa’s 12-point charter of demands submitted in 2011, which includes “constitutional and political arrangements and reforms, protection of the identity and material resources of the local indigenous population of Assam” and “land and natural resources, including the right of natives to the land.”
Based on the charter of demands, the tripartite discussions were held for 12 years before the Centre’s interlocutor AK Mishra in April last handed Ulfa the draft agreement. The draft does include land rights for indigenous people as demanded by the outfit but not the safeguards for the political and constitutional rights of indigenous people, which is a political issue.
Ulfa was formed in 1979 for “restoration of Assam’s sovereignty” and was banned by the Centre in 1990. The outfit split after the pro-talks faction led by Rajkhowa joined peace talks on September 3, 2011.
This is the is first round of talks after Ulfa rejected a draft peace proposal from the Centre in May last on the ground that it does not cater to its principle demands of political and constitutional safeguards for the indigenous people of Assam with definite certainty. This is the first draft peace agreement from the Centre nearly 12 years after the start of the peace dialogue with the outfit.
The outfit’s general secretary, Anup Chetia, told TOI, “There is need for more discussions. The picture will be clearer only after some time. The focus now is on discussions and the next round will be held very soon”
The four-member team of Ulfa was led by its ‘chairman’ Arabinda Rajkhowa. Besides Chetia, the other members present were Sasadhar Choudhury and Raju Barua. From the government’s side, the team was led by interlocutor AK Mishra and had officials of MHA in the team.
The draft peace deal was based on Ulfa’s 12-point charter of demands submitted in 2011, which includes “constitutional and political arrangements and reforms, protection of the identity and material resources of the local indigenous population of Assam” and “land and natural resources, including the right of natives to the land.”
Based on the charter of demands, the tripartite discussions were held for 12 years before the Centre’s interlocutor AK Mishra in April last handed Ulfa the draft agreement. The draft does include land rights for indigenous people as demanded by the outfit but not the safeguards for the political and constitutional rights of indigenous people, which is a political issue.
Ulfa was formed in 1979 for “restoration of Assam’s sovereignty” and was banned by the Centre in 1990. The outfit split after the pro-talks faction led by Rajkhowa joined peace talks on September 3, 2011.
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