[Assam] Letter to the ULFA with a 'road map' of Assam's Sovereignty restoration process sho uld now take place and then the 'Cease Fire' between the two States can be meaningful for a po litical solution.

[Chan Mahanta]

I can't believe these GoI yo-yo's.

Is this how the govt. of a wanna-be super-power runs?

Amazing!

cm














At 9:00 AM +0100 10/6/06, Bartta Bistar wrote:
>Centre ready to call off operations
>
>
>
><http://www.assamtribune.com/>http://www.assamtribune.com/    6 October 2006
>From Our Spl Correspondent
>  NEW DELHI, Oct 5 - Notwithstanding the setback 
>in the ULFA peace process, the Centre is 
>unwilling to write off the peace process and has 
>held out fresh hope by indicating that it was 
>still willing to stop Army operations, if the 
>outfit responded positively. The Centre' latest 
>gambit came from National Security Adviser, MK 
>Narayanan, who told newsmen here today that he 
>was willing to call off the Army operations, if 
>ULFA comes for talks.
>
>The NSA was responding to news reports, which 
>quoted ULFA's mouthpiece Freedom as having said 
>that the outfit was still open to finding a 
>'political solution' to the insurgency in Asom.
>
>Replying to a query, he said that he was unaware 
>about ULFA's statement. "But, if it is true then 
>it is most welcome. I will stop operation if 
>they come," he added.
>
>The NSA had come to the Ministry of Home Affairs 
>to take a meeting on the internal security.
>
>In the latest issue of its mouthpiece, the ULFA 
>said it was, "still hopeful of a political 
>solution and it would respond to any such 
>efforts initiated by the Centre through the 
>PCG". The mouthpiece said it was confident that 
>the PCG would work for bringing about a 
>"political solution".
>
>ULFA's latest threat to target Congressmen in 
>the State, as well as the sudden end to the 
>peace process has the Centre thinking. The UPA 
>Government at the Centre, which was hoping for a 
>breakthrough, is upset at the breakdown of the 
>peace process. Politically, the UPA may not find 
>much support among its allies, with the CPI-M 
>already stating it wanted the peace process to 
>continue.
>
>The reluctance on part of ULFA to commit in 
>writing, unabated extortions and growing 
>belligerence of the outfit coupled with stern 
>warning from Army and intelligence agencies 
>forced the Centre to call off the suspension of 
>operation on September 24. Subsequently, the PCG 
>also pulled out of the peace process.
>
>The development may be significant, because it 
>comes at a time when the Centre is bracing up to 
>intensify operations against ULFA and by all 
>indications, a coordinated operation with 
>Myanmar Army may be in the offing.
>
>Last evening, as reported today, a high level 
>meeting chaired by Cabinet Secretary, BK 
>Chaturvedi and attended by top brass of the 
>three services, intelligence officials, was held 
>at South Block to take stock of the internal 
>security situation including Army operations in 
>Asom.
>
>Government of India has decided to provide all 
>assistance to Myanmar Army, as the neighbouring 
>country was willing to help India. 
>Significantly, Defence Secretary Shekhar Dutta 
>had last month paid a quiet visit to Myanmar to 
>discuss the demand for weapons. He briefed the 
>meeting about the outcome of his visit.
>
>
>
>Solve ULFA issue through dialogue: AGP
>
><http://www.hindu.com/2006/10/06/stories/2006100601691500.htm>http://www.hindu.com/2006/10/06/stories/2006100601691500.htm
>
>Sushanta Talukdar
>
>Seeks halt to Army operations
>
>
>·   Memorandum given to Manmohan
>
>·   Restart peace initiative: CPI (M)
>
>
>Guwahati: The Opposition Asom Gana Parishad 
>(AGP) on Thursday staged a State-wide sit-in 
>demanding a halt to the Army action against the 
>United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA). They 
>also demanded a solution to the problem through 
>political dialogue.
>
>AGP president Brindaban Goswami led party 
>leaders and workers at the dharna in front of 
>the Raj Bhavan here.
>
>In a memorandum addressed to Prime Minister 
>Manmohan Singh, the AGP demanded an immediate 
>end to the Army operations to ensure a 
>violence-free atmosphere to facilitate dialogue 
>with the ULFA.
>
>The party expressed concern that innocent 
>citizens were affected in the renewed conflict 
>between the security forces and ULFA in Assam 
>following resumption of the Army's operations.
>
>Blaming the Government for the spurt in 
>violence, the AGP alleged that Dispur failed to 
>play the desired role of a facilitator to bring 
>back permanent peace and avail itself of the 
>opportunities present in this regard. It 
>demanded that the Government urge the Centre to 
>halt the Army operations to create a conducive 
>atmosphere for negotiations. "Unfortunate"
>
>The State unit of the Communist Party of India 
>(Marxist) has also expressed concern at the 
>breakdown of the peace initiative and urged both 
>sides to come forward to the negotiating table 
>to find a political solution to the problem.
>
>Describing the development as "unfortunate," 
>State CPI (M) secretary Uddhab Barman said both 
