Determinants and Outcomes of Insurgency in North East India: A Case Study of ULFA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29070/ehhxmt15Keywords:
ULFA, Assam, Insurgency, Regional Identity, Peacebuilding, Federalism, Civilian Security, North East IndiaAbstract
The insurgency associated with the United Liberation Front of Asom offers a revealing account of how political grievances become organised violence and how armed movements eventually confront the limits of their strategy. This article examines ULFA through historical interpretation, conflict theory and a qualitative review of academic and official sources. It argues that insurgency in Assam developed through the interaction of contested belonging, perceived economic dispossession, weak institutional credibility and opportunities for armed mobilisation. None of these conditions independently explains why particular individuals joined the organisation. Equally, the movement’s outcomes cannot be assessed only through military losses or negotiated surrender. Civilian insecurity, damaged public trust, restricted economic choices and the changing terms of regional political debate also require attention. The December 2023 settlement created a significant opening for the negotiating faction, but ULFA Independent remained outside it. The article therefore distinguishes an agreement with participating leaders from a comprehensive settlement of the underlying conflict. International experience suggests that credible implementation, civilian protection and inclusive participation matter as much as the terms signed at the negotiating table. Sustainable peace requires constitutional accommodation, accountable security institutions and economic opportunities that people can access without armed patronage
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