The government and Ulfa moved closer to a political solution to the decades-old insurgency in Assam as the banned outfit abandoned its key demand of ‘sovereignty’.
“Certain things are still under discussion. But we hope the working draft will be ready very soon,” joint secretary (northeast) in the home ministry Shambhu Singh said.
After an hour-long meeting with a 26-member delegation of Ulfa, headed by ‘chairman’ Arabinda Rajkhowa, Singh said the government understood Ulfa’s concerns and demands and was trying to find a solution to the three issues on which there was no agreement yet. The three issues are protection of the political and cultural identity of the indigenous people of Assam, land rights and illegal immigration.
Both sides discussed various aspects of the group’s ‘charter of demands’, which seek a constitutional amendment for finding ‘meaningful’ ways to protect the rights and identity of the indigenous people of Assam. The ‘sovereignty’ demand was not discussed.
Home secretary R K Singh who chaired the meet, termed the talks “successful” and hoped Ulfa ‘general secretary’ Anup Chetia would be repatriated from Bangladesh soon.
“Certain things are still under discussion. But we hope the working draft will be ready very soon,” joint secretary (northeast) in the home ministry Shambhu Singh said.
After an hour-long meeting with a 26-member delegation of Ulfa, headed by ‘chairman’ Arabinda Rajkhowa, Singh said the government understood Ulfa’s concerns and demands and was trying to find a solution to the three issues on which there was no agreement yet. The three issues are protection of the political and cultural identity of the indigenous people of Assam, land rights and illegal immigration.
Both sides discussed various aspects of the group’s ‘charter of demands’, which seek a constitutional amendment for finding ‘meaningful’ ways to protect the rights and identity of the indigenous people of Assam. The ‘sovereignty’ demand was not discussed.
Home secretary R K Singh who chaired the meet, termed the talks “successful” and hoped Ulfa ‘general secretary’ Anup Chetia would be repatriated from Bangladesh soon.
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