The United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I) led by Paresh Baruah which remained aloof from the historic peace accord signing ceremony, said that it is open to peace talks with the government and is waiting for Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s word on convincing the Centre to discuss the sovereignty issue.
ULFA-I Is Ready For Talks If Sovereignty Discussed
“We are open to discussion keeping in mind the history and principles of the state. There is no problem discussing our core issue. Just discussing our core issue will not mean that it is against the Constitution of India. Discussion of the issue should not scare anyone,” Paresh Baruah said.
Meanwhile, CM Sarma said that the peace accord will stimulate the anti-talk faction to come for talks. A significant step towards peace was taken in Assam, as the pro-talks faction of ULFA signed a historic peace accord with the Union government and the Assam government on December 29. The ceremony, attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the Assam CM, marked the culmination of 12 years of negotiations aimed at ending decades of insurgency in the Northeastern state.
Despite the historic peace accord, lasting peace remains uncertain due to the stance of ULFA-I led by Paresh Baruah. He has expressed openness to talks with the government, provided that the issue of Assam’s sovereignty is on the table.
