[Assam] Politicians keeping ULFA issue alive

[Biraj Bhuyan]

Sir,
Please be advised that you delete this e mail from your list. Further e mail
will not be appreciated
Thank you, Karma

On Fri, Feb 6, 2009 at 11:44 PM, Dilip and Dil Deka <dilipdeka at yahoo.com>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.
>
> 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.
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