[Assam] ULFA : Demand for full autonomy of Assam

[ULFA Pro-talk]

Dear Sir,

Historically and socially, Assam have no affinity with India and nationalism
in the north-east had a different context altogether. The Assamese very
strongly resented the British occupation of the Ahom territory. Between 1828
to 1857 Assamese led by the erstwhile prince's revolted thrice. The Assamese
having lost all their earlier battles and the prayer and petitions having
failed, decided to join Indian National Congress(INC). The congress never
considered northeast within the national scene. The Assamese joined the INC
volunteerly and the INC entered the plains of Assam only on invitation. The
hills remain unconnected and unaffected by the slogan.

Indian independence infact did not mean freedom and liberty for the Assamese
people. It was mere transfer of power without a break with the imperial
past. The Indian stepped into the shoes of alien whether in the
administration, industry, trade or commerce. Despite being the largest
producer of Tea, Oil Assam remains one of the poorest and industrially
backward regions. The colonial mode of exploitation still very much prevails
in Assam making it into a colonial hinterland. In the last 61 years of
Indian independence, the problem of illegal immigrants has been deliberately
neglected and encouraging infiltration of foreign nationals by indian
political leaders irrespective of any political party for their vested
interests. In the next 20 years, the Assamese community will be reduced to a
minority and the foreign nationals will become socially and politically
dominant. Therefore, we strongly beleive that a full regional autonomy with
regional federalism will ensure the protection of socio-economic and
political rights of self-determination of the indigenous and ethnic people.
For your information, in response to our menifesto and with confidence and
co-operation of indigenous and ethnic people we are in the process
of forming a broad based common platform in order to achieve long-term
solutions to the various issues along with the serious issue of foreign
nationals.

Finally, we would once again request you to kindly go through our menifesto
carefully.

Thanking you,

Regards,

Jiten Dutta
General Secretary
ULFA ( Protalk )