North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion
ULFA on the run, Pakistan ISI cannot help
The crackdown on ULFA entered the fifth day on Sunday with the Army claiming "a fair amount of success" in the operations carried out in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
"The Army is continuing with its operations and has achieved a fair amount of success," an Army spokesman said refusing to divulge details.
He said several of ULFA's hideouts in Charaipung, Pengeri and in forests of Arunachal Pradesh have been busted.
While most of the camps in the forest areas were found to be abandoned, some arrests have been made from Charaipung while several linkmen of the banned group have been also apprehended, he said.
One Ali, 40, was arrested from Paglam in Dibang valley of Arunachal Pradesh where the Army believes the rebels are hiding after killing nearly 70 migrant workers in Assam. The Army on Wednesday had launched "Operation Clear" to flush out ULFA rebels.
Hopefully this will make the politicians to move their behinds 
(or capitulate in private 
)
http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/7454 ... s~in~Assam
(or capitulate in private ) http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/7454 ... s~in~Assam
ULFA threatens to kill Cong leaders in Assam
Indo-Asian News Service
Guwahati, January 13, 2007
The United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) has threatened to kill ruling Congress party leaders in Assam, even as the army said that a 30-member rebel group involved in the massacre of Hindi-speaking migrants may have gone underground.
"If any Assamese youth is killed in the ongoing army operations, ULFA's 28th battalion would target and eliminate Congress leaders working at the grassroots and also state-level politicians," ULFA commander Prabal Neog was quoted as saying by language newspapers on Saturday.
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Raju
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070115/a ... 261585.aspIntelligence reports indicate that Ulfa has at least 36 training camps spread across Moulvi Bazar, Sherpur, Sylhet, Kurigram, Tangail and Mymensingh districts in Bangladesh. There are at least 17 camps of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah), 10 of Muslim United Liberation Tigers of Assam and six of the PLA of Manipur located in Bangladesh.
Guys, if someone knows about the report that has been recently submitted by IA to GoI about future Terrorist attacks and other security issues.
IA claims that give us the permisson and time limit to root clear ULFA from NE states. But as usual GoI is still in a mood to talk with ULFA.
If someone has read surfers speak in ToI then one chap asked whether ISI is backing ULFA. The above report also highlights the same issue.
Understanding suggests me probably, ULFA issue is not as complex as Indo Pak issue on Siachen or Sir Creek. (Because ULFA is not issue between two nations)
Dunno why GoI is hesitating to give command to IA for ULFA!
IA claims that give us the permisson and time limit to root clear ULFA from NE states. But as usual GoI is still in a mood to talk with ULFA.
If someone has read surfers speak in ToI then one chap asked whether ISI is backing ULFA. The above report also highlights the same issue.
Understanding suggests me probably, ULFA issue is not as complex as Indo Pak issue on Siachen or Sir Creek. (Because ULFA is not issue between two nations)
Dunno why GoI is hesitating to give command to IA for ULFA!
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Raju
India has been too respectful of boundaries even against hostile neighbours. this sets a bad precedent. expecting US to solve BD is a pipedream and fraught with huge risks, question is does PRC own BD or US own BD both are very bad for us. US doesnt expect PRC to solve its panama, colombia or grenada problems! if the army takes over there
will be a PLAN base and trainers in chittagong tomorrow. if begum Zia
retains charge, the Paki /arab/chinese influence will continue increasing.
if we want to be taken seriously need to atleast manage these local badboys.
Nepal today inducted around 80 maoists in a 300 member parliament and
stipped the king of executive power, bringing the monarchy to a effective end as any authority there.
IA needs to stage limited air-land incursions into BD, striking at these
camps, capturing or putting down the inhabitants. BD army / police should
be sent a stern warning on open radio channels as we cross the border not
to interfere. IAF will have to maintain a CAS umbrella against any interference and also CAPs over BD airbases....which is not tough at all.
a few ARMAT missiles must strike paresh barua residence no matter if
he is there or not. it should happen before IA crosses border lest his
minions place a cellphone call and warn the boss off. the godowns of his
legitimate businesses there must also get the jaguar treatment.
Any solution to the BD issue involves considerable bloodshed, there are
no easy or soft options left no matter how much Dilli buries head in sand and wishes it were so, or outsource it to next Govt.
will be a PLAN base and trainers in chittagong tomorrow. if begum Zia
retains charge, the Paki /arab/chinese influence will continue increasing.
if we want to be taken seriously need to atleast manage these local badboys.
Nepal today inducted around 80 maoists in a 300 member parliament and
stipped the king of executive power, bringing the monarchy to a effective end as any authority there.
IA needs to stage limited air-land incursions into BD, striking at these
camps, capturing or putting down the inhabitants. BD army / police should
be sent a stern warning on open radio channels as we cross the border not
to interfere. IAF will have to maintain a CAS umbrella against any interference and also CAPs over BD airbases....which is not tough at all.
a few ARMAT missiles must strike paresh barua residence no matter if
he is there or not. it should happen before IA crosses border lest his
minions place a cellphone call and warn the boss off. the godowns of his
legitimate businesses there must also get the jaguar treatment.
