[Assam] India must not equate peace in Assam to a state of total submission and slavery. Indians are USED to slavery NOT THE sovereign ASSAMESE.

[Bartta Bistar]

ULFA's response will shape Assam's destiny <javascript:clippopup(1923247);>
*[ 24 Aug, 2006 1217hrs IST** IANS ]*

 http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-1923247,curpg-2.cms
<http://ads.indiatimes.com/ads.dll/clickthrough?slotid=1024>









GUWAHATI: The next fortnight is going to be the most crucial phase in
efforts at ending Assam's nearly three decades of violent rebellion, with
the ball now in the court of the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom
(ULFA).

New Delhi's decision on Wednesday to extend suspension of military
operations against the ULFA by another 15 days has been hailed by one and
all.

The central government had on Aug 14 announced a 10-day unilateral
suspension of anti-insurgency operations against the ULFA, the rebel outfit
reciprocated by announcing it would halt its guerrilla campaign.

The demand by the ULFA to release five of their jailed leaders is the main
issue now blocking direct peace talks between the elusive rebel leadership
and government peace negotiators.

Government peace emissaries during talks Wednesday with two ULFA
intermediaries in New Delhi said the five jailed rebels would be released
the moment the authorities received a formal communication from the outfit
clarifying some very tricky issues.

New Delhi wants the ULFA to give in writing that it was ready for direct
talks, name the outfit's negotiating team members, and specify a timeframe
for the dialogue.

The Indian government is apprehensive that the ULFA might depute the five
jailed leaders for the direct talks. New Delhi wants some top rebel leaders
like chairperson Arabinda Rajkhowa or commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah to
come for the negotiations.



"Talks would be productive if the ULFA top brass come for talks instead of
the second rung leaders (jailed ULFA leaders) and hence we want to know for
sure before releasing the jailed leaders," a home ministry official said
requesting anonymity.

The government has also offered safe passage to the ULFA leaders who are
underground to join the peace talks.

Noted Assamese writer and rebel mediator Indira Goswami said the
government's message would be communicated to the ULFA leadership and was
hoping to get the outfit's response within the next two weeks.

It would be interesting to watch ULFA's response with the government
tightening its posture by setting some preconditions for the release of the
jailed leaders.

The exact whereabouts of the top ULFA leaders are not known, but
intelligence officials indicate that many of the outfit's key leaders
operate out of Bangladesh. Dhaka denies the charges.

The big question now is whether the ULFA agrees to name its negotiating team
or takes umbrage at the government's hard stance.

The picture about which way the peace process moves from now on would get
clear in the next two weeks. Is Assam going to witness a lasting peace? Or
would the temporary cessation of hostilities by both sides get rattled by
the war of words?

But one thing is for sure, the Assamese people are craving for peace and
would like to see peace talks getting on - they want the two sides to be
flexible and not adopt a belligerent posture that could jeopardise the
fragile peace.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.assamnet.org/pipermail/assam-assamnet.org/attachments/20060824/b4bce17a/attachment.htm>