sentinelassam:
ISI agent in police net
By a Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, Jan 20: The City Police achieved a major breakthrough when they arrested Matlif Khan alias Bikash Roy, one of the accused in the serial city blasts, from the Hatigaon area this afternoon.
A senior police official said that Khan, the operation in-charge of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of Greater Guwahati, was arrested today after inputs from the Special Branch. The police claimed Khan was the mastermind behind the series of blasts in the city.
Divulging details about the ISI agent, police said Khan has 14 youths, some of them Hindus, in his network. All the youths are criminals and they carry out subversive activities on instructions from Khan. A converted Muslim, Khan, recently came to Asom from West Bengal.
“The ULFA was carrying out its strikes in collusion with the ISI. This was the new enigma group of the rebel outfit. Through this group, the ULFA was planning to disrupt the National Games. They have unlimited fund sources,â€
North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion
sentinelassam: Tinsukia is a trading town having perhaps highest % of
hindi speakers among towns in assam. always a red rag the the ulfa
scum.
TINSUKIA, Jan 20: Riding roughshod over the much-vaunted security measures initiated in the violence-hit areas by the Government, the outlawed ULFA struck again in the strife-torn upper Asom exploding a timer device in the heart of the Tinsukia town, killing two persons and injuring several others.
The timer device was kept in an LML Freedom motorcycle parked in front of the Bhagawan Pan Shop at Chamber Road. The explosive went off at around 6.20 p.m.
A worker, Roshan Tiwari, died on the spot while a petty trader, Dasharath Tiwari, was declared brought dead at the AMCH. At least 15 others sustained injuries in the blast. Seven of them, namely Manish Singh, Sanjay Dodia, Jadunandan Rai, Bhim Singh, Bablu Das, Pranab Shah and Madan Shah, were initially admitted to the Tinsukia Civil Hospital but later shifted to the AMCH. Two of them were stated to be in critical condition.
Senior police and Army officials have rushed to the spot.
Immediately after the blast, two suspected ULFA cadres — Bantu Sonowal and Lombhit Sonowal — were arrested by the police at Tinsukia Railway Station. Tinsukia SP Prasanta Bhuyan said the arrested duo, from whom some incriminating documents were seized, might have been involved in the blast.
With utter chaos prevailing in the area with panic-stricken people fleeing and thereby creating traffic jams, the shopkeepers immediately downed shutters.
Meanwhile, the administration has clamped night curfew in the Kakopathar area apprehending more militant strikes.
Our DIPHU Correspondent adds: Suspected militants lobbed a grenade on a police patrolling party at Stadium Point in Diphu this evening. No one was injured in the incident as the grenade failed to hit the target.
hindi speakers among towns in assam. always a red rag the the ulfa
scum.
TINSUKIA, Jan 20: Riding roughshod over the much-vaunted security measures initiated in the violence-hit areas by the Government, the outlawed ULFA struck again in the strife-torn upper Asom exploding a timer device in the heart of the Tinsukia town, killing two persons and injuring several others.
The timer device was kept in an LML Freedom motorcycle parked in front of the Bhagawan Pan Shop at Chamber Road. The explosive went off at around 6.20 p.m.
A worker, Roshan Tiwari, died on the spot while a petty trader, Dasharath Tiwari, was declared brought dead at the AMCH. At least 15 others sustained injuries in the blast. Seven of them, namely Manish Singh, Sanjay Dodia, Jadunandan Rai, Bhim Singh, Bablu Das, Pranab Shah and Madan Shah, were initially admitted to the Tinsukia Civil Hospital but later shifted to the AMCH. Two of them were stated to be in critical condition.
Senior police and Army officials have rushed to the spot.
Immediately after the blast, two suspected ULFA cadres — Bantu Sonowal and Lombhit Sonowal — were arrested by the police at Tinsukia Railway Station. Tinsukia SP Prasanta Bhuyan said the arrested duo, from whom some incriminating documents were seized, might have been involved in the blast.
With utter chaos prevailing in the area with panic-stricken people fleeing and thereby creating traffic jams, the shopkeepers immediately downed shutters.
Meanwhile, the administration has clamped night curfew in the Kakopathar area apprehending more militant strikes.
Our DIPHU Correspondent adds: Suspected militants lobbed a grenade on a police patrolling party at Stadium Point in Diphu this evening. No one was injured in the incident as the grenade failed to hit the target.
ULFA's hand in attack on Hasina
http://www.samachar.com/showurl.htm?rur ... mastermind
-attack-on-hasina/top/31738-2.html?headline=ULFA~in~mess~over~'attack~on~Hasina'
http://www.samachar.com/showurl.htm?rur ... mastermind
-attack-on-hasina/top/31738-2.html?headline=ULFA~in~mess~over~'attack~on~Hasina'
sentinelassam:
Now, Delhi in ULFA target
NEW DELHI: After the strikes in Asom, the ULFA has now planned suicide attacks in the national capital. Intelligence sources have confirmed the presence of four women ULFA cadres in Delhi. Backed by Bangladesh-based militant outfit Harkat-ul-jehad-e-Islami, the suicide squad is planning fatal strikes in the national capital, intelligence reports said. Sources said the Home Ministry has alerted the police and security agencies about the possible attacks. Agencies
One killed in Barpeta blast; powerful explosion in front of New
Bongaigaon Railway Station injures six people
Our Bureau
BONGAIGAON/BARPETA, Jan 21: Thumbing its nose at the elaborate security bandobast made in the State, the banned ULFA carried out two strikes in lower Asom killing one person and injuring 20 others, three of them critically, a day after New Delhi rushed 20 additional companies of paramilitary personnel to the State for internal security duties.
One, Pradeep Harijan (16), was killed on the spot and fourteen others were injured when the banned organization exploded an IED near Ghosh Sweet Shop at the crowded Bohuri Bazaar in Barpeta district this evening, police said. The explosion caused panic among people as they ran for cover. Three of the seriously injured, namely Deepak Das, Jalil Hussain and Phulen Talukdar, have been referred to the GMCH.
In another incident, at least six people were injured, when the ULFA detonated an IED in front of the New Bongaigaon Railway Station this morning. Police said that the IED, which was kept on a Yamaha motorcycle parked at the parking lot of the New Bongaigaon Railway Station, went off at around 11.15 a.m. The bomb was so powerful that some parts of the motorcycle were thrown up to about 150 metres from the spot.
A railway contractor, Rabindra Deb, two of his workers, namely Moizuddin Ali and Ali Hussain, rickshawpuller Khagen Barman, a driver of the SSB and a civilian — Lacchu Lahar — were injured in the explosion. All the injured have been rushed to the Lower Assam Hospital. Barman was stated to be in critical condition.
Bongaigaon SP Deepak Kumar blamed the ULFA for the explosion.
A couple of vehicles parked nearby and the railway station’s ticket counter were damaged in the blast.
Yesterday, two Hindi-speaking people were killed and ten others injured in a blast in the heart of Tinsukia town. The modus operandi of the ULFA was similar: the IED was kept on a parked motorcycle.
Soon after the blast, the Centre rushed 2,000 additional paramilitary troops to the State for internal security duties. These 20 companies of paramilitary forces are in addition to the 30 companies already sent after the ULFA attacks on Hindi-speaking population of the State.
Now, Delhi in ULFA target
NEW DELHI: After the strikes in Asom, the ULFA has now planned suicide attacks in the national capital. Intelligence sources have confirmed the presence of four women ULFA cadres in Delhi. Backed by Bangladesh-based militant outfit Harkat-ul-jehad-e-Islami, the suicide squad is planning fatal strikes in the national capital, intelligence reports said. Sources said the Home Ministry has alerted the police and security agencies about the possible attacks. Agencies
One killed in Barpeta blast; powerful explosion in front of New
Bongaigaon Railway Station injures six people
Our Bureau
BONGAIGAON/BARPETA, Jan 21: Thumbing its nose at the elaborate security bandobast made in the State, the banned ULFA carried out two strikes in lower Asom killing one person and injuring 20 others, three of them critically, a day after New Delhi rushed 20 additional companies of paramilitary personnel to the State for internal security duties.
One, Pradeep Harijan (16), was killed on the spot and fourteen others were injured when the banned organization exploded an IED near Ghosh Sweet Shop at the crowded Bohuri Bazaar in Barpeta district this evening, police said. The explosion caused panic among people as they ran for cover. Three of the seriously injured, namely Deepak Das, Jalil Hussain and Phulen Talukdar, have been referred to the GMCH.
In another incident, at least six people were injured, when the ULFA detonated an IED in front of the New Bongaigaon Railway Station this morning. Police said that the IED, which was kept on a Yamaha motorcycle parked at the parking lot of the New Bongaigaon Railway Station, went off at around 11.15 a.m. The bomb was so powerful that some parts of the motorcycle were thrown up to about 150 metres from the spot.
A railway contractor, Rabindra Deb, two of his workers, namely Moizuddin Ali and Ali Hussain, rickshawpuller Khagen Barman, a driver of the SSB and a civilian — Lacchu Lahar — were injured in the explosion. All the injured have been rushed to the Lower Assam Hospital. Barman was stated to be in critical condition.
Bongaigaon SP Deepak Kumar blamed the ULFA for the explosion.
A couple of vehicles parked nearby and the railway station’s ticket counter were damaged in the blast.
Yesterday, two Hindi-speaking people were killed and ten others injured in a blast in the heart of Tinsukia town. The modus operandi of the ULFA was similar: the IED was kept on a parked motorcycle.
Soon after the blast, the Centre rushed 2,000 additional paramilitary troops to the State for internal security duties. These 20 companies of paramilitary forces are in addition to the 30 companies already sent after the ULFA attacks on Hindi-speaking population of the State.
Myanmar outfit’s bid to save Singpho community
By Surajit Khaund
GUWAHATI, Jan 21 – Kaniwai Singpho fanpe sithunmgwaha. Sei ninkhani subramang bokwoi kani lukwa darare (... stop consuming opium otherwise the entire Singpho community will be finished). This is the appeal of the Kachin Independent Army (KIA) to the Singpho community living in North East India and Kachin. KIA, an underground group of Myanmar, fighting against the Junta Government to liberate Kachin area, has now come forward to rescue the Singpho people from the ill-effects of drugs.