Any solution to the BD issue involves considerable bloodshed, there are
no easy or soft options left no matter how much Dilli buries head in sand and wishes it were so, or outsource it to next Govt.
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Raju
ibnlive:
Guwahati: Thousands of Indian troops are fighting the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) in upper Assam, but the banned group’s chief lives far away and safe from capture.
Paresh Barua, commander-in-chief of ULFA, is believed to be living in Dhaka under the care and patronage of Bangladesh’s Directorate General of Field Intelligence. Even Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) is believed to be helping him.
Barua uses several aliases, including Kamruj Zaman Khan or Zaman Bhai, in Dhaka. His wife, Bobby, is known as Sufia Begum and they have two children named Tahsim Khan and Akash Khan.
Intelligence officials told CNN-IBN that Barua keeps changing his homes in Dhaka and his last know address was: 25/2 Green Road (Fifth Floor) Dhanmondi Dhaka -1205
The patronage Barua and ULFA get from Bangladesh means that the Indian’s Army operation against the rebels in upper Assam and the Arunachal-Myanmar border could at best be a short-term solution. Documents available with CNN- IBN clearly prove that the ULFA, which has killed at least 67 migrant workers in Assam in January and carried out bomb explosions, gets support and encouragement from Bangladesh and Pakistan.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has directly accused the ISI behind the recent killings in Assam. "It is the ISI behind that's behind the killings,â€
Guwahati: Thousands of Indian troops are fighting the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) in upper Assam, but the banned group’s chief lives far away and safe from capture.
Paresh Barua, commander-in-chief of ULFA, is believed to be living in Dhaka under the care and patronage of Bangladesh’s Directorate General of Field Intelligence. Even Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) is believed to be helping him.
Barua uses several aliases, including Kamruj Zaman Khan or Zaman Bhai, in Dhaka. His wife, Bobby, is known as Sufia Begum and they have two children named Tahsim Khan and Akash Khan.
Intelligence officials told CNN-IBN that Barua keeps changing his homes in Dhaka and his last know address was: 25/2 Green Road (Fifth Floor) Dhanmondi Dhaka -1205
The patronage Barua and ULFA get from Bangladesh means that the Indian’s Army operation against the rebels in upper Assam and the Arunachal-Myanmar border could at best be a short-term solution. Documents available with CNN- IBN clearly prove that the ULFA, which has killed at least 67 migrant workers in Assam in January and carried out bomb explosions, gets support and encouragement from Bangladesh and Pakistan.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has directly accused the ISI behind the recent killings in Assam. "It is the ISI behind that's behind the killings,â€
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Raju
http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1900980,0006.htm
7 ULFA militants arrested in Nagaland
Press Trust of India
Kohima, January 16, 2007
Seven ULFA militants, including two women, have been rounded up in Mon district bordering Upper Assam where the security forces have launched a crackdown on the cadre of the banned outfit.
The ultras were arrested by personnel of the Assam Rifles on Tuesday while they were trying to sneak into Myanmar via Mon district, defence sources said on Monday.
Five of the arrested belonged to the outfit's dreaded 28th battalion which recently carried out the killing of non-Assamese migrant labourers in upper Assam. The two women cadre were handed over to the police.
Equipments, including radio sets, dicta phones, SIM cards, radio transistor and knives were recovered from them, they said.
The Assam Rifles said the drive against ULFA militants would continue in Nagaland in the coming days even though the ceasefire was in force in the state.
They asked NSCN and villagers not to collude and provide shelter to the militants from Assam who frequently adopt hit-and-run tactics and seek safe refuge either in bordering districts of Nagaland or Arunachal Pradesh.
7 ULFA militants arrested in Nagaland
Press Trust of India
Kohima, January 16, 2007
Seven ULFA militants, including two women, have been rounded up in Mon district bordering Upper Assam where the security forces have launched a crackdown on the cadre of the banned outfit.
The ultras were arrested by personnel of the Assam Rifles on Tuesday while they were trying to sneak into Myanmar via Mon district, defence sources said on Monday.
Five of the arrested belonged to the outfit's dreaded 28th battalion which recently carried out the killing of non-Assamese migrant labourers in upper Assam. The two women cadre were handed over to the police.
Equipments, including radio sets, dicta phones, SIM cards, radio transistor and knives were recovered from them, they said.
The Assam Rifles said the drive against ULFA militants would continue in Nagaland in the coming days even though the ceasefire was in force in the state.
They asked NSCN and villagers not to collude and provide shelter to the militants from Assam who frequently adopt hit-and-run tactics and seek safe refuge either in bordering districts of Nagaland or Arunachal Pradesh.
The ULFA facade is over. Now the BD are directly planting bombs in Assam: 
Dispur-Satgaon blasts mastermind held
Dispur-Satgaon blasts mastermind held
Guwahati, Jan. 16 (PTI): The mastermind of the recent bomb blasts in front of Dispur police station and at Satgaon Bazar here was arrested along with the owner of the motorcycle in which he had planted the bomb.
