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Assam peace process in trouble as Rajkhowa hardens stand
NDTV Correspondent, Friday December 4, 2009,

For 48 hours, there was a glimmer of a peace process for Assam. On Friday, a new hurdle emerged in the shape of an old demand: independence.

That hardline comes from Arabinda Rajkhowa, Chairman of ULFA (United Liberation Front of Asom) who was detained on Wednesday, and whose expected cooperation was  key to the nascent peace process.

Rajkhowa's insistence on ULFA's core demand of sovereignty for Assam puts the government in a bind. Since his detention, government and intelligence officials have been working on a strategy for negotiations with him.

Rajkhowa and Raju Baruah, another senior ULFA leader detained on Friday morning, will be produced in court on Saturday and will face murder charges. Rajkhowa's wife and children are also now in India's custody.

Sources tell NDTV that Rajkhowa and his supporters will be given a month's time to consider their options. If they give up on sovereignty, the ULFA chief will be released on bail to allow his participation in talks.

Other complications have emerged in a letter sent by Paresh Baruah, the military chief of ULFA. Baruah, who is believed to be in Myanmar, has asked Rajkhowa to make his stand clear on the issue of independence. Baruah has also asked Rajkhowa to "not fall prey to designs of Indian occupation forces, and remember the sacrifices made by 12000 martyrs."

After Rajkhowa's surrender, Baruah called his cadres in Assam and ordered them to unleash violence through bomb blasts to derail peace talks.

On Thursday, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi offered peace talks to ULFA at a press conference.  He clarified that all negotiations would, however, be handled by the Union government.

ULFA: The men who call the shots:
  • Command-in-chief of ULFA, Paresh Barua, reported to have fled Bangladesh
  • Deputy Commander-in-Chief Raju Barua, surrenders, handed over to India 
  • Chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa, arrested by Bangladesh, in India's custody now 
  • ULFA 'foreign secretary' Sasha Choudhury, arrested in Bangladesh, in India's custody now 
  • ULFA 'finance secretary' Chitraban Hazarika, arrested in Bangladesh, in India's custody now 
  • Advisor Bhimkanta Buragohain & Vice-chairman Pradip Gogoi in custody 
  • Central publicity secretary Mithinga Daimary & cultural secretary Pranati Deka in custody 
  • Other senior leaders Bening Rabha, Ashanta Bagh Phukan, Ponaram Dihingiya of military wing missing since 2003
 
 
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Tags: Assam, ULFA
Comments
Posted by ranjeet sanyal on Dec 04, 2009
I should first congratulate the Indian Intelligence Agencies for their commendable job. The Home ministry should have a broad perspective about the North East problem. It has got an excellent opportunity to initiate a peace process in the North East, which is long overdue.This sensitive issue has to be handled by mature political minds at the centre and a strategy chalked out by the think tank of the congress leadership and not left to regional leadership as they have only selfish agenda to fulfil. Indians will remember this Cogress party if they are able to usher in an era of peace and prosperity to our North East brothers who have been subjugated to rampent corruption and exploitation by the ruling class. If the Ulfa talks are initiated in a positive way, more insurgent groups working out of North East will fall in line. As we see it, apart from Ulfa ,none of the groups have any sound ideology to pursue gun culture. It will be better for India and Indians if the central leadership shows maturity in this sensitive case. Let us hope for the best.
Posted by Karavadi Raghava Rao on Dec 04, 2009
I worked in Assam between 1989-1991 as a Branch Manager of Union Bank Of India ( In Karimgunj). The people of Assam are very peace minded and are with humility. The Business mostly is under the Rajastan People and the jobs in government and public sector are mostly are Bengalis.This has created a heart burning among Assamese which gave rise and growth of ULFA. Successive Congress Governments and even AGP Governments are neck deep in corruption and the development got effected to the maximum.This is not like J&K problem.Late Rajiv Gandhi and PV Narasimha Rao tried to solve it.Even now if discussions are held and those leaders are convinced and satisfied Assam will be on the road of development.
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