The militant group’s involvement in the anti-drug campaign has clearly indicated the gravity of the problem in the North East and other parts of the Indo-Myanmar border and has exposed the ineffectiveness of the agencies engaged in containing the serious problem.
Worried over the growing drug trafficking and opium cultivation along the bordering areas in the North East and Kachin, the underground group has prepared VCDs asking the people to refrain from cultivating opium. To intensify its campaign against the opium and drug trafficking, the KIA has declared Kachin as opium-free State and has appealed to the people not grow opium in their land. “… Sengwai kani sungluzoi inzorar (...Since opium has affected our people over the years, we will not allow opium to grow in our land. If we want to progress like our neighbours, we must give up opium consumption and cultivation as well), said the KIA head in the VCD. A VCD is also available with The Assam Tribune in which the KIA has provided training to its women cadres to take stern action against the opium cultivators and the addicts. The women cadres are also engaged in the villages to create an awareness among the people so that they can not cultivate opium again. They (women cadres) have been asked to award death sentence if anyone is found to be involved in opium cultivation and drug trafficking.
Kachin area of Myanmar is inhabitated by the Singpho people whose tradition and culture are similar with the Singpho people living in the North East. The bordering areas of Kachin are suitable for opium cultivation and hence the Singpho people cultivate opium for their livelihood. But, the opium addiction has reached such a magnitude that KIA has to take prompt action.
KIA has also come forward in the wake of world-wide campaign against drug trafficking and opium cultivation. Moreover, Singpho youths in the bordering areas of Kachin and North East India are getting attracted towards opium. To overcome the problem, the underground group has adopted the strategy to keep the youths away from taking opium….Endi kani phansan grai sthen re. Deinkhan endi kani patrare (...opium has destroyed the Singpo youths and the society and hence we should come together to fight against it), the KIA leader said in the VCD.
In North East India, opium is generally cultivated in three districts of Arunachal Pradesh, bordering Myanmar. But the produced opium is not sufficient to meet the demand of the people for which opium is smuggled from Myanmar across the border. In 2000, several government agencies had carried out operations in Tirap, Changlang and Lohit districts of Arunachal Pradesh and destroyed about 200 hectares of opium cultivation. Since then no operation has been carried out in the areas in view of spurt in militant activities. Taking advantage of growing militancy and lack of security personnel, more and more people are now involved in opium cultivation. In Asom, altogether 10 villages of Margherita has been badly hit by opium. According to available information, over 70 per cent youths in the area are now opium addicts.
By Surajit Khaund
GUWAHATI, Jan 21 – Kaniwai Singpho fanpe sithunmgwaha. Sei ninkhani subramang bokwoi kani lukwa darare (... stop consuming opium otherwise the entire Singpho community will be finished). This is the appeal of the Kachin Independent Army (KIA) to the Singpho community living in North East India and Kachin. KIA, an underground group of Myanmar, fighting against the Junta Government to liberate Kachin area, has now come forward to rescue the Singpho people from the ill-effects of drugs.
The militant group’s involvement in the anti-drug campaign has clearly indicated the gravity of the problem in the North East and other parts of the Indo-Myanmar border and has exposed the ineffectiveness of the agencies engaged in containing the serious problem.
Worried over the growing drug trafficking and opium cultivation along the bordering areas in the North East and Kachin, the underground group has prepared VCDs asking the people to refrain from cultivating opium. To intensify its campaign against the opium and drug trafficking, the KIA has declared Kachin as opium-free State and has appealed to the people not grow opium in their land. “… Sengwai kani sungluzoi inzorar (...Since opium has affected our people over the years, we will not allow opium to grow in our land. If we want to progress like our neighbours, we must give up opium consumption and cultivation as well), said the KIA head in the VCD. A VCD is also available with The Assam Tribune in which the KIA has provided training to its women cadres to take stern action against the opium cultivators and the addicts. The women cadres are also engaged in the villages to create an awareness among the people so that they can not cultivate opium again. They (women cadres) have been asked to award death sentence if anyone is found to be involved in opium cultivation and drug trafficking.
Kachin area of Myanmar is inhabitated by the Singpho people whose tradition and culture are similar with the Singpho people living in the North East. The bordering areas of Kachin are suitable for opium cultivation and hence the Singpho people cultivate opium for their livelihood. But, the opium addiction has reached such a magnitude that KIA has to take prompt action.
KIA has also come forward in the wake of world-wide campaign against drug trafficking and opium cultivation. Moreover, Singpho youths in the bordering areas of Kachin and North East India are getting attracted towards opium. To overcome the problem, the underground group has adopted the strategy to keep the youths away from taking opium….Endi kani phansan grai sthen re. Deinkhan endi kani patrare (...opium has destroyed the Singpo youths and the society and hence we should come together to fight against it), the KIA leader said in the VCD.
In North East India, opium is generally cultivated in three districts of Arunachal Pradesh, bordering Myanmar. But the produced opium is not sufficient to meet the demand of the people for which opium is smuggled from Myanmar across the border. In 2000, several government agencies had carried out operations in Tirap, Changlang and Lohit districts of Arunachal Pradesh and destroyed about 200 hectares of opium cultivation. Since then no operation has been carried out in the areas in view of spurt in militant activities. Taking advantage of growing militancy and lack of security personnel, more and more people are now involved in opium cultivation. In Asom, altogether 10 villages of Margherita has been badly hit by opium. According to available information, over 70 per cent youths in the area are now opium addicts.
Quite likely the monkeys in Sansad Bhavan are already paid up by ULFA and some have their balls in line by the pet Mullahs of DGFI in Assam.Singha wrote:1 company = 3 platoons ?
50 x 120 = 6000 onlee
What needed is Div. size reinforcement to guard all public places, infra nodes and industrial sites. Backup that with covet RAW ops to knock off ULFA bosses.
From IE.
On Bangla border, goons host cross-border show
[quote]First, the good news: The Centre has chosen Petrapole land custom station (LCS), which handles 80 per cent of the Rs 5,220-crore bilateral trade with Bangladesh, as one of 13 custom stations on India’s borders to be put under the proposed Land Port Authority of India. Petrapole is also in for a Rs 600-crore upgrade.
Now, the bad news: Though law and order is a state government affair, local forces rather than government officials rule Petrapole. While exporters complain about congestion and lack of infrastructure, officials of various government departments at Petrapole outpost live in constant fear, having to work practically at “gunpointâ€
On Bangla border, goons host cross-border show
[quote]First, the good news: The Centre has chosen Petrapole land custom station (LCS), which handles 80 per cent of the Rs 5,220-crore bilateral trade with Bangladesh, as one of 13 custom stations on India’s borders to be put under the proposed Land Port Authority of India. Petrapole is also in for a Rs 600-crore upgrade.
Now, the bad news: Though law and order is a state government affair, local forces rather than government officials rule Petrapole. While exporters complain about congestion and lack of infrastructure, officials of various government departments at Petrapole outpost live in constant fear, having to work practically at “gunpointâ€
X-Posting
Small hydropower projects to get a boost in the North-east
Small hydropower projects to get a boost in the North-east
New Delhi, Jan 23. (PTI): In a bid to boost economic activities in the North Eastern Region, the Government proposes to encourage setting up small hydro power (SHP) projects in the region through subsidies and involving private sector participation.
Though as many as 492 SHP projects have been identified in Arunachal Pradesh, only 64 have been implemented, 48 were under construction and the remaining were still far from being implementable, he said.
In a striking contrast to the addition of 25,000 MW to the generating capacity in the rest of the country in the Tenth Plan, involving an investment of about Rs 60,000 crore, there has been not a single MW added in the Tenth Plan to investment in hydel projects in the region and only marginal investment in thermal energy sources, he said.
A massive stepping up of public sector investment in power in the region in the Eleventh Plan was envisaged, Aiyar said adding that outstanding issues relating to the 2000 MW Lower Subansiri project should be sorted out immediately by the Centre in consultation with the State Governments of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.
sentinel
Blasts continue to rock State, 22 injured
By A Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, Jan 23 – In the run-up to the Republic Day celebrations, the banned ULFA continued to rock the State with a series of blasts at different places, including the State capital Guwahati. Fifteen people were injured, one critically, in a bomb explosion when a tea stall owner of Adabari, Suraj Zamal, threw an unclaimed bag, suspecting it to be an explosive, to a nearby drain. The bag actually had a bomb inside, which exploded immediately after it was thrown to the drain. The incident took place near a mosque in Adabari under Jalukbari police station around 6-30 pm. The injured have been admitted to hospitals including the Guwahati Medical College Hospital (GMCH).
Almost the same time, a bomb was recovered from railway tracks at Noonmati around 6-45 pm.
Elsewhere, a woman was injured in another blast at Boragog village under Kamalpur police station in Kamrup (Rural) district this morning.
Our Baihata Chariali Correspondent adds: Tension prevails at Baihata Chariali area following a bomb blast at the residence of Abbas Ali, a resident of Boragog near Dorakahara, around 7-45 am today. Sajina Begum (18), daughter of Ali, was seriously injured in the blast and was admitted to the GMCH.
The incident occurred when Saidul Islam, son of Ali, tried to open a ball-like object inside the house, which he claimed to have picked up from railway tracks the previous night. Meanwhile, Islam has been arrested and his interrogation is on. The officer-in-charge of Kamalpur police station said Islam changed his version before police, and that police suspect him to be either a member or a linkman of extremist organizations. His confession is likely to throw much light in the recent blasts in the State.
Our Bongaigaon Correspondent adds: In Bongaigaon district, six persons were injured in an explosion at the Paglasthan market in Bongaigaon town around 6-10 this evening. The explosives were kept in a bag on a cycle in front of a shop. The injured have been identified as Suraj Singh (20), Soumen Roy (30), AK Deb (40), Sunil Jain (40), Mitan Sutradhar (30) and Rudra Das (30).
There was another explosion under a culvert near Bongaigaon around 11-30 am. However, none was injured.