The mastermind of the blasts was identified as Nazrul Haque who was apprehended from Satgaon area, city Additional Superintendent of Police Rajen Singh said.
Md Azharuddin, the owner of the motorcycle used in the blast, was also arrested.
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sanjchopra
- BRFite -Trainee
- Posts: 57
- Joined: 08 Jul 2006 12:36
....this statement could be for public and press consumption, keeps "aam janta" happy while..gauravsurati wrote:Without understanding what ULFA leaders believe in and what not, PM's beliefs by own will prove suicidal.
Have he got any idea to whom he is dealing with!
Delhi to seek Yangon help to flush out ULFA, Pranab leaves Friday
..I'm assuming this request is for an effective hunting and tracking operation by indian army.
another blast today, this time not 100m from my in-laws front gate , and my son is also there now
IBN:
New Delhi: A person was killed and 12 others were critically injured in a bomb blast near the Dispur capital complex of Guwahati on Wednesday.
The injured were rushed to a nearby hospital.
Suspected ULFA cadres carried out the attack in the Ganeshpuri wholesale vegetable market area at around 1850 hrs IST.
The market is located near the Indian Airlines office adjacent to a high-security complex where the offices of the Chief Minister and his cabinet colleagues as well as the state secretariat are located.
Earlier in the morning two powerful bombs went off on the ground floor of the Assam Cooperative Apex Bank building in Badarpur town in Karimganj district of the state.
However, there was no report of any casualty as the bombs exploded in the morning at 0715 hrs IST.
IBN:
New Delhi: A person was killed and 12 others were critically injured in a bomb blast near the Dispur capital complex of Guwahati on Wednesday.
The injured were rushed to a nearby hospital.
Suspected ULFA cadres carried out the attack in the Ganeshpuri wholesale vegetable market area at around 1850 hrs IST.
The market is located near the Indian Airlines office adjacent to a high-security complex where the offices of the Chief Minister and his cabinet colleagues as well as the state secretariat are located.
Earlier in the morning two powerful bombs went off on the ground floor of the Assam Cooperative Apex Bank building in Badarpur town in Karimganj district of the state.
However, there was no report of any casualty as the bombs exploded in the morning at 0715 hrs IST.
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Raju
They must have stocked up quite a bit factoring in how the Indian govt would react after an attack of the scale. This just enforces the idea that this operation has been meticulously planned with inputs from pakis.
Probably certain ULFA cadres were taken to TSP to teach them how to remain out-of-sight of the Indian forces and keep them uptodate on improvised EDs that do not leave paki signatures.
Probably certain ULFA cadres were taken to TSP to teach them how to remain out-of-sight of the Indian forces and keep them uptodate on improvised EDs that do not leave paki signatures.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh reviews security scenario in Assam – can he control the Hindi speaking oligarchs exploiting Assamese people?
A case for compassion?
PM Manmohan Singh is Assam is reviewing the security situation in Assam. This academician convert to politics is a great man but will he ever understand the root cause in North East India that spreading like fire in non-Hindi speaking states?
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrived Dibrugarh on Tuesday to review the security scenario in the violence-hit Assam districts of Dibrugarh and Tinsukia.
Soon after his arrival at the Mohanbari airport on Tuesday morning, the Prime Minister was closeted in a closed-door meeting with Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, some of his senior Cabinet colleagues, senior civil and police officials and senior Army officials at the airport.
Focus is on neutralizing ISI and ULFA. But what about the root cause of all these – the Hindi speaking Indian oligarchs?
Official sources said here that the Prime Minister was also scheduled to review the unified command structure in the state which will henceforth be headed by the Chief Minister and not the chief secretary. The Prime Minister after the meeting would leave by helicopter to visit the violence-affected people of Mussaldhara Chapori at Sadiya in Tinsukia district and Moran in Dibrugarh.
On his return to the airport, the Prime Minister will address a press conference before leaving for New Delhi. ULFA triggered violence in the Upper Assam districts of Tinsukia, Dibrugarh and Sibsagar have claimed 70 lives since January five.
A case for compassion?
BHASKAR GHOSE
It is time that the people of Assam looked to our roots, the essential culture we all share, and saw ULFA for what it is.
THIS may well be the final war, in which the enemy is the citizenry of the country. It has no weapons and no intention other than to earn some sort of livelihood. But that may provide the casus belli; seeking to work is all very well but where it is sought is crucial. If it is in the State of Assam and the citizen is not born Assamese, then it means he is not seeking work there, he is seeking to wage war against the State of Assam. At least, this is what the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) obviously believes and would like us to believe.
It considers the mere fact that Biharis work in Assam, or go there to look for work, an act of war, and what better enemy could it have than unarmed labourers who would not know what to do with a semi-automatic rifle any more than they would with a variable energy cyclotron. It means they, the brave ULFA warriors, are in no danger of being injured, let alone killed. And in this war they will obviously win every encounter.
