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Intransigence in Assam

The United Liberation Front of Asom has squandered yet another opportunity to work through the democratic mainstream and chosen to continue on its path of terror and extortion. The Central Government displayed an extraordinary level of tolerance in maintaining a virtual ceasefire with ULFA since August 13. In the absence of a substantive response from the other side on initiating direct talks, it withdrew the gesture on September 24. Hopes that were generated of at least a part-solution following multiple rounds of talks between the People's Consultative Group that represented ULFA and the Government, as also ULFA's reciprocation of the ceasefire, have thus come to nought. The ground rules that New Delhi set forth for direct talks to take place appeared to be as fair and reasonable as possible: that ULFA should give the Government a written communication on talks, that it set a time-frame for the process, and that it name in advance its representatives for the dialogue. An intransigent ULFA, while setting its face against these requests, harped on the release of five of its leaders from jail as a precondition. To the Government's credit, it repeatedly indicated that it was not averse to releasing them. The inevitable conclusion is that ULFA is hardly serious about talking with the Government and looking for solutions, and that it is set on its agenda of "sovereignty" and secession. It is unclear how any state can ever play the game under such circumstances. Meanwhile, the Army has been understandably wary of the continuation of the ceasefire-like arrangement: its concerns centre on the prospect of ULFA using the ceasefire to regroup itself and shore up its strength. Indeed, true to type, over the past few days ULFA has renewed its acts of killing and extortion. It is as if ULFA does not care for its credibility as a possible partner in peace.

Growing evidence on the ground points to dwindling support at the popular level and loss of morale within the ranks of an enfeebled ULFA. Indeed, the outlawed group may be facing a historical low in terms of its strength and resources, although its potential for disruptive violence — typically, serial blasts and attacks on soft targets — cannot be underestimated. This may well be the point at which the Government should intensify its efforts to halt the support that ULFA is evidently getting from across India's borders. In Nainital last week, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh pointed to the role of elements based abroad, as opposed to those who remain in the country, in prolonging conflict. While it is nobody's case that the doors to peace should be shut or that reasonable efforts should not be made to encourage the peace process, prudence demands that the Government should outflank an organisation that has proved once again to be non-serious in trying to find a solution through a democratic dialogue and seems bent on its violent ways.

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