Demand to start peace talks with United Liberation Front of Asom grows louder

With banned militant outfit, United Liberation Front of Asom - Independent (ULFA-I) declaring a three-month-long ceasefire and releasing abducted ONGC employee, demand to start peace talks grows louder. Assam chief minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said, “We need to move cautiously in this regard (peace process) and we are moving in this direction.”

Sarma had earlier said that the outfit can show its intent for talks by releasing an abducted employee of ONGC Ritul Saikia. ULFA-I released Saikia and on Saturday he reached his home.

Sarma while talking to media persons on Thursday said, “if ULFA shows willingness, I am sure Prime minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah will reciprocate. If talks are to be held it has to be with the outfit and government of India.” Last month ULFA (Independent) abducted three employees of ONGC, police have rescued two persons and one is in the captivity of ULFA.


Satradhikar (religious heads) of Dakhinpat (Vashavite institution in Majuli) Nanigopal Devgoswami wrote a letter to the government and appealed to ULFA-I commander in chief Paresh Barua to come for peace talks.

In 2005 ULFA appointed a group, Peoples Consultative Group (PCG) to discuss peace with the government of India. The group had at least three rounds of discussion with the government of India, Prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh has taken initiative in this regard. However, the group pulled itself out of negotiations citing the government's renewed offensive against ULFA.

Earlier the pro-talk faction of ULFA had submitted a charter of demand to the Centre. The peace talks between a faction of ULFA and Centre started in 2011. ULFA General Secretary, Anup Chetia was extradited to India in November 2015 from Bangladesh. Later he joined the peace process.