It can be said that they are not the only terrorist organisation that makes it a habit to kill ordinary citizens of the country. There are the Jaish-e-Mohammad and the Lashkar-e-Taiba, to name just two. But there is a difference. These two and some others have an agenda dictated by a distorted religious ideology, one that is not clear to everyone. On this score, at least, the agenda of ULFA is fairly clear. Non-Assamese have to leave Assam as a part of its demand that Assam be independent of India.
In other words, they want Assam for themselves; perhaps they think that as the State has tea and a limited quantity of oil it will, as an independent country, become as affluent as one of the Gulf states, with, of course, ULFA in charge. And, no doubt, it would be the main recipient of the wealth.
In a State where unemployment is very high and what employment there is is for low paid jobs, where the general level of education is rather poor, it is not difficult to fan resentment into anger and hatred. But having done that and gone down the road of violence and murder, there must have been a realisation that there was no going back.
All this has been compounded by other factors such as the leadership of ULFA being in Bangladesh, and from what one gathers, living it up in style there, and the breathtakingly inept handling of the organisation's violent activities by the Central and State governments.
The first of these factors is a sad commentary on our diplomatic and counter-insurgency skills. Years of persuasion and pleading have not got the Bangladeshis to agree to extradite the leaders of this murderous group, and our counter-insurgency organisation probably does not have the expertise to go in and bring these people out.
It has been done elsewhere by other countries, notably Israel; but it seems beyond the capabilities of whatever organisation we have that deals with such matters. The Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) is probably the agency that could, in theory, have attempted something of the kind. But it has not, most likely because it cannot, though it will no doubt say that it does not undertake such tasks as a matter of principle.
This apart, the manner in which ULFA has been handled by the Central and State governments has been nothing short of ridiculous. They have either pretended that ULFA did not exist, or considered it a relatively minor threat, or, when its killings increased, handed the task of bringing it to book to a rather surprised Army. Then Bhutan came to India's help and drove ULFA out from its territory, which was a disaster for ULFA as it had right then nowhere to go.
And when the Army had it virtually cornered last year, the Central government suddenly decided to take the job away from the Army because the Centre's representatives were going to sit round a table for a cosy chat with some self-appointed interlocutors for ULFA. We have seen what that has led to, as the new year was ushered in.
The State government's action has been erratic and inexplicable; it has talked of persuading the "boys" to see reason and stop their violence. "Boys" is about the most inappropriate word to use for a group of vicious murderers who have long since given up any pretence of having any objective other than looting and amassing wealth. Many of the "boys" are married and have schoolgoing children. Even from a distance one sees a noticeable, and distasteful, element of fear in the actions of the State government agencies. One has only to cast one's mind back to the handling of terrorists in Punjab by K.P.S. Gill to see the difference.
There can be only one reason for all this: Votes. The political parties seem to think that the Assamese, or at least a fair number of them, still have some sympathy for ULFA. If there is any support among local people for an organisation that can murder some 60 people just because they were non-Assamese, something is seriously wrong, and that is what needs to be addressed by the State and Central governments, firmly and imaginatively.
Whatever the extent of the support ULFA has among the Assamese, what is not in doubt at all is the great pride the Assamese have in their cultural traditions. It has been possible to see aspects of this rich and fascinating culture, which shares so much with that of other States, thanks to the determined efforts of some cultural agencies such as the Sangeet Natak Akademi. Traditions that go back in time to the reign of the great Ahom kings, to the truths enshrined in those texts that are the fountainhead of philosophical inquiry and deep devotion all over the country, be it the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, Bharata's Natya Shastra or the other texts that have been carefully and lovingly preserved in Assam, as in other parts of the country.
The inner integrity of Assam and the Assamese people, their traditions, their sabhyata (a word not easily translated) and arts as, indeed, that of other communities, come from these old texts and the traditions surrounding them.
This is what makes the support that even a small number among them give ULFA difficult to understand. There may be resentment, anger, a sense of deprivation and injustice, but our civilisation - which is with all its local diversities really one - does not enjoin us then to kill people merely because they come from elsewhere. It is time the people of Assam looked to our roots, the essential culture we all share, and saw ULFA for what it is.
They, like all of us, need to revisit our scriptures, not the least the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, which distils the essence of this culture and philosophy. I quote the Sanskrit text because of the majesty of the words, and Dr.S. Radhakrishnan's translation:
Tad etad evaisa daivi vag anuvadati stanayitnuh - da, da, da iti, damyata, data, dayadhvam iti.
Tad etat trayam sikset, damam, danam, dayam iti.
(This very thing the heavenly voice of thunder repeats da, da, da, that is, control yourselves, give, be compassionate. One should practise this same triad, self-control, giving and compassion. (V.2.))
Among so much else, this too is our heritage, and it will not do for any of us to deny it, individually or as communities.
Sentinelassam.
