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Dispur mulls ban on ANLA

	December 17, 2007

Meanwhile, reports from Guwahati indicate that the Gogoi Government is considering a ban on the militant Adivasi National Liberation Army (ANLA). Prodding the government in this direction is also the November 24 Beltola mayhem, as interrogation of six ANLA activists arrested in Guwahati on December 10 has revealed that the group’s members were part of the procession that resorted to violence.



There is fear among security circles that if the ANLA goes unchecked, it could become a major headache for a government hemmed in by insurgency.



“The government is aware of its (ANLA’s) activities and a ban is under active consideration,” government spokesman Himanta Biswa Sarma said, replying to a question on the involvement of ANLA in the Adivasi rally. Sarma said preliminary administrative inquiry into the Beltola violence had revealed that it was “pre-planned” and had “some element of ANLA involvement”.





Tribal organisations stage protest rallies



Tribal organisations staged protest rallies in the sub-divisional headquarters all over the state on Dec. 14. They alleged that the state government had violated the Assam SCs and STs (Reservation of Vacancies in Services and Posts) Act 1978.



The organisations, led by All Assam Tribal Sangha and All Assam Tribal Youth League, demanded that no community should be further included in the ST list.





Talks with ULFA : Mamoni still hopeful



Turning to ULFA insurgency, writer Mamoni Raisom Goswami, who has been playing the role of a mediator between the government and the militant outfit, is still hopeful of some positive outcome.



Reports say she has finally tapped her friendship with AICC leader in charge of Assam, Veerappa Moily, and even extracted an assurance that he would initiate steps to release the four jailed ULFA leaders - a condition set by the outfit for talks with the Centre.



Goswami contacted Moily on Dec. 11 and specifically sought the release of ULFA adviser Bhimkanta Buragohain, vice-chairman Pradip Gogoi, publicity secretary Mithinga Daimary and cultural secretary Pranati Deka, stressing the need to resume the peace process in the greater interest of the state.



Another leader, Ramu Mech, is out on bail on health grounds.

Sources associated with the peace process between the Centre and the ULFA-constituted People’s Consultative Group (PCG) said Moily assured Goswami that he would take up the matter with the Congress high command and the Union Home Ministry after consulting the state government.



Though no timeframe has been fixed, a follow-up on the telephonic discussion is likely this week or when Moily visits the state in connection with the ensuing panchayat elections, the source said.



A circumspect Goswami, when contacted, neither confirmed nor denied the development.



“I am trying to get the process revived, as it is long overdue. Everybody wants peace and I am no exception. Beyond that I have nothing to add at this moment,” she said.



The writer has sought the release of the four leaders on the ground that most of them were not in good health and the move could create a conducive atmosphere for ULFA-Centre talks.



The PCG-initiated process went in silent mode after the Centre withdrew the unilateral ceasefire accusing ULFA of not reciprocating the goodwill gesture. Several attempts to revive the process involving the PCG and Centre were cold-shouldered by the Union Home Ministry and Dispur.



The fact that Moily is not only a permanent invitee to the Congress Central Working Committee but also heads the Department of Policy Planning and Co-ordination has fuelled hopes of a positive outcome on the peace initiative.





Militants beat four labourers to death



Continuing with its bloodletting against migrants, militants belonging to the Gorlosa faction of the Dima Halam Daogah (DHD) killed four labourers on Dec. 14, deviating from its previous attacks only in the manner of execution. Police said all the four were beaten to death at Lanku in the Umrangsu police station area in North Cachar Hills district. Two others were injured in the incident.



The labourers were engaged by a registered contractor to cut bamboo for the Hindusthan Paper Corporation’s paper mill at Jagiroad in Morigaon district.



The police, quoting one of the injured, said the five labourers had entered a jungle in a truck to cut bamboo when a group of armed militants emerged from an adjacent village, confronted them and then beat them to a pulp with bamboo sticks.



A joint team of Umrangsu police and security forces rushed to the site on hearing of the attack. This is the second major attack on labourers by the anti-talks faction of the Dimasa militant group in the area during the past 19 days.



On November 27, the group attacked saw mill workers in different parts of Umrangsu in which 11 labourers were killed and seven injured. The militants had torched all the mills with the labourers inside. When the workers tried to come out of the mills, the militants sprayed them with bullets.



Police sources said extortion was the motive behind the killings.