Blasts continue to rock State, 22 injured
By A Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, Jan 23 – In the run-up to the Republic Day celebrations, the banned ULFA continued to rock the State with a series of blasts at different places, including the State capital Guwahati. Fifteen people were injured, one critically, in a bomb explosion when a tea stall owner of Adabari, Suraj Zamal, threw an unclaimed bag, suspecting it to be an explosive, to a nearby drain. The bag actually had a bomb inside, which exploded immediately after it was thrown to the drain. The incident took place near a mosque in Adabari under Jalukbari police station around 6-30 pm. The injured have been admitted to hospitals including the Guwahati Medical College Hospital (GMCH).
Almost the same time, a bomb was recovered from railway tracks at Noonmati around 6-45 pm.
Elsewhere, a woman was injured in another blast at Boragog village under Kamalpur police station in Kamrup (Rural) district this morning.
Our Baihata Chariali Correspondent adds: Tension prevails at Baihata Chariali area following a bomb blast at the residence of Abbas Ali, a resident of Boragog near Dorakahara, around 7-45 am today. Sajina Begum (18), daughter of Ali, was seriously injured in the blast and was admitted to the GMCH.
The incident occurred when Saidul Islam, son of Ali, tried to open a ball-like object inside the house, which he claimed to have picked up from railway tracks the previous night. Meanwhile, Islam has been arrested and his interrogation is on. The officer-in-charge of Kamalpur police station said Islam changed his version before police, and that police suspect him to be either a member or a linkman of extremist organizations. His confession is likely to throw much light in the recent blasts in the State.
Our Bongaigaon Correspondent adds: In Bongaigaon district, six persons were injured in an explosion at the Paglasthan market in Bongaigaon town around 6-10 this evening. The explosives were kept in a bag on a cycle in front of a shop. The injured have been identified as Suraj Singh (20), Soumen Roy (30), AK Deb (40), Sunil Jain (40), Mitan Sutradhar (30) and Rudra Das (30).
There was another explosion under a culvert near Bongaigaon around 11-30 am. However, none was injured.
Raju, that's Aloka Desai Sarma, a woman pol.
In the meantime, it is excellent that these thieves and freeloaders are being given the royal boot in the correct style.
From Assam Tribune 1/25/07
Ranee Narah evicted from MP’s quarter
From Our Spl Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Jan 24 – Former Congress MP Ranee Narah had to face embarrassing moments today when Central Public Works Department (CPWD) forcefully evicted her from her South Avenue house dumping her belongings on the road
. The Government’s actions came after the Supreme Court had last Wednesday taken a strong view of the delay in recovering the outstanding arrears to the tune of over Rs 50 crore from top politicians and VIPs. A Bench of Justice BN Aggarwal and Justice Naolekar asked the Additional Solicitor General Amarendra Saran to file a status report on the issue before May 1.
The action on the VIP squatters by the Directorate of Estate came after Ranee Narah’s plea for extension of time expired. The former MP has not vacated the official residence she was allocated when she was member of the 13th Lok Sabha.
She had been overstaying by submitting pleas for extension of time and using all her political connections to buy time. But with the Supreme Court breathing down its neck the Urban Development Ministry and the Directorate of Estate were not willing to take chances.
On Wednesday morning, around 30-40 CPWD personnel accompanied by Delhi Police landed on her 147-149 South Avenue apartments with the necessary orders for forcefully vacating the house. The MP was away but Narah’s personal staff, who were present at the House, tried to plea but failed to persuade the officials.
The eviction process soon began and all the personal belongings of the former MP and her Minister husband, Bharat Narah were dumped on the road outside. Furnisher, computers, TV, shoe racks, books, fridge, utensils and such items were thrown on the road outside her apartment.
The former MPs two sons, who use to stay in the South Avenue apartment, were rushed to Asom Bhavan from school. Personal staff of the Congress leader was seen helplessly sifting through the belongings, even as a small crowd gathered outside. Delhi Police personnel did not allow anyone to go inside, but CPWD employees said former MPs’ bedroom was the only room that was locked.
Later in the afternoon, the lock was broken and the bedroom was cleared of all the belongings. They claimed that the former MP had been overstaying for the last two years.
As reported earlier by this newspaper, the raiding party had visited Narah’s house last year also, but the Directorate of Estate granted her some time following a personal appeal.
In the meantime, it is excellent that these thieves and freeloaders are being given the royal boot in the correct style.
From Assam Tribune 1/25/07
Ranee Narah evicted from MP’s quarter
From Our Spl Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Jan 24 – Former Congress MP Ranee Narah had to face embarrassing moments today when Central Public Works Department (CPWD) forcefully evicted her from her South Avenue house dumping her belongings on the road
. The Government’s actions came after the Supreme Court had last Wednesday taken a strong view of the delay in recovering the outstanding arrears to the tune of over Rs 50 crore from top politicians and VIPs. A Bench of Justice BN Aggarwal and Justice Naolekar asked the Additional Solicitor General Amarendra Saran to file a status report on the issue before May 1.The action on the VIP squatters by the Directorate of Estate came after Ranee Narah’s plea for extension of time expired. The former MP has not vacated the official residence she was allocated when she was member of the 13th Lok Sabha.
She had been overstaying by submitting pleas for extension of time and using all her political connections to buy time. But with the Supreme Court breathing down its neck the Urban Development Ministry and the Directorate of Estate were not willing to take chances.
On Wednesday morning, around 30-40 CPWD personnel accompanied by Delhi Police landed on her 147-149 South Avenue apartments with the necessary orders for forcefully vacating the house. The MP was away but Narah’s personal staff, who were present at the House, tried to plea but failed to persuade the officials.
The eviction process soon began and all the personal belongings of the former MP and her Minister husband, Bharat Narah were dumped on the road outside. Furnisher, computers, TV, shoe racks, books, fridge, utensils and such items were thrown on the road outside her apartment.
The former MPs two sons, who use to stay in the South Avenue apartment, were rushed to Asom Bhavan from school. Personal staff of the Congress leader was seen helplessly sifting through the belongings, even as a small crowd gathered outside. Delhi Police personnel did not allow anyone to go inside, but CPWD employees said former MPs’ bedroom was the only room that was locked.
Later in the afternoon, the lock was broken and the bedroom was cleared of all the belongings. They claimed that the former MP had been overstaying for the last two years.
As reported earlier by this newspaper, the raiding party had visited Narah’s house last year also, but the Directorate of Estate granted her some time following a personal appeal.
From the Pioneer...
Summary : ULFA's leaders are all Assamese-speaking Hindus. It is often forgotten that in the 1980s they had started their movement with the objective of driving out of Assam the millions of illegal Muslim migrants from Bangladesh who had squatted in the State, thereby depriving the Assamese of jobs. As ULFA's dependence on the intelligence agencies of Bangladesh and Pakistan for money, training, arms and sanctuaries increased, the agencies manipulated them into give up their campaign against the illegal Muslim migrants from Bangladesh and turn it instead on a new scrape goat - Hindus from other parts of India who have settled in Assam for a livelihood.
The extent to which they have come under the influence of the Bangladeshi intelligence agency is evident from the fact that while they target Hindus from other parts of India, force them to pay taxes and kill them, they never target the Bengali-speaking Muslims.
The self-styled "commander-in-chief" of ULFA, Paresh Barua, is today a wealthy man. His personal earnings from his business ventures in Bangladesh are over Rs 30 crore per year. Baruah uses pseudonyms like "Kamruj Zaman Khan", "Nur-uz-Zaman" or "Zaman Bhai" while in Dhaka. The total assets of ULFA is being valued at over Rs 500 crore.
Mohammad Furquan
The rebirth of ULFA as global jihad's Hindu auxiliary is a matter of concern for India
It's nothing new for revolutionary or separatist groups to operate against the enemy state from foreign bases. Time and again neighbouring countries provide sanctuaries to insurgent groups. In the globalised world, international linkages between groups are open and often obvious. However, the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), which is operating from bases in Bangladesh for the last two decades, has reduced itself to a stooge of ISI and other jihadi forces and is guided and encouraged by such forces alone. The group has undergone an ideological transformation and is today furthering the agenda of anti-India forces. Its original ideology has vanished.
ULFA's first foreign foray was in Myanmar. In 1986, it established contacts with the then undivided National Socialist Council of Nagaland and the Kachin Independence Army of Myanmar for training and procuring arms. Subsequently, links were established with the ISI. ULFA's camps in Bangladesh operate in almost same fashion as that of terror groups in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. ULFA's camps in Bangladesh have been functioning since 1989, when they had 13 to 14 such camps. The ULFA leadership has managed to stay in Bangladesh for close to 15 years regardless of the party in power, be it the Awami League or the BNP.
The only country which ejected ULFA was Bhutan. In December 2003, thanks to superb Indo-Bhutanese collaboration, the operatives of the group who had established bases in the forests of Bhutan were either driven out or killed in substantial numbers. There was optimism in the subsequent months that the dreaded insurgent group had indeed been liquidated. But the ISI was no pushover. But the rebirth of ULFA was in another form. Gone was the old ideology for a "free Asom". Henceforth, Paresh Barua and his boys were to act as Hindu instruments of jihad - cheap mercenaries and not "freedom fighters".
Today, ULFA has emerged as a major player in the just-deferred general election in Bangladesh. The group had invested over Rs 30 crore in the election. It wanted to fund candidates from a cross-section of Bangladeshi parties. Reports indicate that ULFA is partially funding at least 15 candidates, besides donating to the party funds of a number of major parties. Almost all these candidates are close to the ISI.
Paresh Barua's funds are being managed and assisted by a top functionary of Jatiya Party (Ershad), who is also an aspirant in the general election from northern Bangladesh, a traditional stronghold. The stakes for ULFA in the forthcoming Bangladesh election is even higher than that of the Awami League and the BNP.
The next Bangladesh Government may decide whether to deport the ULFA leadership to India or continue to use the group against India. The alleged confession of Pallb Saikia, an ULFA commander, that the group was involved in the attack on Sheikh Hasina's rally in 2004, also shows the magnitude of ULFA's involvement in the politics of Bangladesh and authenticates the group's link with the jihadi groups.