Dispur blast: three more arrested
By a Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, Jan 17: The City Police last night arrested three persons in connection with the Dispur blast. Police sources said that the arrested persons were identified as Kamal Banikya, Jagadish Rabha (both from Boko) and Samina Khatun. Samina is the wife of Nazrul Haque, the mastermind of the blasts at Satgaon and Dispur, who was arrested earlier. The three were produced before the court today. Kamal and Jagadish were remanded to police custody for three days.
ULFA bid on Majuli migrant workers foiled
From our Correspondent
JORHAT, Jan 17: A sentry on duty foiled an attempt by a suspected ULFA militant to attack a group of brick kiln workers in Nikinikhowa village under Kamalabari police station in Majuli subdivision last night. The militant, who fled under the cover of darkness, left behind an AK-56 rifle and some ammunition.
Briefing The Sentinel here this evening, Jorhat Superintendent of Police Surendra Kumar said that the suspected militant, who had sneaked into the brick kiln owned by one Khagen Saikia at around 8.30 pm, was overpowered by the Assam Police sentry. Though he managed to escape, the sentry snatched away the AK-56 rifle in the scuffle, he added. There were about 40-odd Hindi-speaking labourers at the brick kiln at that time.
Significantly, the Jorhat SP had received a communiqué from his counterpart in Sitamarhi district of Bihar a couple of days back, stating that Saikia had illegally confined the labourers, who belong to that district, at the kiln despite their unwillingness to work.
The Sitamarhi SP told Kumar that a delegation of Janata Dal (U) had filed a complaint to this effect. On verification, the allegation was found to be true, Kumar said and added that Saikia had been arrested and sent to jail on the basis of an FIR filed by the labourers who complained that they had been harassed and physically abused at the kiln.
“Before last night’s incident, we had initiated a process to verify if the Bihari labourers were in fact staying under duress at the kiln,â€
Dispur blast: three more arrested
By a Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, Jan 17: The City Police last night arrested three persons in connection with the Dispur blast. Police sources said that the arrested persons were identified as Kamal Banikya, Jagadish Rabha (both from Boko) and Samina Khatun. Samina is the wife of Nazrul Haque, the mastermind of the blasts at Satgaon and Dispur, who was arrested earlier. The three were produced before the court today. Kamal and Jagadish were remanded to police custody for three days.
ULFA bid on Majuli migrant workers foiled
From our Correspondent
JORHAT, Jan 17: A sentry on duty foiled an attempt by a suspected ULFA militant to attack a group of brick kiln workers in Nikinikhowa village under Kamalabari police station in Majuli subdivision last night. The militant, who fled under the cover of darkness, left behind an AK-56 rifle and some ammunition.
Briefing The Sentinel here this evening, Jorhat Superintendent of Police Surendra Kumar said that the suspected militant, who had sneaked into the brick kiln owned by one Khagen Saikia at around 8.30 pm, was overpowered by the Assam Police sentry. Though he managed to escape, the sentry snatched away the AK-56 rifle in the scuffle, he added. There were about 40-odd Hindi-speaking labourers at the brick kiln at that time.
Significantly, the Jorhat SP had received a communiqué from his counterpart in Sitamarhi district of Bihar a couple of days back, stating that Saikia had illegally confined the labourers, who belong to that district, at the kiln despite their unwillingness to work.
The Sitamarhi SP told Kumar that a delegation of Janata Dal (U) had filed a complaint to this effect. On verification, the allegation was found to be true, Kumar said and added that Saikia had been arrested and sent to jail on the basis of an FIR filed by the labourers who complained that they had been harassed and physically abused at the kiln.
“Before last night’s incident, we had initiated a process to verify if the Bihari labourers were in fact staying under duress at the kiln,â€
New Army Brigade faces housing problems
By Ron Duarah
DIBRUGARH, Jan 17 – Yesterday, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh made a formal announcement that a new Army Brigade is being shifted to Upper Asom for better mobilization of troops in counter- insurgency operations. While he did not elaborate, it is now reliably learnt that the new Brigade Headquarter will be located in the city. What remains classified till today is the identity of the Brigade.
By Ron Duarah
DIBRUGARH, Jan 17 – Yesterday, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh made a formal announcement that a new Army Brigade is being shifted to Upper Asom for better mobilization of troops in counter- insurgency operations. While he did not elaborate, it is now reliably learnt that the new Brigade Headquarter will be located in the city. What remains classified till today is the identity of the Brigade.
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Raju
India to urge Myanmar to crack down on rebels
India, Jan 19 (Reuters) - India will urge Myanmar to help crack down on separatist rebels from the troubled northeast it says are hiding in camps across the border when its foreign minister visits the country later on Friday.
Security officials say around 200 rebels from the state of Assam have fled into neighbouring Myanmar over the last week after India launched a military offensive against the insurgents.
Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee will discuss the presence of the rebels of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) with Myanmar's military junta, a ministry spokesman said.
"I am sure that matters of regional security and the concerns regarding terrorism are likely to be discussed," said Navtej Sarna, foreign ministry spokesman.
