Accord and discord

Ulfa pact is a step in the right direction

The Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) signed by a faction of the United Liberation Front of Assam (Ulfa), the Centre, and the Government of Assam last week brings to a close 12 years of hard negotiations. The MoS, signed with the Ulfa faction led by founding member Arabinda Rajkhowa, includes disarmament and disbandment of Ulfa, a lump sum payment to Ulfa cadres, and investment worth Rs 5,000 crore — including on an Indian Institute of Management, a railway manufacturing plant, a sport and cultural complex, and road connectivity projects. Though this agreement with a once powerful group, which terrorised the state