Assam: Govt-Ulfa sign a Suspension of Operation deal

Guwahati, Sep 4: The Centre and the state government have signed an agreement for Suspension of Operation (SoS) with Ulfa at New Delhi, on Saturday, Sep 3. The outfit members also signed a tripartite agreement to abandon violence from their side to create a platform for starting the political dialogue with the government.

The agreement would not be applicable for those cadres who refuse the ceasefire ground rules and government operation will be continued against them, as told by former deputy commander-in-chief Raju Baruah, one of signatories of the agreement.

Meanwhile, the small fraction of outfit led by the Ulfa commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah has rejected the decision taken by majority of the outfit members to have a peace talk with government and made it clear that there will be no talks without sovereignty in demand on the proposed agenda. Which is why Baruah refused to come under pro- talk fraction who declared ceasefire few months back.

An MHA statement said, "A tripartite agreement for Suspension of Operations (SoO) against Ulfa was signed here today. Ulfa had earlier agreed to abjure violence and find a solution to the problems as perceived by them through peaceful negotiations with the government of India and government of Assam."

To sign the SoS, the centre was represented by the MHA joint secretary (North-East) Shambhu Singh, while the Assam government was represented by home commissioner, Jishnu Barua and additional director general of police Khagen Sharma. On the other side, Ulfa was represented by foreign secretary Shashadhar Chaudhuri, finance secretary Chitraban Hazarika and Raju Baruah.

"This meeting was more of a confidence building nature to ensure that the peace talks progress without any hitches. The suspension of operation was already there and we only formalized it today," Raju Baruah said.

The proposed talk will take place in every month and the first political dialogue is expected to take place in the month of October. However, it is the second attempt made by two sides as it failed earlier during Narasimha Rao government in 1992 after the first round.

OneIndia News