[Assam] Politicians keeping ULFA issue alive

[mc mahant]

<----insiders are talking ---->What is it worth -after a few years in Jail-released to go sing?
 
 
 
 
 
 
mm
--------------> Date: Sat, 7 Feb 2009 07:56:01 -0600> To: assam at assamnet.org> From: cmahanta at charter.net> Subject: Re: [Assam] Politicians keeping ULFA issue alive> > At 8:44 PM -0800 2/6/09, Dilip and Dil Deka wrote:> >I don't think the netters would have missed this article in the > >Assam Tribune. Since no one posted it, I thought it is worthwhile > >bringing it to people's attention. Many of us have always suspected > >that the political parties in Assam have kept the ULFA issue alive > >for their benefit. Now some insiders are talking about it.> > > > **** So, what do you think of it?> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> >Politicians keeping ULFA issue alive> >Spl Correspondent> > NEW DELHI, Feb 6 - Confirming what has been widely suspected, > >pro-talk group of ULFA said the banned outfit has played an active > >role in every election in the State since 1992. The breakaway > >faction charged the political parties with keeping the ULFA problem > >alive to serve their own interest.> >> >The open assertion by the pro-talk group ahead of the Parliament > >election is likely to trigger a heated debate on links between the > >political parties and ULFA. The banned outfit has had a hand in > >formation of every government since 1991, asserted Mrinal Hazarika > >replying to questions during an interaction with students studying > >in Delhi.> >> >Without getting into details, Hazarika, who was accompanied by > >Prabal Neog, said that ULFA had links with one party or the other at > >some point of time. "We cannot deny involvement of any political > >party or minister with ULFA", he said..> >> >Hazarika, however, declined to single out anyone by name, asserting > >that no politician in the State can manage polls without help from > >ULFA.> >> >Prafulla Kumar Mahanta-led AGP Government was dismissed in 1990 by > >Central Government for its alleged links with ULFA. Tarun Gogoi > >Government has also faced allegations from time to time about > >involvement of some of its ministers with ULFA, though he has > >consistently denied it.> >> >Significantly enough, these former ULFA men hold the political > >parties responsible for the delay in resolution of the vexed > >militancy problem. The State's political parties are keen on keeping > >the ULFA problem alive. They do not want this problem to be solved, > >asserted Hazarika last evening, interacting with a group of > >journalists.> >> >The Government of Assam has also not shown interest to solve the > >problem, he added.> >> >When asked whether they planned to play in a role in the ensuing > >elections, Hazarika said they have started interacting with few > >leaders and are pressing them to highlight the issues they have been > >raising. "We also propose to appeal to them to unite all the ethnic > >tribal groups of the State", he said.> >> >The three-member delegation of former ULFA men including Jiten Dutta > >has been touring the capital to drum up support for their cause. The > >leaders said they want to evolve a consensus on the burning problems > >of the State and build up a movement to establish that ULFA has > >become extraneous and the demand for sovereignty has become > >irrelevant.> >> >"Unfortunately, ULFA has for the past 29 years of struggle, shoddily > >deviated from its ideological goals. So, we have decided to put a > >momentary break on our armed struggle and to pave out a way through > >democratic struggle for the protection of our existence", the > >leaders said.> >> >The group has worked out a 12-point charter of demands, which would > >be formally submitted on February 20 to the Prime Minister through > >the office of the Chief Minister.> >> >The demands include total autonomy, as against sovereignty, creation > >of upper House of the Assembly, the issue of illegal migrants, flood > >and erosion problem, construction of the Stilwell Road, halt to > >construction of mega dams in upper reaches of Brahmaputra river > >mainly in Arunachal Pradesh and Bhutan, besides total control over > >the State's resources.> >> >Clarifying their demand for total autonomy, Hazarika said they > >advocate a federal structure, where Centre would hold on to only > >four responsibilities including defence, currency, external affairs > >and commerce.> >> >Interestingly enough, the pro-talk group does not see much hope of > >massive crackdown on ULFA and other militant outfits based in > >Bangladesh after Awami League came to power. In Bangladesh, the Army > >and the DGFI are all-powerful and the State cannot do much without > >their consent.> >> >There may be some minor actions but those will be more of an > >eyewash, they opined.> >> >The leaders, however, refused to accept Government of India's > >contention that over 97 ULFA camps existed in Bangladesh. It is not > >possible to have such a large number of camps, though there are few > >camps and shelters in urban areas, Hazarika said.> >> >Confirming ULFA's relationship with ISI and DGFI, the leaders said > >commander-in-chief Paresh Barua has not visited the State since > >1992, though chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa was in Assam for a long time > >after that.> >_______________________________________________> >assam mailing list> >assam at assamnet.org> >http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org> > > _______________________________________________> assam mailing list> assam at assamnet.org> http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
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