ULFA's leaders are all Assamese-speaking Hindus. It is often forgotten that in the 1980s they had started their movement with the objective of driving out of Assam the millions of illegal Muslim migrants from Bangladesh who had squatted in the State, thereby depriving the Assamese of jobs. As ULFA's dependence on the intelligence agencies of Bangladesh and Pakistan for money, training, arms and sanctuaries increased, the agencies manipulated them into give up their campaign against the illegal Muslim migrants from Bangladesh and turn it instead on a new scrape goat - Hindus from other parts of India who have settled in Assam for a livelihood.
The extent to which they have come under the influence of the Bangladeshi intelligence agency is evident from the fact that while they target Hindus from other parts of India, force them to pay taxes and kill them, they never target the Bengali-speaking Muslims.
The self-styled "commander-in-chief" of ULFA, Paresh Barua, is today a wealthy man. His personal earnings from his business ventures in Bangladesh are over Rs 30 crore per year. Baruah uses pseudonyms like "Kamruj Zaman Khan", "Nur-uz-Zaman" or "Zaman Bhai" while in Dhaka. The total assets of ULFA is being valued at over Rs 500 crore.
ULFA's business ventures in Bangladesh include media consultancies and soft drink manufacturing units. The group is reported to own three hotels, a private clinic, and two motor driving schools in Dhaka.
Barua is reported to personally own or is a major stakeholders in a tannery, a chain of departmental stores, garment factories, travel agencies, shrimp trawlers and transport and investment companies. Reports indicate that between 1990 and 2004, Baruah stayed in 12 different houses in Dhaka spread in posh areas like Dhanmondi, Mirpur, New Eskaton Road and Uttara.
The story of the collaboration between ISI and DGFI is of epic proportions. The latest carnages in Tinsukia, Dhemaji and Dibrugarh were examples of such joint operation. There are credible reports that around December 28, top ULFA leaders and DGFI officials met at a safe house in Dhaka, and an operation was charted out to create serious disruptions in Assam and in Siliguri to divert Indian attention from the election impasse in Bangladesh.
The blast in Jalpaiguri was also the handiwork of ULFA and its foreign agents. A group of about 15 ULFA cadre was sent to Pakistan late last year for training and is reported to have been involved in the act. Moreover, ULFA has started recruiting Bangladeshi migrants in its ranks.
About 10 trained DGFI special task force members infiltrated into Assam and teamed up with ULFA cadre to carry out the mass killings. The infiltration of DGFI personnel into Assam is not a new development. Some DGFI commandos are housed by Assam-based Muslim jihadi groups. The involvement of ISI input cannot be ruled out, as ULFA leaders Paresh Barua and Arabinda Rajkhowa reportedly returned to Dhaka from a trip to Pakistan around December 20.
Defence Forces Intelligence of Bangladesh had also trained the ULFA cadre in the Sylhet district. ULFA has to pay protection money to DGFI and Government officials of Bangladesh and even the political leaders, cutting across party lines. It has been reliably learnt that Barua has paid five lakh taka to an ISI field operative in Bangladesh in order to facilitate his recent trip to Bangkok on a Pakistani passport towards the end of 2006.
(The writer is a senior columnist on strategic issues)
From the Pioneer - Goswami and ULFA may have had a spat...
Summary : ULFA was severely affected by "Operation All Clear" carried out by the Royal Bhutanese Army in December 2003. During this operation, ULFA suffered the loss of many of its front ranking cadre. Some of its key strategists were also caught and handed over to Indian authorities. However, in the last three years, the outfit has regrouped itself by misusing the thaw due to the peace efforts led writer Indira Goswami and the ULFA vetted People's Consultative Group (PCG) deliberations.
Ms Goswami withdrew herself as the interlocutor for the peace talks after persuading New Delhi to continue the peace process despite ULFA's rebuff in the form of regular violent incidents. Her frustration at the lack of transparency on the part of the ULFA leadership also raised clear doubts about the sincerity of the banned outfit. The Army operations continued while the PCG talks were on, and, to great extent, ULFA took advantage of the situation and questioned the "sincerity" of the Government.
Full Text : Elusive peace
Joyeeta Bhattacharjee
Extraordinary security bandobast is nothing new in Guwahati. But this time, the uniqueness of the National Games, which begin on February 9, is that the Central forces will receive full public backing. The Assamese people's rejection of ULFA is now complete
Assam is back on fire. The banned terrorist outfit, United Liberation Front of Asom, has triggered off another chain of mass murder incidents by killing migrant workers from other parts of India who have been living in the State for years. ULFA has also started regularly setting off bombs in crowded places targeting the same community.
The violence perpetrated is seen almost every year around the time of Republic Day for which the outfit gives an annual boycott call. But this time, the National Games, which were scheduled for early February, has also been put on the hate list. ULFA's offensive is also aimed at creating unrest in other parts of the country as a retaliatory move. Now the Games will be held under fortress-like conditions along with the massively resumed Army operations across upper Assam.
The issue that arises is: Where does the peace process go from here? With the increased incidents of bomb blast, growing death toll and intensive Army operations, the prospect for peace seem to have receded despite the Centre professing that talks would follow when ULFA abjures violence. Such violent incidents have also cast a negative impression about the State and the efforts that had been on to woo investments by the Tarun Gogoi regime.
At a time when India is seeing an economic growth rate rivalling that of many developed countries, Assam is lagging behind and unable to attract investments. Despite the huge opportunities in the energy and service sectors, investors are afraid of investing citing extortion and violence as their greatest fears. The perception built up over the years of Assam as some kind of a war zone has not been helped by the recent blasts and mass murders.
ULFA was severely affected by "Operation All Clear" carried out by the Royal Bhutanese Army in December 2003. During this operation, ULFA suffered the loss of many of its front ranking cadre. Some of its key strategists were also caught and handed over to Indian authorities. However, in the last three years, the outfit has regrouped itself by misusing the thaw due to the peace efforts led writer Indira Goswami and the ULFA vetted People's Consultative Group (PCG) deliberations.
Ms Goswami withdrew herself as the interlocutor for the peace talks after persuading New Delhi to continue the peace process despite ULFA's rebuff in the form of regular violent incidents. Her frustration at the lack of transparency on the part of the ULFA leadership also raised clear doubts about the sincerity of the banned outfit. The Army operations continued while the PCG talks were on, and, to great extent, ULFA took advantage of the situation and questioned the "sincerity" of the Government.
At the same time, the ease with which the ULFA leadership move in and out of Bangladesh and the complete silence from the Dhaka authorities to the repeated notices from New Delhi, has combined to help the outfit to use Bangladesh for regrouping. ULFA's proximity to the erstwhile ruling BNP-Jamait alliance has been known for long.
The question that arises today is who is ULFA fighting for? The outfit has lost the support constituency it once enjoyed and is widely perceived as an organisation fighting its last battle. The prominent institutions in Assam - the Assam Sahitya Sabha and the All-Assam Students Union (AASU) - have come out against its style of functioning and have openly criticised the outfit for the senseless violence it engineered.
This is very encouraging considering the history of Assam's problems and a clear sign that there is none of the old fear with which people regarded it. This is something for the Government to capitalise upon. There should be unequivocal firmness to stop violence and at the same time try and get the rank and file of ULFA to surrender and participate in rebuilding Assam. They should be made to understand that in the age of globalisation, there is more to achieve by marshalling the inherent talents and natural resources of Assam than by wielding guns.
But peace should remain the prime objective. While the responsibility lies greatly on ULFA, the Government of India too has a big role to play. The Army operations should be tactical in nature. A sense of mutual trust has to set in and the civil society of the State has to play a more prominent role.
(The writer is a Junior Fellow, Observer Research Foundation; the views expressed are personal)
State rocked by series of blasts, 2 killed
By A Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, Jan 25 – A series of blasts rocked the State on Republic Day eve today, killing two persons and injuring many more. A bomb exploded in a dustbin on the Kacharibasti Road near the busy Ganeshguri market around 6-40 this evening. However, no one was injured in the incident. Police said an IED was planted inside a dustbin. Panic gripped the place after the blast with people fleeing the area and shopkeepers downing their shutters.
Our Rangiya Correspondent adds: One person was killed and four others were injured when a powerful blast rocked Rangiya town this evening. The blast took place in a market in front of Radhakrishna temple.
The person killed in the incident has been identified as Kusal Bania. Four of the seriously injured persons have been identified as Madan Baishya, Baharul Islam, Gopi Lundia and Abdul Hamid. They have been shifted to the Guwahati Medical College Hospital for treatment.
Our Doomdooma Correspondent adds: A youth was killed in a blast at Borhapjan Amtoli around 5 pm today. It is suspected that the deceased himself was carrying the explosive in a bag on a bicycle. Two others were injured in the incident. Night curfew has been imposed in the area.
Our Sualkuchi Correspondent adds: A powerful bomb exploded on a wooden bridge over the Bhelamardia river at Bansar hajo at 10-40 last night, causing damage to the bridge. It is suspected the militants planted the bomb targeting an Army patrol team.
The Army recovered seven IEDs at Autala village in Darrang district on January 22, an Army release said. The crude bombs, which weighed about a kg each, were capable of causing extensive damage and casualties, especially if those were used in crowded places like markets.
In another incident on January 24, the Army arrested an ULFA militant, Dhojen Rai, who is an expert in explosives. Seven gelatin sticks, 14 detonators, and three safety fuses with detonators were seized from him.
By A Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, Jan 25 – A series of blasts rocked the State on Republic Day eve today, killing two persons and injuring many more. A bomb exploded in a dustbin on the Kacharibasti Road near the busy Ganeshguri market around 6-40 this evening. However, no one was injured in the incident. Police said an IED was planted inside a dustbin. Panic gripped the place after the blast with people fleeing the area and shopkeepers downing their shutters.
Our Rangiya Correspondent adds: One person was killed and four others were injured when a powerful blast rocked Rangiya town this evening. The blast took place in a market in front of Radhakrishna temple.
The person killed in the incident has been identified as Kusal Bania. Four of the seriously injured persons have been identified as Madan Baishya, Baharul Islam, Gopi Lundia and Abdul Hamid. They have been shifted to the Guwahati Medical College Hospital for treatment.
Our Doomdooma Correspondent adds: A youth was killed in a blast at Borhapjan Amtoli around 5 pm today. It is suspected that the deceased himself was carrying the explosive in a bag on a bicycle. Two others were injured in the incident. Night curfew has been imposed in the area.
