[Assam] Politicians keeping ULFA issue alive

Sun Feb 8 07:35:49 PST 2009

Since no one wanted to examine this piece of news, allow me to share 
my thoughts:

*** We have heard, time and again, that the political parties that 
represent Indian rule in Assam, do go seek ULFA's help in getting 
elected.

And if the statement by Mrinal Hazarika is correct,  then it is 
nothing new at all.

*** IF indeed  it is true, then :

	Claims by Indian govt. propagandists in Assam, namely 
successive Assam govts., have
	been lying to the people of Assam thru their teeth; the same 
propaganda that our friends in
                    Assam net for example  have been lapping up and 
put their faiths on these same govts.,
	while parroting  slogans like ULFA has no influence, that 
nobody pays any heed to them,
	that they do  not speak for  Assam; so on and so forth.

	One can't have it both ways, can one?

*** IF indeed Mrinal Hazarika's statement  proves this for a fact, 
then the thoughtful of Assam, those who really care for its welfare ( 
and not merely satisfied with parroting the govt. propaganda), should 
know that ULFA does  have a significant support base across the 
hinterland, and that it is not just  few folks on the fringes of 
society, living the good life in B'desh -- like they are so fond of 
repeating to no end.  Should they, therefore, NOT  stand up and be 
counted on demanding that India sincerely engage in a dialogue with 
ULFA  in finding a political solution to the endless conflict ?

And if they don't, are they contributing anything to the solution or 
are remaining a part of the problem by their absence ?

Will any of our righteous and vocal friends who rarely shrink back 
from the propaganda battles, tell us?

cm

At 7:56 AM -0600 2/7/09, Chan Mahanta wrote:
>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.
>
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>**** So, what do you think of it?
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>>
>>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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