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Assam : Ulfa-government talks |
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The now-on-now-off complex choreography between the Centre and Assam’s militant outfit, ULFA, seems to be starting up again although there is more excitement in Delhi about it than in Assam, where the approach is a rather weary: “Ok, so what ? We’ve been through this before just a couple of months ago and with other interlocutors - so let’s see if there is something different this time.” There are good signs such as a letter from the ULFA chairman to the Prime Minister and the litterateur Indira Goswami appears to be conducting some sort of shuttle diplomacy without meeting either the ULFA leaders or the Central leadership. This may change, of course, and substantive moves forward may take place. Everyone will support an open and genuine dialogue, without demands placed by either side even before the talks. But does ULFA’s resumed interest in dialogue have anything to do with its general secretary Anup Chetia’s impending release from a Dhaka jail after a seven-year term on charges of illegal possession of foreign currency and fake travel documents and his possible handing over to the Indian authorities? And what of Paresh Baruah’s mysterious illness of last December, before the now-postponed SAARC summit, since he is back in circulation with numerous calls to reporters and news media?
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