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ULFA is our natural ally, says Boro outfit

Guwahati: The militant National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) has urged the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) to spell out its “socio-economic and political system of sovereign Assam” and “declare their policy on the right to self-determination of the Boro and other indigenous people.”

In an interview with the Hague-based Boro Support Group (BSG), NDFB chairman Ranjan Daimari alias Nabla said: “We have more similarities than differences in our struggle against colonialism of India. Nevertheless the NDFB feels that ULFA should spell out their socio-economic and political system of sovereign Assam. They must understand that simply words like liberation, independence and sovereignty are not enough to unite the people of Assam. The ULFA must declare their policy on the right to self-determination of the Boro and other indigenous people.”

“They (the ULFA) must also be more distinct on the term, ‘indigenous’ — as no Kangaroo can be the native or indigenous animal of Assam or no Rhino can be the native or indigenous animal of Australia. So the invaders of the 13th century — the Ahom and the others who had migrated later in Assam with different roots from different places cannot claim themselves to be native or indigenous people,” the NDFB chairman insisted in the interview made available to The Hindu through e-mail by the BSG.

When the BSG pointed out that the ULFA does not want Assam to break up and that the outfit was using terror tactics, the NDFB chief said “there may be some differences, but ULFA is our natural ally in fighting India.”

He also said that formally the NDFB has not been communicated by ULFA that they are against the division of Assam. “What ULFA is doing could be terrorist tactics for someone but to ULFA it could be guerrilla tactics,” Mr. Daimari said in defence of the ULFA. Expressing resentment over the delay in holding peace talks, the NDFB chairman said the outfit had declared ceasefire to talk and resolve the conflict peacefully and democratically. “But in the last two years instead of holding formal political talks the Indian government is merely demanding the so-called charter of demands and extending the ceasefire. It is just a futile exercise on the part of the Indian government. Mere extension of ceasefire cannot go on unlimited.”

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ULFA is our natural ally, says Boro outfit

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