Our Sualkuchi Correspondent adds: A powerful bomb exploded on a wooden bridge over the Bhelamardia river at Bansar hajo at 10-40 last night, causing damage to the bridge. It is suspected the militants planted the bomb targeting an Army patrol team.
The Army recovered seven IEDs at Autala village in Darrang district on January 22, an Army release said. The crude bombs, which weighed about a kg each, were capable of causing extensive damage and casualties, especially if those were used in crowded places like markets.
In another incident on January 24, the Army arrested an ULFA militant, Dhojen Rai, who is an expert in explosives. Seven gelatin sticks, 14 detonators, and three safety fuses with detonators were seized from him.
Myanmar crackdown puts Indian insurgents on the run: rebels
Mon Jan 29, 1:24 AM ET
GUWAHATI, India (AFP) - A major military crackdown by Myanmar has sent Indian separatists fleeing and left a growing death toll, a rebel leader has told AFP.
The junta had burnt down the general headquarters and two camps held by the S.S. Khaplang faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-K).
"Heavy fighting is going on with a brigade (about 3,000 men) of the Myanmarese army using mortars and rocket launchers, launching a massive assault on our cadres since the weekend," senior NSCN-K leader A.Z. Jami said by telephone.
The NSCN-K, fighting for an independent homeland for Naga tribal peoples in the northeastern Indian state of Nagaland, has at least 50 camps with some 5,000 guerrilla fighters in Sagaing, northern Myanmar.
"We have lost three of our cadres and as many wounded in the attacks. In retaliatory strikes, our boys killed more than 12 Myanmarese soldiers and injured many more," the rebel leader said.
"About 60 of our cadres who were at the general headquarters during the raid managed to flee the camp."
The offensive comes a week after India’s Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee visited Yangon and sought the junta's help against rebels from the northeast who have sought refuge across the border.
"The offensive by the military junta has the backing of the Indian government with most of the weapons used in the operation supplied by New Delhi," another senior rebel leader said, asking not to be named.
Mukherjee's trip followed reports that hundreds of rebels from Assam escaped into Myanmar after India launched a military operation against the guerrillas earlier this month.
Authorities in Assam blamed the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) for violence that saw 86 people killed -- mostly Hindi-speaking migrant workers.
At least four other militant groups from India's northeast, including the ULFA, have training camps in Myanmar's jungles.
There was no confirmation of the military offensive from Myanmar.
The NSCN's Khaplang faction has observed a ceasefire with New Delhi since 2001 although peace talks have not started.
Myanmar had last year also launched a military operation against the NSCN-K and overran several of their bases.
India and Myanmar share a 1,640-kilometer (1,000-mile) unfenced border.
The rebels say they want to protect ethnic identities and allege the federal government is taking the resources in the mineral, tea, timber, and oil-rich region.
More than 50,000 people have lost their lives to insurgency in the northeast since India's independence in 1947.
Centre, State failed to thwart ISI: AASU
Congress Party trying the same tricks it played in West Bengal in seventies against Maoists? ULFA denies charge of bribe and challenges media in Assam
ULFA warns news channelBy A Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, Jan 30 – The agents of the Pakistani Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) and jehadi elements were encouraged to establish roots in Asom and other parts of the North East region because of the failure of the Central and State Governments to deal with the problem of infiltration of foreigners, alleged the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU). The students’ body also expressed the opinion that anyone including political parties or non-political organization, who supports the cause of the illegal migrants, can never be well-wishers of the indigenous people of the State.
AASU adviser Samujjal Bhattacharya said here today that the Central and State Governments indirectly encouraged the ISI agents and jehadi elements to establish their bases in the State by not taking any action to deal with the problem of infiltration of foreign nationals and the people of the State had to fight for more than two decades for the implementation of the Assam Accord.
Bhattacharya said that even after 21 years of signing of the Accord, the Government of India failed to seal the Asom-Bangladesh border, which encouraged Bangladeshi nationals and elements of the groups inimical to India to sneak into Asom by taking advantage of the porous border. He pointed out that in the tripartite meeting held in 2005, the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh himself promised to complete the border fencing within 2006, but the promise was not fulfilled. He also said that imposition of the controversial Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunals) Act and amendment of the Foreigners (Tribunals) Order, both of which were scrapped by the Supreme Court, also gave encouragement to the foreign nationals to infiltrate into Asom.
AASU president Sankar Prasad Roy pointed out that though the Prime Minister made certain promises on the implementation of the Accord in 2005, he never bothered to monitor whether the promises were implemented by the concerned departments and Ministries. He said that the AASU executive would meet soon to chalk out the future course of action and the students’ body is planning to launch a mass movement in protest against the failure of the Government to keep the promises on sealing of the international border. He also said that the stepmotherly attitude of the Government of India towards the problem can be gauged from the fact that all out efforts were made to seal the international border in the western sector but same kind of steps were not taken in case of the border in Asom. He also demanded that shoot-at-sight orders should be given along the international border and immediate steps should be taken to evict all the Bangladeshi nationals from the state.
AASU general secretary Tapan Kumar Gogoi alleged that constitutional safeguards with right over land must be given to the indigenous people of the state under the provisions of clause 6 of the Assam Accord. He asserted that the AASU would never compromise with anyone on the issue of illegal migration and the students’ body would continue its fight for the solution of the problem of illegal migration, which is posing a threat to the identity of the indigenous people of the state.
Meanwhile, the AASU once again hit out at the political parties of the State alleging that none of the parties could forcefully take up the issue. Bhattacharya said that the parliamentarians of the State also miserably failed to raise the issue forcefully on the floor of the parliament.
Sushanta Talukdar
Deal between State, ULFA on National Games: NETV
# Nothing to substantiate: channel chief
# "Gogoi also issued similar statement"
Guwahati: The United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) on Tuesday accused the city-based satellite news channel of the north-east, NETV, of having run a story alleging that the outfit had taken money from the Assam Government for withdrawing its call for boycott of the National Games. It has asked the news channel to close down if it cannot substantiate the story within a month.
In a statement issued through e-mail ULFA chief Paresh Barua alleged that the NETV ran a news item on January 27 saying the ULFA was willing to withdraw the boycott by taking money from the Government.
"If NETV cannot prove that we had taken money then it should totally leave from Assam within a month, failing which it will have to face dire consequences," the ULFA chief warned.
Channel's version
NETV chairperson and managing director Manoranjana Singh told The Hindu that the channel had never run any story on January 27 on the issue. "We did run a story on January 25 and not on January 27 as claimed by Mr. Barua that people in different circles were talking about the State Government having managed the ULFA through a company in Kolkata and that the scale of violence was expected to come down till the National Games were over," she said.
Ms. Singh said the ULFA chief's statement was in tune with the Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and came a day after Mr. Gogoi made a similar accusation in Delhi on Monday against the news channel for running a news story about a monetary deal between the Assam Government and the ULFA and threatening to file a defamation suit.
She said the channel would stand by the assertion that there was an understanding between the State Government and the ULFA.
"My channel and I will continue to insist that there is an understanding between the Congress and the ULFA, and thus between the State Government and the ULFA," she said.
To re-run story
On the ULFA's threat of "dire consequences" if the channel failed to substantiate its news report, Ms. Singh said there was nothing to substantiate "because we had never run any story as alleged by ULFA chief Paresh Barua."
"We will re-run the particular story that we ran on January 25 on Tuesday and Wednesday to tell the people what exactly we said," she said.
Congress Party trying the same tricks it played in West Bengal in seventies against Maoists? ULFA denies charge of bribe and challenges media in Assam
Special Correspondent
Jan. 30, 2007
In the seventies, the Congress Party of India crushed the Maoist rebellion in West Bengal. Educated middle class youths were killed in scores. Those days they were known as Naxals. In a pitched battle in Jadavpur University Hostel of Kolkata, the Army finally had to bring in armor to win.
During that time the main weapon Congress Party used was propaganda and media based lies. Assam may be seeing it the same way. ULFA denies the report that ULFA had clandestinely accepted money from the government to consider withdrawing its call to boycott the National games, scheduled to be held here during February 9-18.
The problems with ULFA are two. There is nothing wrong with supporting Assamese people. The first problem lies with violence, terror and threats to media. That is detrimental to what they want to achieve – respect and dignity of Assamese people against Hindi oligarchs. They are hitting innocent people who are just poor migrant workers. Hindi Oligarchs that exploit Assam do not live in Assam. Second biggest problem for ULFA is it image. The Congress party may have successfully fed the media with information that ULFA is under Pakistani ISI command.
If ULFA is under ISI command, it is a shame of highest category because Pakistani ISI is worse than Hitler’s Gestapo. ISI is the worst enemy for Assamese people. They want to eventually convert Assam into an Islamic state through import of Muslim Bangladeshis into Assam.
ULFA must look in the mirror and understand that it is fighting against Congress Party of India that is very experienced and shrewd in these matters.
Blood of the innocent
[quote]Ravishankar Ravi Guwahati
The United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) has gone on a killing spree with numerous bomb blasts in Assam, but it has only succeeded in rocking its own boat. Consequently, the people have started raising fingers at the intentions and politics of the banned organisation. There was a time when the ULFA claimed to be a militant, ‘revolutionary’ organisation whose avowed purpose was to wage a war against the Indian government for the ‘liberation’ of Assam. However, over the last few years, the sympathisers of ULFA have been forced to change their opinion about the underground outfit, leading to a sharp decline in public support with the ULFA being accused of systematically using communalism and terrorism as its ideological identity.
During the 1980-90 phase, people turned up in thousands to pay their homage to the ULFA cadres killed in action against the security forces. However, the situation has taken a dramatic turn-around now with people burning the effigies of ULFA commander, Paresh Barua, and raising slogans against the outfit. Barua is stated to be hiding in Bangladesh. The prevailing situation is such that Assam’s non-political organisations have not only condemned the violent killings of innocent people, especially hardworking and poor migrant Biharis, but have also opposed the ULFA’s demand for an ‘independent, sovereign Assam’. Among the organisations criticising the ULFA are the Assam Manvadhikar Sangram Samiti (MASS) and the Peace Committee for Peace Initiative (PCPI), which have been ULFA sympathisers in the past.
