The Hindu : National : It should not be a repeat of 1991 experience: ULFA

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Friday, Jun 17, 2005

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It should not be a repeat of 1991 experience: ULFA

Special Correspondent

`Army reinforcement not conducive to creating a positive environment'

"Dialogue must be the medium for resolving the conflict sincerely and magnanimously"

GUWAHATI: The United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) has cautioned the Centre that the dialogue process should not be a repetition of 1991when the militants had "a bitter experience of talks."

In the latest edition of its mouthpiece Freedom, the ULFA said that in 1991 some of its leaders were killed soon after they were released from prison. It further alleged that the Government of India "took the signatures of ULFA leaders in surrender agreements when they went to Delhi for talks on exchange of prisoners."

The ULFA leaders, who agreed to hold talks for a political solution of the conflict if the exchange of the prisoners was accomplished, were bound to withdraw from talks. "But the GOI [Government of India] made false allegations that the vice-chairman and the general secretary had jumped their commitment to surrender," the ULFA mouthpiece said.

"Dialogue must be the medium for resolving the conflict sincerely and magnanimously, and should not be used as a trap to demolish the leadership of the struggle," Freedom said.

When the process of dialogue between the Centre and the outfit was already set in motion "the reinforcement of the Army in Assam by double the strength" was not conducive to creating a positive environment for talks, the ULFA mouthpiece said.

It said the ULFA waived two of the three pre-conditions for dialogue.The only condition it retained was that talks should be on the "core issue of restoration of Assam's sovereignty."

ULFA vice-chairman Pradip Gogoi, along with several senior leaders, is now lodged in a Guwahati jail, while general secretary Anup Cheta is in a Dhaka jail. The ULFA has demanded the release of its 10 top leaders to discuss the invitation extended by the Prime Minister's Office for peace talks.

However, both the Centre and the State Government have made it clear that they will consider the proposal only after getting a formal request from the outfit.

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