Mukherjee's visit comes days after Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said he had urged Myanmar to crack down on ULFA, during a meeting with his counterpart Soe Win in Manila on the sidelines of the East Asia summit this week.
The Indian Express newspaper, quoting sources, said New Delhi believes there are 14 ULFA camps in Myanmar and will suggest joint operations on both sides of the border to flush out the rebels.
India's northeast, joined to the rest of the country by a thin strip of land, is home to dozens of tribes and ethnic groups, and several major separatist rebellions.
A rebel faction in Assam's neighbouring state of Nagaland, which has numerous camps in northern Myanmar, has said it has given refuge to up to 1,500 ULFA militants.
"The area in northern Myanmar is controlled by us and we, as a revolutionary organisation, help other rebel groups during crisis," said Kughalu Mulatonu, a senior leader of National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang faction (NSCN-K).
Indian forces moved against the insurgents after ULFA -- which has been fighting for Assam's independence for decades -- was blamed for the massacre of 72 migrant labourers working in the state but from other parts of India earlier this month.
More than 20,000 people has been killed in the ULFA rebellion since 1979 in Assam. The rebels accuse New Delhi of exploiting the forest and mineral resources of the tea-and-oil rich state.
IBNLIVE: Adabari is a bus terminus on western edge of city. 100s of buses come and go from there to towns in lower assam. so its very easy to put the bomb inside bus and get off prior to the last stop.
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New Delhi: Two blasts rocked Guwahati and Sibsagar in Assam on Friday leaving at least two persons dead.
Two persons died and two others are said to be critically injured in the first blast in Guwahati's Adabari area.
The second blast targeted an oil pipeline in the Sibasagar district.
These blasts come less than 24 hours after the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) warned non Assamese to leave the state of face the consequences.
This is the first time after ULFA renewed violence that the outfit has targeted an oil pipeline in the state.
On Wednesday, Two persons died and 11 were injured when a bomb planted by suspected ULFA insurgents exploded in a crowded market in Guwahati.
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New Delhi: Two blasts rocked Guwahati and Sibsagar in Assam on Friday leaving at least two persons dead.
Two persons died and two others are said to be critically injured in the first blast in Guwahati's Adabari area.
The second blast targeted an oil pipeline in the Sibasagar district.
These blasts come less than 24 hours after the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) warned non Assamese to leave the state of face the consequences.
This is the first time after ULFA renewed violence that the outfit has targeted an oil pipeline in the state.
On Wednesday, Two persons died and 11 were injured when a bomb planted by suspected ULFA insurgents exploded in a crowded market in Guwahati.
Why weren't they trained by RAW? How could they be trained by ISI?
Assam: The Bangla hand
Assam: The Bangla hand
New Governors for Nagaland, ChhattisgarhMaloy Krishna DharThe latest ULFA carnage in Assam has been diagnosed by top leaders like quack doctors, broadcasting panic, and their diagnosis is wide off the mark.
Ministers with foot-in-mouth disease rushed to comment about ISI-ULFA involvement and ascribed various silly reasons to befuddle the people. The media has quoted ULFA vice-president Pradip Gogoi as saying that the Government of India had invited trouble by terminating the dialogue process.
The wise men of India have, as usual, fired erratically. The ISI alone has not adopted ULFA. The collateral adopter is the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence of Bangladesh, DGFI.
It is necessary to understand the quantum dynamics of inter-relationship between the ISI, DGFI and Indian terrorist groups like ULFA.
The Bangladeshi intelligence machinery pivots around the DGFI, the Directorate General of National Security Intelligence (whose chief was sacked on January 15) and Military Intelligence.
The Bangladesh Threat
The DGFI, modeled after the ISI by then Bangladesh leader General Zia-ur Rahman in 1977, operates from its headquarters located at the BNS Haji Mohsin naval base, Jahangir Gate, a little south of Tashdique, home of the Bangladesh army chief. It has zonal offices in every district of Bangladesh.
Major General Sadiq Hussain Rumi is the present chief of the DGFI; Brigadier Azam Mir serves as his chief deputy. The agency is staffed by military personnel. Its command and control are regulated by the army chief, though the last Bangladesh National Party government won over large number of DGFI top guns through Brigadier Mir.
Mir is the son of Golam Azam, the former Jamait-e-Islami chief, who collaborated with Pakistan in carrying out the 1971 genocide.
The 1971 War, 35 Years On
The agency is divided into 12 bureaus, each handling subject and territory desks. The India division is headed by a colonel.
In India's neighbourhood, Bureau III handles Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka, though there is a separate Bureau for the SAARC countries. These officers report to the chief of the South Asia division of the agency.
The India desk has four distinct sections, which handle the North Eastern states, West Bengal, the rest of India and Muslim affairs in India.
In 2000 a new Bureau X was started to oversee the activities of domestic and international jihadi tanzeems, or local level outfits. Bureau X also plans and executes subversive operations in India.
A part of the Bureau known as the Dawa section handles Islamic NGOs and supervises internal and external money flow to these organisations.