According to journalist Samudra Gupt Kashyap, “The attack on security forces and destruction of national property can still be understood in a given context, but the bombing of innocent children who came to participate in a Republic Day function at Dhemaji, the attack on Hindi-speaking labourers living in the state for the last many years, the brutal killings of north Indian migrant labourers and explosions at public places -- is this any kind of revolution? This has neither logic nor rationality.â€
[quote]Ravishankar Ravi Guwahati
The United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) has gone on a killing spree with numerous bomb blasts in Assam, but it has only succeeded in rocking its own boat. Consequently, the people have started raising fingers at the intentions and politics of the banned organisation. There was a time when the ULFA claimed to be a militant, ‘revolutionary’ organisation whose avowed purpose was to wage a war against the Indian government for the ‘liberation’ of Assam. However, over the last few years, the sympathisers of ULFA have been forced to change their opinion about the underground outfit, leading to a sharp decline in public support with the ULFA being accused of systematically using communalism and terrorism as its ideological identity.
During the 1980-90 phase, people turned up in thousands to pay their homage to the ULFA cadres killed in action against the security forces. However, the situation has taken a dramatic turn-around now with people burning the effigies of ULFA commander, Paresh Barua, and raising slogans against the outfit. Barua is stated to be hiding in Bangladesh. The prevailing situation is such that Assam’s non-political organisations have not only condemned the violent killings of innocent people, especially hardworking and poor migrant Biharis, but have also opposed the ULFA’s demand for an ‘independent, sovereign Assam’. Among the organisations criticising the ULFA are the Assam Manvadhikar Sangram Samiti (MASS) and the Peace Committee for Peace Initiative (PCPI), which have been ULFA sympathisers in the past.
According to journalist Samudra Gupt Kashyap, “The attack on security forces and destruction of national property can still be understood in a given context, but the bombing of innocent children who came to participate in a Republic Day function at Dhemaji, the attack on Hindi-speaking labourers living in the state for the last many years, the brutal killings of north Indian migrant labourers and explosions at public places -- is this any kind of revolution? This has neither logic nor rationality.â€
Ulfa barbarism
ebuf[quote]Centre Must Sustain The Offensive
By Bibhuti Bhusan Nandy
Despite warnings from all quarters that Ulfa would never peacefully negotiate with the government, National Security Adviser, M K Narayanan, held talks with its interlocutors for the better part of last year. These were supposed to set the agenda for the substantive peace talks between the Centre and the Ulfa high command ~ and also sort out other related issues.
During his prolonged meeting with intermediary Indira Raisom Goswami and Ulfa-appointed People’s Consultative Group the NSA readily conceded all Ulfa preconditions for talks. He even agreed to include the core issue of sovereignty in the agenda. Further, he called off the military operation against Ulfa’s 28th battalion in the Dibru-Saikhowa resreve forest when the army was about to decimate it. The government even decided in principle to release five senior Ulfa leaders from detention. However, when in return the Centre wanted a written pledge from the other side committing itself to direct talks, the rebel leaders demurred and the NSA’s discussions with the PCG ended with a whimper.
Recruitment drive
The Ulfa didn’t sit idle when talks were on. It used the respite to re-arm and restore its combat capabilities that had suffered a crushing blow from the Royal Bhutanese Army in December 2003. While the response from the native Assamese youth to its new recruitment drive was lukewarm, the Ulfa succeeded in enlisting sturdier and better motivated Bangladeshi Muslim immigrants in its rolls. When the talks fell through in September last year, there was no doubt in any quarters that the outfit would resume violence with vengeance. Sure enough, it killed a number of innocent people. As the public reacted sharply, the Ulfa disclaimed responsibility, but those arrested during the investigation of these crimes were all Ulfa operatives.
Thus rfed, the Ulfa changed its strategy and trained its gun on the vulnerable “outsidersâ€
ebuf[quote]Centre Must Sustain The Offensive
By Bibhuti Bhusan Nandy
Despite warnings from all quarters that Ulfa would never peacefully negotiate with the government, National Security Adviser, M K Narayanan, held talks with its interlocutors for the better part of last year. These were supposed to set the agenda for the substantive peace talks between the Centre and the Ulfa high command ~ and also sort out other related issues.
During his prolonged meeting with intermediary Indira Raisom Goswami and Ulfa-appointed People’s Consultative Group the NSA readily conceded all Ulfa preconditions for talks. He even agreed to include the core issue of sovereignty in the agenda. Further, he called off the military operation against Ulfa’s 28th battalion in the Dibru-Saikhowa resreve forest when the army was about to decimate it. The government even decided in principle to release five senior Ulfa leaders from detention. However, when in return the Centre wanted a written pledge from the other side committing itself to direct talks, the rebel leaders demurred and the NSA’s discussions with the PCG ended with a whimper.
Recruitment drive
The Ulfa didn’t sit idle when talks were on. It used the respite to re-arm and restore its combat capabilities that had suffered a crushing blow from the Royal Bhutanese Army in December 2003. While the response from the native Assamese youth to its new recruitment drive was lukewarm, the Ulfa succeeded in enlisting sturdier and better motivated Bangladeshi Muslim immigrants in its rolls. When the talks fell through in September last year, there was no doubt in any quarters that the outfit would resume violence with vengeance. Sure enough, it killed a number of innocent people. As the public reacted sharply, the Ulfa disclaimed responsibility, but those arrested during the investigation of these crimes were all Ulfa operatives.
Thus rfed, the Ulfa changed its strategy and trained its gun on the vulnerable “outsidersâ€
From above article,
The results of this pusillanimity are in front of our eyes. I just wonder how the NE landscape will look like in another 10-15 years.In the early nineties, Paresh Barua and other top Ulfa and Naga rebel leaders frequently visited the capitals of some South-east Asian countries for procuring arms and ammunition. Indian secret services had dependable resources at that time to carry out unorthodox operations targeting them, but the country’s pusillanimous intelligence and political leadership wouldn’t clear any such initiative.
If not posted,
Assam: Government Changes Strategy to Deal with ULFA[quote]India’s Defence Minister A.K. Antony has said that the Centre had been misled by intermediaries who argued that the ULFA wanted peace. The government suspended military operations against the outfit from August 13 to September 24 last year despite the army consistently advising it against any such step. The Defence Minister said the government had little choice when approached by many “well-meaningâ€
Assam: Government Changes Strategy to Deal with ULFA[quote]India’s Defence Minister A.K. Antony has said that the Centre had been misled by intermediaries who argued that the ULFA wanted peace. The government suspended military operations against the outfit from August 13 to September 24 last year despite the army consistently advising it against any such step. The Defence Minister said the government had little choice when approached by many “well-meaningâ€
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Raju
M. K. Narayanan by himself has no power to initiate talks with ULFA or call of action against ULFA cadre (who were supposedly cornered). He is just carrying out his duties as per instructions from above. And in this case none other than the 'peacemaker' of the subcontinent himself Shri MooshikMohanji.
Anthony ji is just providing covering fire to mooshikmohanji.
Anthony ji is just providing covering fire to mooshikmohanji.
Gun Parishad
The Centre decides to talk tough as talking peace is showing little result
BHAVNA VIJ-AURORA
With peace initiatives hitting a dead-end, and the vortex of violence spinning on, the central government is, for the umpteenth time, rethinking its strategy on handling insurgency in the Northeast. It is again time to act tough—that's the thinking gaining ground in most internal security think-tanks in Delhi. And the Union ministry of home affairs has already begun putting some of this thought into action in Assam, and to some extent in Nagaland.
Guwahati is scheduled to hold the National Games from February 9, and the Centre has made it clear that it will brook no strikes by the banned United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA). The ceasefire agreement signed last year is already forgotten as ULFA did anything but cease fire, leave alone showing any inclination for reasonable dialogue.
The latest spate of attacks on migrants and non-Assamese-speaking people has strengthened New Delhi's resolve to adopt a policy of "hot pursuit". The option, though, is still contingency-driven. The idea is to deplete the insurgent group and force its leaders to come to the negotiating table. Union home secretary V.K. Duggal says the Centre is still open to a dialogue process but ULFA has to come forward and show its sincerity in giving up violence. "If they continue with violent means, we will respond firmly," he says. And don't call that state repression, the Centre's aim is only to restore confidence among the people in Assam, not to target anyone.
Sources in the home ministry cite a precedent for advocating hot pursuit. The ULFA, they say, had been brought to its knees in 2003 after the army, in a joint operation with the Royal Bhutan Army, destroyed its camps and killed top leaders. Last year's ceasefire, though, helped it recoup to a large extent. As a home ministry official puts it, "The ULFA asked for a ceasefire and sent feelers for talks through noted Assamese litterateur Indira Goswami. She is such a renowned person, and when she came forward to broker peace, we gave it a try. But the period of ceasefire only helped them regroup, recruit more cadres and regain strength. The ULFA took both the state and central government for a ride."
The government's immediate priority are the National Games, which they hope play out without any violence. Touted as a huge image-building exercise for the state, the Centre is reviewing the situation with Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi on a regular basis. In fact, appealing to their regional sentiment, an official says if the ULFA does enjoy the popular support it claims it does, its cadres should ensure that the games are conducted peacefully and the image of Assam remains unsullied.
In the government's own assessment, the ULFA does not have as much of a mass base as is often made out. Jnanpith Award winner Indira Goswami, who was part of the People's Consultative Group which represented ULFA at the peace talks, admits that the insurgent group has lost considerable support because of its senseless killings of Bihari migrant labourers. "I am extremely sorry for the killings of the migrants. It is sad that a state that has contributed so richly to the freedom struggle now has people asking for sovereignty," she says.
Which subject, she adds, should not really be taboo for discussion. "It is only after you start talking that you can make the other party understand your view," she says. Goswami also feels frustrated at the lack of any give-and-take on the part of either party. "If ULFA was really eager, they should have compromised on their stand. But the Centre too did not fulfil its promise, made in the third and last round of talks with the People's Consultative Group, of freeing some ULFA prisoners."
She herself is back to writing, having "wasted three years in an effort to bring peace to Assam"."I could have written so much in three years but I left no stone unturned in my effort to negotiate peace."
