Mar 2, 2011

Assam – ULFA and Elections

Talks with the ULFA and State elections being held on 4 and 11 May was the focus in Assam in February. The Prime Minister responding to the debate on the President’s Speech in the Parliament, expressed satisfaction at overall improvement in the situation, and “With regard to North-East, the situation in Manipur and some parts of Assam has been a cause of concern.  But overall the situation has improved.  More recently, the leadership of the main insurgent group, ULFA, has thought it fit to give up the path of pursuit of violence and to enter into discussion and dialogue with the Government.  I welcome it. I have been trying to reach out to ULFA right from the year 2005.  At one time I did succeed, but later on they backed out.  I am very happy that they have now accepted our invitation to discuss and to have a dialogue.  They have given up the path of violence.  That is a very positive development.  We should encourage both sides to work out arrangements which will lead to satisfactory outcomes of these discussions”. 

On 10 February the ULFA leaders held the first round of talks with the Centre and also met the Home Minister. Home minister P Chidambaram said, "As you are aware that they (ULFA) have offered unconditional talks with government of India and government of Assam to find out an honourable and just solution to the issues raised by them. I welcome them. I assured them that the government of India and government of Assam will engage them in sincere and meaningful talks and I am confident that we will find a just and honourable solution," Chidambaram said. A seven-member group will be formed to discuss modalities of carrying forward the peace process to include Joint Secretary (northeast) as its coordinator, three ULFA members and two representatives each of the state and Central governments. The group will work out the modalities of the peace process to include designated camps, surrender policy, deposit of arms and other issues.

On 14 February the delegation of ULFA leaders, led by its 'chairman' Arabinda Rajkhowa, met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who is also a Member of Parliament from Assam. The first meeting was attended by Assam chief secretary N K Das, additional DGP Khagen Sharma, Assam home commissioner Jishnu Barua, Centre's interlocutor P C Haldar, secretary (Internal Security) U K Bansal and IB chief N Sandhu. Apart from Rajkhowa, 'vice-chairman' Pradip Gogoi, 'political advisor' Bhimakanta Buragohain, 'foreign secretary' Sasha Choudhury, 'finance secretary' Chitrabon Hazarika, 'cultural secretary' Pranati Deka, 'publicity secretary' Mithinga Daimary and 'deputy commander-in-chief' Raju Barua

The ULFA has reposed faith in the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and hoped that the process of dialogue is finished and a solution arrived at the earliest and did not want a repeat of the NSCN (I-M)-Centre peace talks going on since 1997. “We have been very straightforward with the Centre. We want a permanent and amicable solution. Accordingly, we have requested the Prime Minister to wrap up the talks within his tenure. We don’t want lengthy talks like that of the NSCN (I-M). The Prime Minister was equally keen to arrive at a solution within his tenure. Even home minister P. Chidambaram was very positive, assuring us that the Constitution would be amended, if required,” ULFA leader Gogoi said. ULFA has also renounced violence as ULFA 'chairman' Arabinda Rajkhowa said, "Even though we indulged in violence, we are for peace. Violence is against our ideology."

The meeting of select ULFA leaders including the Chairman Arabinda Rajakhowa with the Prime Minister is likely to result in long drawn out peace talks and possible resolution of the vexed militancy in Assam, the largest and the most populous state in the North East. This in some ways provides the official seal of approval to the ongoing negotiations and may also act as a trigger for those outside the peace process such as the Commander in Chief Mr Paresh Barua to join the same. On the other hand the Barua group which has elements of the so called 28^th Battalion and is located in Myanmar may up the ante and undertake a few terrorist attacks in Assam merely to prove its survival despite the peace talks and the Prime Minister meeting the Chairman though this group may be ultimately marginalized as the people in Assam are supporting the peace talks.

The anti-dialogue faction of ULFA warned against talks and threatened to strike against the ruling Congress in the state for splitting the outfit. "We will protest with arms against the Congress for its divide and rule policy adopted with our outfit. So we appeal the people to keep a safe distance from the Congress meetings. We do not want to harm the people and so this appeal is to alert them against our armed protest very soon," the statement sent by ULFA's  publicity wing member self styled lieutenant Arunodoy Dohotia stated.

There would be much relief with the ULFA and the Central government holding talks after many years though there have been previous attempts these have not borne fruit and thus it is hoped that this time around there would be some relief to the people of Assam who have been facing the challenge of militancy and terrorism for over three decades now. The ULFA’s main demand is that of sovereignty and the group has possibly worked on the premise that government will exercise flexibility to accommodate wishes of the people for greater autonomy. The ULFA does not want to participate in an election  which is on the right lines as it would have to first resolve the dialogue and turn from militancy to political aims to be able to determine the way it should move forward rather than plunging into elections, particularly when one portion remains outside the talk’s process per se.

On the violence front, a sum of Rs 28 Lakh was paid to seek release of six WWF volunteers who had been kidnapped by the National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB). Three suspected militants of the anti-talks NDFB were killed in an encounter in Bordol reserve forest under Lakhipur police station in Goalpara district while five suspected cadres, including an accused in the Sijusa killings were arrested in Kokrajhar and Sonitpur districts. On the other hand there were fears that the Naxals may have penetrated Assam. "We are keeping a close watch on these forces besides ULFA rebels in the state," said a senior CRPF Officer.