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North East : Assam : Peace talks with ULFA hit roadblock

	September 25, 2006

The much awaited direct peace talks between the Centre and the militant outfit ULFA appear to be making no headway with the Centre and state adopting different postures. While the Centre is insisting that there would be no talks with the ULFA unless there is a written commitment from the outfit, the state Chief Minister insists that the talks should be held without any preconditions.





PM, Chief Minister differ on internal security management



Attending a meeting of Chief Ministers belonging to the Congress in Nainital, in the northern state of Uttrakhand, on Sept. 23, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said the problem of internal security should be attended to politically rather than through bureaucratic and administrative measures, such as the setting up of a federal agency against terror or a unified command structure. These measures, Gogoi said, were good initiatives but often lacked the “holistic approach” required to end insurgency.



Gogoi said he had arrived at this conclusion after his experience with former Bodo insurgents, who are now a part of his government. “I was told that Assam would burn and several other catastrophic prophecies were made but they were all proved wrong. Today, ministers who were part of the Bodo Liberation Tigers, are doing an excellent job and we have reason to be happy,” he said.



Addressing the Chief Ministers, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the ULFA was losing support at the local level in Assam.



“The ULFA faces a dilemma of declining support and morale within Assam. Hence there is a desire on the part of local leaders to hold talks with the government, as against intransigence displayed by their leaders outside, who remain intent on persisting with violent conflict,” he said.



Singh, however, observed that violence in the Northeast had gone down, when compared with past years.



“Manipur remains currently the most disturbed. During the past year, almost 40 per cent of all violent incidents reported from the region were from Manipur. The growing divide between the Nagas and Kukis in the hill district and the Meiteis in the plains is one reason for this,” he said.



Observing that the writ of the state government was limited, Singh stressed the “need to display much greater sensitivity and adopt a nuanced approach, given the unique nature of the peoples that inhabit the region”.



The Prime Minister asked the Manipur government to ensure “equitable” development of all areas.



Noting that terrorism, naxal violence and communal disturbances were three main areas of concern, Singh also called for better co-ordination between the Centre and the states in dealing with issues of internal security.





Army operations put on hold



As the Centre decided to put on hold the Army operations against the ULFA for another 15 days from Thursday, the counter insurgency operation by Assam police and paramilitary forces against the banned outfit would also remain suspended.



Official sources in Guwahati said on Thursday, Sept. 21, that the state and other security forces operations would be kept at bay until further notice from the Centre and the police officials had been instructed accordingly.



Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi had also directed the district Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police at his meeting with them in Guwahati to exercise restraint.



Though restraint would be exercised, sources warned that security forces would retaliate in self-defence, if the ULFA resorted to offensives and insurgent cadres would be dealt with as per law if they indulged in criminal activities and extortion drives.





Assam for Naga model for truce with ULFA



Reports from Guwahati say the State Government is seeking to take a leaf out of the NSCN book, as it hopes that the current mutual suspension of operations by security forces and the banned ULFA will transform into a ceasefire.



Planning to draw on the Naga experience in anticipation of a similar deal with ULFA, the Tarun Gogoi Government is considering taking tips from Kohima on the dos and don’ts for a state Government during a truce period.



Dispur’s optimism stems from the fact that by and large, ULFA has adhered to the temporary cessation of hostilities - despite the outfit’s tough posturing now and then.



The state Government as well as mediators in the peace process are quite hopeful that despite occasional hitches, the ongoing initiative could actually spawn a full-fledged ceasefire.

Official sources in Dispur further explained that the Government needed to be ready with its homework without bothering too much about the consequences of the process. “We can’t afford to be caught off-guard. We have to be prepared for any outcome,” an official pointed out.







A truce has been on in Nagaland for the past nine years between the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) and the Centre and for seven years with the Khaplang faction.



“Though monitoring the ceasefire will be essentially the Centre’s responsibility, the state Government will also have a key role to play,” an official said. He added that while Dispur has had some experience in this regard with the Bodo Liberation Tigers, the National Democratic Front of Bodoland and other such outfits, “ULFA is a different kettle of fish altogether”.



There were other problems inherent in the ceasefire, particularly when activists of the outfit participating in the truce are allowed to retain arms.



“We have seen that in Nagaland, the NSCN (I-M) has significantly extended its influence after the ceasefire and also expanded its extortion base. Its writ runs much wider than before the 1997 ceasefire,” said an official in Guwahati.





ULFA’s extortion demands continue, businessman Shot dead



Militants belonging to the banned United Liberation Front of Asom shot dead a tea executive in Assam on Saturday, Sept. 23. The police said two ULFA militants shot dead Harendra Nath Das, manager of Holonghabi Tea Estate in Tinsukia district, at the gate of his official bungalow.



The police suspected that the executive was killed as he failed to comply with ULFA’s extortion demand.



Earlier on Friday, ULFA militants shot dead a policeman during an attack on a police search party at Napam under Borboruah police station in Dibrugarh district.



Reports say the two incidents have punctured the temporary lull in violence since August 14 last when the government first announced temporary suspension of Army operation to facilitate ULFA leadership to send in the ‘letter of commitment’ for direct talks in response to the current peace initiative in the state.





NDFB’s charter to foster peace



National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), another militant organisation fighting for rights of Bodo community in Assam, has come out with its draft charter of demands. The draft is expected to break the deadlock in taking the peace process forward with Dispur and New Delhi.



NDFB secretary general Govinda Basumatary said on Sept. 20 the charter of demands would be submitted to the Centre as soon as it was ratified by its general council, headed by commander-in-chief Ranjan Daimary alias D.R. Nabla.



“We are ready with the charter of demands and awaiting approval from the chairman at the general council meeting to be held sometime this month or in October,” Basumatary said. He, however, refused to divulge the date and location of the meeting.

The NDFB had entered into a ceasefire with Delhi and Dispur on May 24 last year, which came into effect from June 1 the same year. The group has since been trying to convince leaders of Bodo and other communities to extend support to the peace talks.



On the delay in starting the dialogue, Basumatary expressed concern over the “slow response” of Delhi. “The NDFB is ready for peace talks, but the Government’s response is poor. The Indian Government’s policy is to crush the spirit of the Bodo struggle. Delhi is trying to demoralise the spirit of the Bodo movement by delaying tactics. But we are optimistic about the peace talks,” he added.



Basumatary said sovereignty tops the outfit’s agenda for talks. “The Indian Government knows our demand - the sovereignty of the Bodo people. We have been fighting for this for the last 20 years.”