There could be merit in what Goswami says. Sovereignty is what the government has been talking with the rebel Naga group NSCN(I-M) for the past decade. When talks with rebel leaders Isak Chishi Swu and Thuingaleng Muivah began, it was only on the premise that there would be no discussion on independence to the Nagas. However, Greater Nagaland remained a constant demand and became an overriding issue. Flexibility on both sides has resulted in the rebels scaling their demand down from "outright sovereignty to shared sovereignty". Which means they will remain a part of India but would want concessions like a separate Constitution and flag. The issue is far from resolved yet, with the 10 years of negotiations beginning 1997 seeing several ups and downs and long stagnant periods.
"At present, to break the stalemate, the government is again sending a tough message to the rebel leaders. That is the reason why Prime Minister Manmohan Singh refused to meet Muivah during his recent visit to Delhi. While the Centre is still maintaining a ceasefire with NSCN(I-M), the message is clear—if you want to proceed, scale down your demands further," says an official. Chief government negotiator K. Padmanabhaiah remains upbeat on the Naga talks, saying they have been pathbreaking in more ways than one. They were the first of its kind, it has been a learning curve of sorts, and there has been progress, slow but sure.
Hot pursuit and proactive means being overtly military options, security experts remind the government of its political responsibility in the region. An official in the home ministry gives the game away. "There is no political focus. The reason being all states in the region put together, not including Assam, contribute only nine MPs to the Lok Sabha. Assam sends 14. As a result, there is total indifference from the Centre."
Not true, Mani Shankar Aiyar, in charge of New Delhi's department for the Northeast, would counter. He says the Centre is sensitive to the development needs of the region. Outlining the various plans, he says power, roads, highways, waterways and railways remain priority areas. He cites a few difficulties though, a major one being that the region shares only 21 km (about two per cent) of its border with the mainland. The rest touch Bangladesh, Myanmar and China. "Power is the main priority," he reiterates. "The very darkness that encourages insurgency will be dispelled." Enlightening thought, as long as it dispels apathy as well.
The GoI seems intent on engaging Myanmar more economically with the North-East. Keep the Chicoms out i say.
Govt to spend $100 million on linking Mizoram-Myanmar
Govt to spend $100 million on linking Mizoram-Myanmar
As part of its efforts to form strategic alliances in the subcontinent, the government is planning to undertake a multimodal transport project from Mizoram to Myanmar.
Requiring about $1.1 billion in investment, the project would see the government spending about $100 million and would also be liable for all cost over runs. The Myanmar government would pay $10 million as well as provide free land for the project. Soft loans would be given to the Myanmar government to cover its contribution of $10 million.
As part of the project, Mizoram and ports on the eastern side would be connected to Sittwe port in Myanmar by a shipping link. It would then be followed by a riverrine transport facility from Sittwe port to Kaletwa in Myanmar, which would then be connected to Mizoram by road. Arrangements for customs, immigration and other border-crossing services are also likely to be made as part of the project. The government is planning to set up a Land Port Authority, which is likely to be given these responsibilities.
Envisaged by the ministry of external affairs in 2003, the project has also got the Myanmar government’s approval. The project is also high on the government’s priority as it would help counter China’s growing importance in Myanmar.
The Chinese government too is keen on building rail-road connectivity there.
Northeast India tribal group offers cash reward to women with more than 12 babies
GAUHATI, India: Tribal leaders in India's remote northeast are offering cash rewards to women who bear more than a dozen children in a bid to keep from being outnumbered by settlers from elsewhere, a leader said Sunday.
In the past two months, Khasi tribal chieftains in Meghalaya state have paid 16,000 rupees (US$348; €270) each to four such women including 45-year-old Amilia Sohtun, who has 17 children, said H.S. Shylla, a member of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council.
Sohtun runs a tea stand at Laitkor Peak, a tourist spot near Meghalaya's capital, Shillong.
Tribal elders defended the move, which has infuriated many women and health activists.
"Our community faces a genuine threat of being outnumbered by outsiders, and the only way we can prevent our race from becoming extinct is to ensure our population rises soon enough," Shylla told The Associated Press.
The council is an elected administrative body of tribal leaders in Meghalaya. It works with the state government on development issues, and makes decisions regarding customary community rules.
The Khasis, numbering less than a million, are the majority community in Christian-dominated Meghalaya, which has 2.5 million people.
The community is worried about an unabated influx of migrants from outside the state, Shylla said.
However, some in the state decried the incentive program.
"We oppose the idea because no one has the right to keep having babies unless she can provide them with a quality life," said Theilin Phanbuh, an activist in Shillong.
"It is for the authorities to check the influx or settlement of outsiders in traditional land belonging to our people. Increasing our community's population by having more children is not the answer," she said.
Meghalaya health activist Hasina Kharbhih also slammed the idea.
"A woman's body is not a machine that she can go on having babies. The government must intervene on the Khasi Council's decision because of the health issues involved," she said.
Shylla said the decision to pay mothers of more than 12 "has been generally welcomed."
The Council has received four more requests for cash incentives from women with more than a dozen children, Shylla said.
In Meghalaya's matrilineal society, a man moves into his bride's home and their children take the mother's maiden name.
Meghalaya is one of the seven states in India's remote northeast where fears of migration from other parts of India and neighboring Bangladesh have helped fuel separatist revolts.
Army in fight to finish
Dibrugarh, Feb. 20: The army is in no mood to cool off after more than a month of intensive operations against the outlawed Ulfa, never mind pressure from certain quarters to revive the peace process.
The chief of the army’s eastern command, Lt Gen. A.S. Jamwal, has asked officers and troops engaged in the offensive along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border to ensure that the militant group does not get any breathing space, unlike on previous occasions.
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pradeepe
- BRFite
- Posts: 741
- Joined: 27 Aug 2006 20:46
- Location: Our culture is different and we cannot live together - who said that?
As reported in the b'desh thread. I was surprised ULFA could pour in 6M USD to try and steer BD's elections. Paresh Barua is supposedly worth 100Mil USD 
.
And here's what satp says - (sorry if this is a re-post). Military wing has 7 battalions (atleast 3 full fledged ones).
ULFA
. And here's what satp says - (sorry if this is a re-post). Military wing has 7 battalions (atleast 3 full fledged ones).
ULFA
A military wing of the ULFA, the Sanjukta Mukti Fouj (SMF) was formed on March 16, 1996. SMF has three full-fledged battalions (Bn): the 7th, 28th and 709th. The remaining battalions exist only on paper – at best they have strengths of a company or so. Their allocated spheres of operation are as follows:
7th Bn (HQ- Sukhni) Responsible for defence of GHQ
8th Bn Nagaon, Morigaon, Karbi Anglong
9th Bn Golaghat, Jorhat, Sibsagar
11th Bn Kamrup, Nalbari
27th Bn Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar
28th Bn Tinsukia, Dibrugarh
709th Bn Kalikhola
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Raju
We need to dig up some info on the antecedents of this Dutch NGO..
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070303/a ... 465012.asp
Dutch ‘mediator’ in Naga talks gaffe
OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
New Delhi, March 2: Michael van Walt van Praag’s entry into the Naga peace process may have been with Delhi’s consent, but there was nothing remotely official about the Dutchman’s entry into Nagaland this week without the mandatory Restricted Area Permit (RAP) for foreigners.
Less than two months after NSCN (I-M) chairman Isak Chishi Swu allegedly sneaked into Nagaland from across the Indo-Bangladesh border in the Northeast, the militant group’s Dutch counsellor and his wife landed in the state without informing anybody there of their visit.
The diplomatic gaffe was quickly corrected, enabling Praag to visit the NSCN (I-M)’s Camp Hebron near Dimapur and a few more places before returning to New Delhi on Wednesday without further controversy.
Cracking the Naga conundrum could, however, prove to be a little more difficult for Praag than going to Nagaland minus proper documents and getting away with it.
The NSCN (I-M) and the Centre are scheduled to resume their dialogue in the capital tomorrow with Praag playing “facilitatorâ€
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070303/a ... 465012.asp
Dutch ‘mediator’ in Naga talks gaffe
OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
New Delhi, March 2: Michael van Walt van Praag’s entry into the Naga peace process may have been with Delhi’s consent, but there was nothing remotely official about the Dutchman’s entry into Nagaland this week without the mandatory Restricted Area Permit (RAP) for foreigners.
Less than two months after NSCN (I-M) chairman Isak Chishi Swu allegedly sneaked into Nagaland from across the Indo-Bangladesh border in the Northeast, the militant group’s Dutch counsellor and his wife landed in the state without informing anybody there of their visit.
The diplomatic gaffe was quickly corrected, enabling Praag to visit the NSCN (I-M)’s Camp Hebron near Dimapur and a few more places before returning to New Delhi on Wednesday without further controversy.
Cracking the Naga conundrum could, however, prove to be a little more difficult for Praag than going to Nagaland minus proper documents and getting away with it.
The NSCN (I-M) and the Centre are scheduled to resume their dialogue in the capital tomorrow with Praag playing “facilitatorâ€
seems to be a small scale outfit. raised 500K$ in 2005 and has a balance of
around $100K only per 2005 annual report. ofcourse it could all be a show.
pls visit kreddha.org and take a look at their council members if it rings
a bell. site works with IE only.
NSCN leaders are based in london and probably have developed ties
with these NGOs via EU frameworks and conferences, Kreddha also needs
conflicts to work and justify its existence!
around $100K only per 2005 annual report. ofcourse it could all be a show.
pls visit kreddha.org and take a look at their council members if it rings
a bell. site works with IE only.
NSCN leaders are based in london and probably have developed ties
with these NGOs via EU frameworks and conferences, Kreddha also needs
conflicts to work and justify its existence!
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joshvajohn
- BRFite
- Posts: 1516
- Joined: 09 Nov 2006 03:27
After Kalam who is the next president - From North East?
who will be the next president? Kalam has done well with his job. He has raised the status of the job above many others before him though he happened to break the expected roles at times. His interaction with children were terrific and scientific. But then second time? Not interested and also the COngress will not support him!
He can still win with is popularity but risk for a honorable person like Kalam. So he can go with his great honour. He can serve or establish a centre for Space reserach in his native place or somewhere near.