Like the ISI, the DGFI has also an Inter Services Public Relations division, which works as the public face for the Bangladesh army.
Bangladeshi military and civilian intelligence officers were initially trained by the ISI. Some special units of the DGFI were trained along with ISI operatives at the Harvey Point Defence Testing Activity, a high-security compound in a quiet corner of a marshland near Hertford, North Carolina, USA. The facility, officially owned by the Pentagon, serve as the CIA's secret commando training base since 1961.
Such specially trained corps of DGFI officers initially trained some Harkat ul-Jihad-i-Islami and Jamait-ul Mujahideen top rankers. Bangla Bhai -- a Bangladeshi terrorist, who was captured and sentenced to death last year -- was originally designed by the DGFI for combating the Communist Party of Bangladesh, Janajuddha and Purba Banglar Sarbahara Party (both Naxalite outfits).
The DGFI has achieved excellent penetration amongst the Indian intelligentsia, academia, print and electronic media, political parties, business community and certain minority organisations and institutions. The allegation that the DGFI achieved penetration in the National Security Advisory Board cannot be shrugged off.
The ISI and DGFI often jointly operate inside India. Taking advantage of Pakistan's 'theopolitical' hegemony on vast sections of Bangladeshi people, specially the Afghan jihad veterans and other tanzeems, the ISI continue to operate against Indian targets in the Northeast. Nepal and Sri Lanka-based ISI outfits generally target the Indian heartland and the peninsular tracts.
The DGFI, besides handling joint ventures with the ISI, conducts 'loner operations' against India. The DGFI supports the Achik National Volunteer Council and Hynniewtrep Achik Liberation Council of Meghalaya, the National Democratic Front of Bodoland, the Kamtapuri Liberation Organisation in West Bengal, the Dima Halam Daoga and the United Peoples Democratic Solidarity of Assam.
In Manipur, the DGFI's main tools are the separatist United National Liberation Front, the People's Liberation Army, PREPAK, the People's United Liberation Front, the United Islamic Revolutionary Army, the North East Minority Front and the Indigenous People's Revolutionary Alliance.
Bangladesh: The next terror frontier?
In Assam, besides ULFA, the DGFI's main clients are the Muslim United Liberation Tigers of Assam, United Liberation Front of Barak Valley, Muslim United Liberation Front of Assam, United Liberation Militia of Assam, Islamic Sevak Sangh, United Muslim Liberation Front of Assam and Revolutionary Muslim Commandos etc.
Besides running classical intelligence operations the DGFI has sponsored Bangladeshi jihadi tanzeems to establish cells and modules in Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya, Manipur, Dimapur and the Tezpur foothills areas of Nagaland, West Bengal, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
These cells and modules are set up in areas inhabited by Bangladeshis.
Indian intelligence agencies and others are aware that the DGFI played significant roles in the January 22, 2002 attack on the US consulate in Kolkata, the New Delhi bomb blasts on October 29, 2005, the Varanasi blasts and the Mumbai train blasts. These were ISI and DGFI joint operations.
There are indications that a serving major of the DGFI's special operations cell crossed over to India with valid documents about 10 days before the Delhi blasts and spent three days in Kolkata. About six days before the incident, he was noticed at a guesthouse in Delhi with an undercover diplomat from the Pakistan high commission.
After he returned to Kolkata and left for Dhaka, the DGFI's Kolkata station chief reached Delhi and met another Pakistani diplomat. He was present in Delhi on the day the serial blasts took place.
In the Varanasi serial blasts both Lashkar-e-Tayiba and Harkat ul-Jihad-i-Islami members took leading roles after they were housed and trained at Char Gopalnagar, Khulna, in Bangladesh and traveled to Varanasi through cell-points at Berhampur in West Bengal Bhagalpur and Bare in Bihar.
There is supporting information that an undercover officer of the ISI at Dhaka and a captain of the DGFI special operations cell visited Isurdi in Bangladesh to contact Harkat ul-Jihad-i-Islami area commander Barkatul Rahman Bablu. He was supposed to be the liaison man between the agencies and the tanzeem members responsible for the Varanasi incident.
The story of ISI and DGFI collaboration is thus of epic proportions. However, in the context of the latest carnage in Tinsukia, Dhemaji and Dibrugarh there is reliable information that this was a joint operation by the ULFA and DGFI.
Around December 28, top ULFA leaders and DGFI officials met at a safe house in Dhaka, and an operational task was charted out to create serious disruptions in Assam and in Siliguri to divert Indian attention from the election impasse in Bangladesh.
About 10 trained DGFI special task force members infiltrated into Assam and teamed up with ULFA cadres to carry out the mass killings. The infiltration of DGFI personnel into Assam is not a new development.
To bolster sagging moral of local ULFA cadres and to bamboozle the Assam people, such special DGFI operators help ULFA cadres carry out spectacular actions. Some DGFI commandos are housed by Assam-based Muslim jihadi groups.
