United Liberation Front of Asom

United Liberation Front of Assam
United Liberation Front of Assam
Leaders	Paresh Baruah, Arabinda Rajkhowa (POW), Pradip Gogoi (POW), Anup Chetia (POW), Raju Baruah (POW), Sashadhar Choudhury (POW), Chitraban Hazarika (POW), Mithinga Daimary (POW), Bolin Das (POW), Pranati Deka (POW)
Dates of operation	7 April 1979 – 29 December 2023(44 years)[Ulfa-pro truce faction]; 7 April 1979 – present (45 years) [Ulfa-I]
Split to	United Liberation Front of Asom – Independent (ULFA-I) ; United Liberation Front of Asom (Pro-truce faction)
Allegiance	United National Liberation Front of Western South East Asia
Group(s)	Political Wing ; Sanjukta Mukti Fouj (Armed Wing)
Motives	Establishment of an independent Assam
Headquarters	Myanmar and China
Active regions	Assam, India
Ideology	Assamese nationalism; Socialism
Status	Active(ULFA-I); Surrendered (ULFA-pro truce faction)
Size	200(2024)
Opponents	Government of India, ; Government of Assam
Battles and wars	Insurgency in Northeast India
Designated as a terrorist group by	India

The United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) is an armed militant organisation operating in the Northeast Indian state of Assam.^[3]^[4]^[5] It seeks to establish an independent sovereign nation state of Assam for the indigenous Assamese people through an armed struggle in the Assam conflict. The Government of India banned the organisation in 1990 citing it as a terrorist organisation,^[6] while the United States Department of State lists it under "other groups of concern".^[7]

According to ULFA (Assamese militant) sources, it was founded on 7 April 1979^[3]^[8] at Rang Ghar and began operations in 1990. Sunil Nath, former Central Publicity Secretary and spokesman of ULFA has stated that the organisation established ties with the Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland in 1983 and with the Burma based Kachin Independent Army in 1987. Military operations against the ULFA by the Indian Army began in 1990 and continue into the present. On 5 December 2009, the chairman and the deputy commander-in-chief of ULFA was taken into Indian custody.^[9] In 2011, there was a major crackdown on the ULFA in Bangladesh, which greatly assisted the government of India in bringing ULFA leaders to talks. In January 2010, ULFA softened its stance and dropped demands for independence as a condition for talks with the Government of India.^[10]

On 3 September 2011, a tripartite agreement for "Suspension of Operations" agreement was signed by the Indian government, the Assam government and the ULFA.^[11]

^ Kashyap, Aruni (19 May 2010). "India needs talks for Assam's peace". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 28 September 2018. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
^ Goswami, Sandhya (2020). Assam politics in post-Congress era 1985 and beyond. New Delhi, India: SAGE Publications. p. 60. ISBN 978-93-5388-364-5.
^ ^a ^b "United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) - Terrorist Group of Assam". Satp.org. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
^ "India's Treacherous Northeast". Yaleglobal.yale.edu. 26 September 2012. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
^ "Banned Organizations". Ministry of Home Affairs. Archived from the original on 28 December 2019. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
^ "NIA :: Banned Terrorist Organisations". Nia.gov.in. Archived from the original on 19 January 2014. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
^ Department Of State. The Office of Electronic Information, Bureau of Public Affairs (30 April 2007). "Chapter 6 -- Terrorist Organizations". 2001-2009.state.gov. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
^ "Why the militant group ULFA matters ahead of Assam Assembly Polls". Retrieved 28 December 2019.
^ "Ulfa leaders held, admit China link". Hindustan Times. 5 December 2009. Archived from the original on 17 February 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
^ "ULFA softens demand on Assam independence". Reuters. 3 January 2011. Retrieved 3 January 2011.
^ "Tripartite agreement signed with ULFA". The Hindu. 3 September 2011. Retrieved 19 September 2012.

[1] Kashyap, Aruni (19 May 2010). "India needs talks for Assam's peace". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 28 September 2018. Retrieved 11 December 2016.

[2] Goswami, Sandhya (2020). Assam politics in post-Congress era 1985 and beyond. New Delhi, India: SAGE Publications. p. 60. ISBN 978-93-5388-364-5.

[satp-3] "United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) - Terrorist Group of Assam". Satp.org. Retrieved 1 January 2013.

[4] "India's Treacherous Northeast". Yaleglobal.yale.edu. 26 September 2012. Retrieved 12 October 2014.

[5] "Banned Organizations". Ministry of Home Affairs. Archived from the original on 28 December 2019. Retrieved 28 December 2019.

[6] "NIA :: Banned Terrorist Organisations". Nia.gov.in. Archived from the original on 19 January 2014. Retrieved 12 October 2014.

[7] Department Of State. The Office of Electronic Information, Bureau of Public Affairs (30 April 2007). "Chapter 6 -- Terrorist Organizations". 2001-2009.state.gov. Retrieved 28 December 2019.

[8] "Why the militant group ULFA matters ahead of Assam Assembly Polls". Retrieved 28 December 2019.

[9] "Ulfa leaders held, admit China link". Hindustan Times. 5 December 2009. Archived from the original on 17 February 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2013.

[10] "ULFA softens demand on Assam independence". Reuters. 3 January 2011. Retrieved 3 January 2011.

[Tripartite_agreement_signed_with_ULFA-11] "Tripartite agreement signed with ULFA". The Hindu. 3 September 2011. Retrieved 19 September 2012.

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