>sides should make efforts to create a congenial 
>atmosphere for direct talks leading to a 
>permanent solution.
>
>On other hand, reacting to the threat issued by 
>ULFA to the Congress, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi 
>on Wednesday told reporters that the Government 
>was duty-bound to protect every citizen and not 
>only Congress workers.
>
>He, however, said that despite the threat the 
>Government would continue its initiative to 
>bring the outfit to the negotiation table.
>
>
>
>India supplying military hardware to Myanmar
>
>
>
><http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=World_News&subsection=India&month=October2006&file=World_News2006100583230.xml>http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=World_News&subsection=India&month=October2006&file=World_News2006100583230.xml
>
>
>Web posted at: 10/5/2006 8:32:30
>Source ::: IANS
>
>New Delhi * Ignoring protests from Western 
>countries, India has begun transferring military 
>equipment to Myanmar's military junta in order 
>to neutralise China's burgeoning defence, 
>diplomatic and economic ties with Yangon.
>
>In August, unmindful of British protests, the 
>Indian Navy transferred two BN-2 'Defender' 
>Islander maritime surveillance aircraft and 
>deck-based air-defence guns and varied 
>surveillance equipment to Myanmar.
>
>Soon after the navy announced its intention of 
>supplying the British-built Islanders to Myanmar 
>following Indian Navy Chief Admiral Arun 
>Prakash's visit to Yangon in January, Britain 
>had declared that it would be unable to provide 
>spares and maintenance support for them as it 
>opposed the country's military administration.
>
>Alongside, India had quietly transferred other 
>hardware to the Myanmarese military. "We have 
>recommended and started giving them (Myanmar) 
>105-mm Indian field guns," Indian Army 
>Vice-Chief Lt Gen S Pattabhiraman told Force 
>magazine recently. In the past we had given them 
>75/24 Howitzers, Pattabhiraman declared adding 
>that though the numbers were not "much" they 
>were neither "symbolic". Last month Defence 
>Secretary Shekhar Dutt finalised negotiations in 
>Yangon (formerly Rangoon) to supply it varied 
>military hardware in return for the military 
>junta's co-operation in flushing out separatist 
>groups like United Liberation Front of Asom 
>(Ulfa) that have long used Myanmar's dense 
>jungles as a sanctuary.
>
>In exchange for an unspecified number of T-55 
>tanks - which the Indian army is retiring - 
>armoured personal carriers, 105-mm light 
>artillery guns, mortars and the locally designed 
>advanced light helicopters, Delhi also wants to 
>conduct joint military operations against 
>north-eastern militant groups along the 
>1,643km-long Myanmar frontier. In anticipation 
>of the army's anti-insurgency offensive in the 
>region expected later this month, the security 
>forces have stepped up vigil along its borders 
>with Bangladesh and Bhutan to "tie-in" the 
>insurgents. Dutt's visit, however, was kept 
>under wraps because of Western sensitivity to 
>engaging with Myanmar's military regime. The 
>defence ministry refused to comment on the moves.
>
>On September 15, the UN Security Council led by 
>the US and Britain added Myanmar to its list of 
>countries considered a threat to international 
>peace and security.
>
>The US is also pushing for a strong resolution 
>on the ongoing human rights abuses in Myanmar 
>and the continued incarceration by the military 
>junta of Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu 
>Kyi.
>
>India dumped Suu Kyi's cause and launched an 
>aggressive diplomatic and military thrust into 
>Myanmar in the late 1990s, backed by a 
>developmental and commercial drive to try and 
>neutralise ongoing Chinese programmes like the 
>modernisation of Myanmarese naval bases at 
>Hainggyi, Munaung, Akyab, Zadaikyi and Mergui by 
>building radar, refit and refuel facilities. The 
>Indian Navy fears this could support Chinese 
>submarine operations in the region as part of 
>Beijing's "string of pearls" strategy of 
>clinching regional defence and security 
>agreements to secure its mounting fuel 
>requirements and enhance its military profile in 
>the Indian Ocean region. The Chinese are also 
>believed to have established a Signals 
>Intelligence facility on Myanmar's Coco islands, 
>30km from the Andaman Islands territory on 
>India's east coast to monitor Indian missile 
>tests, an activity that has proliferated in 
>recent years and is poised to grow.
>
>India is also concerned about China's 
>nuclear-armed close ally Pakistan's long 
>standing military ties with Myanmar to whom it 
>had supplied several shiploads of ordnance and 
>other military hardware like 106 mm M-40 
>recoilless rifles and various small arms over 
>the past decade.
>
>Pakistan also regularly trains Burmese soldiers 
>to operate a range of Chinese equipment like 
>T-63 and T-53 tanks, Soviet fighter aircraft and 
>155-mm Howitzers and to instruct its air force 
>and naval officers at many of its institutions.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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