But then who is the next president? One needs to think about it. It would be good if the next president comes from the North Eastern Areas of India where people feel that they are often underrepresented in the high posts.
Then the question is there any such person for this highest post in the North EAst? the Sangma Cong man but unfortunately he broke off.
Who else is there? Possibly some long unpronounceable names are there served India as nation and has such great calibre for this highest post.
Congress may not be so interested to choose one of their own. rather support some floated names.
Possibly from Assam or Mizoram or Megalaya or Nagaland who would be a suitable leader and representative personal for this country.
Hope we have a good one soon. I hear some name (a Mizo) from Bangalore who won with BJP an IPS officer - not that highly known ofcourse. Mr Sangliana but he is BJP man!
Let us see how this works.
He can still win with is popularity but risk for a honorable person like Kalam. So he can go with his great honour. He can serve or establish a centre for Space reserach in his native place or somewhere near.
But then who is the next president? One needs to think about it. It would be good if the next president comes from the North Eastern Areas of India where people feel that they are often underrepresented in the high posts.
Then the question is there any such person for this highest post in the North EAst? the Sangma Cong man but unfortunately he broke off.
Who else is there? Possibly some long unpronounceable names are there served India as nation and has such great calibre for this highest post.
Congress may not be so interested to choose one of their own. rather support some floated names.
Possibly from Assam or Mizoram or Megalaya or Nagaland who would be a suitable leader and representative personal for this country.
Hope we have a good one soon. I hear some name (a Mizo) from Bangalore who won with BJP an IPS officer - not that highly known ofcourse. Mr Sangliana but he is BJP man!
Let us see how this works.
NE to get access to the sea through Myanmar
I've put this here rather than the BD thread because it's more directly relevant to the NE. Here's a newsitem in that regard:
http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/NEWS/news ... ewsid=8381
and here's another article discussing this in more detail. It's not going to be all smooth sailing but definitely is far more likely than any transit through BD.
http://burmadigest.wordpress.com/2007/0 ... -sea-port/
From my map, I estimate the distance from Kolkatta to Sittwe to be around 450 km and of the 400 km to Aizwal (see second article), I estimate about 300 km through the Kaladan river. So the total distance from Kolkatta to Aizwal is about 850 km vs the much longer land route going round the "Chicken neck". Big advantage for Mizoram, Tripura, Manipur and Nagaland and parts of Assam. Less so for Arunachal and Meghalaya. But now they have the option of two ports (Kolkatta and Sittwe). But we'll never know what the Myanmarese Generals might throw up.
P
http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/NEWS/news ... ewsid=8381
and here's another article discussing this in more detail. It's not going to be all smooth sailing but definitely is far more likely than any transit through BD.
http://burmadigest.wordpress.com/2007/0 ... -sea-port/
From my map, I estimate the distance from Kolkatta to Sittwe to be around 450 km and of the 400 km to Aizwal (see second article), I estimate about 300 km through the Kaladan river. So the total distance from Kolkatta to Aizwal is about 850 km vs the much longer land route going round the "Chicken neck". Big advantage for Mizoram, Tripura, Manipur and Nagaland and parts of Assam. Less so for Arunachal and Meghalaya. But now they have the option of two ports (Kolkatta and Sittwe). But we'll never know what the Myanmarese Generals might throw up.
P
http://www.hindu.com/2007/03/14/stories ... 811300.htm
R. Krithivas"If you land at the Guwahati airport at night, you will be in complete darkness till you reach Hotel Brahmaputra Ashok. Even the streetlights don't work." If infrastructure was provided, the growth potential of the region would be enormous. In fact, such development would also help fight militancy. "We need to light up the North East. Once we do that, insurgency will disappear."
"Our Look East policy is anchored in the North East," Mr. Aiyar said, pointing out that the region was the gateway to South East Asia. While the North Eastern States shared borders with China, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar, cross-border activity was hampered by political problems and trade restrictions.
Wonder what happened to these ULFA men anyway. Due process is the right way to go, even if under military tribunals and special laws.Kakkaji wrote:Ulfa wives drag kids into protest
After the recent ISI-ordered ULFA bombings in the state and senseless killings of Hindi speakers, I thought ULFA popularity was at a sufficiently low ebb for antics like these to go unnoticed. I just hope the govt isn't seen to cave in too readily else the cynical and savage terrorists in ULFA will readily use women and children as pawns in their games.
Added later:
Also contrast the reaction of UPA sarkar to the demands of the wives of the security men killed in the december parliament attack. And now kangress will grovel before terrorist wives instead?
Militancy and Political Trends in North East
April 06, 2007
Rahul Bhonsle
The North East remains a complex miasma of politics and violence as militants continue to blow hot and cold. A review of activities in three states, Assam, Nagaland and Manipur in March will indicate these trends.
In Assam, ULFA activities resumed during the month with the focus on Upper Assam districts of Dhemaji, and Sivasagar. Guwahati witnessed a bomb blast on 16 March in the busy AT Road. The intensity of counter insurgency operations in Assam is evident with over 30 ULFA cadres arrested and 19 killed during the first two months of the year. The rebirth of ULFA in 2007 has been assisted by bases in Arunachal Pradesh particularly in Tirap and Changlang districts which are the two eastern most districts of the state in close proximity of Upper Assam, ULFA's stronghold and the Myanmar border. Located on the Indo Myanmar fault line, these districts provide the ULFA easy access to both the areas. The 28th Battalion, the operational wing of the outfit active in Upper Assam is located here. Apart from this other groups also have hideouts in the jungles. The Army will have to launch Operational All Clear II to neutralize the ULFA in this area.
ULFA held the State Government responsible for breakdown of the talks in an article in the organisation's news paper, Swadhinata. The ULFA also asked the government to hold a plebiscite on its demand for sovereignty. ULFA has been accused by Strategic Forecasting (Stratfor), a U.S. based strategic forecasting organisation, of contributing $6 million (Rs 26.4 Crore) to support candidates in Bangladesh backing both the Awami League as well as the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. (Indian Express, 3 March 2007). While the amount may be beyond ULFA's funding capability even if provided by the ISI, there are grounds to believe that the group would have invested in leaders in Bangladesh to ensure that it receives favourable treatment in Dacca whichever party comes to power. Reports indicate that ULFA top leadership is ensconced in posh colonies in Dacca and are supported by the Director General Forces Intelligence or DGFI in Bangladesh as well as the ISI. Stratfor has also accused Paresh Barua, the ULFA commander in chief of being a, "wealthy racketeer" having businesses worth approximately $110 million across India, Bangladesh and the Gulf. While Barua is said to be under the influence of the ISI and is stridently against talks with the government, Rajkhowa is supposed to represent a softer face of the outfit.
The ULFA, in a message on the so called "Army Day" of the organisation indicated that it would not give up violence before talks with the government. It claimed that it was undertaking a freedom struggle against colonial injustice by Delhi. Prominent statements were given by Paresh Barua, the Commander in Chief and Arabinda Rajkhowa the Chairman. The issue of handing over cadres by Royal Bhutan Army to Indian authorities after Operation All Clear in December 2003 was also raised by the ULFA as the Guwahati High Court ordered the government to submit original documents of the period.
The perils of insurgency in Assam are impacting development and investment in the state. The Oil and Natural Gas Commission had proposed to upgrade the infrastructure comprising of old pipelines, crude gathering stations and other drilling machinery worth Rs 4000 Crore. The ONGC's plans have hit a road block as it is not able to muster enough security cover to operate in the remote areas.
Two rounds of talks were held between the NSCN (IM) and the central government interlocutors during the month. The first round was held on 3 March. This was followed up by a fresh round in New Delhi on 29 and 30 March 2007. The key issue discussed was increase in frequency of clashes between the two NSCN factions IM and Khaplang. The Khaplang group is reported to have kidnapped cadres of the IM which has raised the ire of the IM leaders who are likely to ask the government to clamp down on the K faction claiming that it is not likely to have the requisite power to act due to the cease fire. The Naga position on Nagolim would also be clear after the Naga leadership has had opportunity to discuss these issues with the people during the recent visit of the NSCN (IM) leadership to Nagaland.
The NSCN (IM) was also facing pubic protests over reports of kidnapping and killing of two youth, Muhenii Martin and Hriini Hubert of Senapati district, allegedly by two of its cadres. The people of Senapati district were extremely agitated and sought interrogation details of the two suspects. The NSCN (IM) confirmed that suspects were in custody but did not disclose further action.
The Congress Party returned in majority in the Assembly elections in Manipur winning 30 of the 60 seats, increasing its tally over the previous elections by 10. The complexity of issues in Manipur was evident when election results were announced at the beginning of the month. Issues of development and credibility of the candidates appeared to be upper most in the minds of voters rather than aspects such as Nagolim or repealing the AFSPA. Thus United Naga Council (UNC) which had supported integration of the Naga hill districts of Manipur with Nagolim could win only six of the eleven seats it contested. In other areas it had to face a tough contest. As indicated by A. Bimol Koijam of the Centre for Study of Developing Societies, Khantuanang Panmei who was forced to renounce participation in the elections by the NSCN (IM) contested from Tamenglong and won with a large margin. Koijam ascribes these diversities to the factor of stability. People in Manipur as per him want stability and hence have been voting for the party which is in power in the centre. Thus parties which evoked regional sentiments such as the Manipur People's Party also did not fare well during the elections.
Rahul K Bhonsle is a veteran soldier and security analyst based in South Asia, specializing in strategic risk prediction, future warfare and human security. His web site is www.security-risks.com and can be contacted at [email protected]
ULFA's Possible New Tactics
A powerful bomb detonated along Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's motorcade route in the northeastern Indian state of Assam on April 8, killing one person and injuring about a dozen. Police blamed the separatist group United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA). Although the explosion appears to have been premature, it strongly suggests the ULFA is expanding its targeting criteria to include national figures. Moreover, this could have been the group's first suicide bombing.
In March, ULFA chairperson Arabinda Rajkhowa hinted in an e-mailed statement that the group was ready to conduct suicide attacks, saying members have reached the stage in which "they would strap bombs on their chest and attack." If this incident was indeed a premature suicide bombing, it would indicate the group has added a powerful new weapon to its arsenal.