The ISI input cannot be discounted, as ULFA leaders Paresh Barua and Arabinda Rajkhowa returned to Dhaka from a trip to Pakistan around December 20.
Rajkhowa, who is trying to acquire an apartment in London with assistance of Dhaka-based ISI operatives, was pressurised to carry out the recent Assam task. Barua has reportedly bought apartments in Bangkok and London.
The story of DGFI and ISI motivation in jointly and independently operating against Indian targets from Bangladesh is a part of the 'unfinished agenda of the Partition of India.' But that is another story.
It is necessary for the Union and state governments to understand that after establishing 'theopolitical' hegemony in Bangladesh, Pakistan is now trying to gain joint 'geopolitical advantages' leading to the creation of a larger 'Bangistan' or 'Northeast Pakistan' as envisioned by Chaudhry Rahamat Ali in 1937 in his famous treatise 'Now or Never.'
Is there any one in India to pay adequate attention to the DGFI and Pakistan's 'theopolitical' allies in Bangladesh?
Maloy Krishna Dhar is a former joint director of the Intelligence Bureau and author of Open Secrets and Fulcrum of Evil-ISI, CIA, Al Qaeda Nexus. He is available at [email protected].
NEW DELHI: The former Intelligence Bureau Director, E.S.L. Narasimhan, and the former Finance Minister of Kerala, K. Sankaranarayan, on Friday were appointed Governors of Chhattisgarh and Nagaland respectively, a Rashtrapati Bhavan communiqué said. Mr. Narasimhan retired as Intelligence Bureau chief on December 31, 2006.
Meghalaya Governor M.M. Jacob will discharge the functions of the Arunachal Pradesh Governor in addition to his own duties, during the absence, on leave, of Shilendra Kumar Singh.
Gubernatorial vacancies exist in Tripura, Karnataka and Meghalaya where the present incumbents have completed their terms.
londonistan still seems to be a popular hangout for international terrorists. not sure about rajkhowa but paresh barua has a interpol red corner on his name. I am sure the british will allege ethnic persecution and unfair courts and find a way to shelter this animal in london should he need to depart BD.
excerpt from sentinel assam: someone needs to hang for releasing this
guy.
A top police official said that spotters have got leads about the presence of Akash Thapa alias Saranga Patowary, ULFA’s former operation in-charge of Guwahati and Nalbari, in the city. Thapa, a close associate of ULFA’s 709 battalion commander Heera Sarania, was released from the Central Jail only a few months ago. Thapa was arrested from Lichubagan in Hengrabari in 2005 and sent to jail in connection with the blast at the Judges’ Field on the Republic Day that year.
The source said Patowary is ULFA’s explosive expert and also close to Nazrul Haque who was arrested in connection with the Dispur blast recently.
guy.
A top police official said that spotters have got leads about the presence of Akash Thapa alias Saranga Patowary, ULFA’s former operation in-charge of Guwahati and Nalbari, in the city. Thapa, a close associate of ULFA’s 709 battalion commander Heera Sarania, was released from the Central Jail only a few months ago. Thapa was arrested from Lichubagan in Hengrabari in 2005 and sent to jail in connection with the blast at the Judges’ Field on the Republic Day that year.
The source said Patowary is ULFA’s explosive expert and also close to Nazrul Haque who was arrested in connection with the Dispur blast recently.
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Raju
A very relevant and imho important article by M. K. Dhar.
The media reported it as people dying from police firing.
These jihadi tanzeems were also busy creating trouble in Delhi during the Seelampur demolition drive. Some were even suspected to have been shooting at people fleeing from a police lathicharge. They basically tried their best to put up a great show !Besides running classical intelligence operations the DGFI has sponsored Bangladeshi jihadi tanzeems to establish cells and modules in Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya, Manipur, Dimapur and the Tezpur foothills areas of Nagaland, West Bengal, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
The media reported it as people dying from police firing.
From the Pioneer of Jan 19...
Summary : Meanwhile, Islamist organisations like the Muslim United Liberation Tigers of Assam (MULTA), Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM), Muslim United Liberation Front of Assam (MULFA)/Muslim Liberation Army, Muslim Volunteer Force (MVF), Independent Liberation Army of Assam (ILAA), Liberation Islamic Tiger Force (LITF), Islamic Security Force of India (ISFI), Jamaat-e-Islami (JEI, Assam Unit), Muslim Liberation Tigers of Assam (MLTA), United Social Reform Army (USRA), Islamic Sevak Sangh (ISS), United Reformation Protest of Assam (URPA), Students' Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), People's United Liberation Front (PULF), Students' Islamic Organisation (SIO) and Islamic Liberation Army (ILA) spread its tentacles across the North-East. These groups are entrusted with the job of creating instability in the region.
A proper dissection of a few organisations reveals the following facts: MULTA was formed in 1993 with the objective of protecting the interests of Muslims in Assam - especially the illegal migrant Muslims from Bangladesh who continue to be its main support base - and of carving out a "rightful place" for Muslims in Assam. The outfit is trying to have a separate Islamic homeland in Assam comprising the districts of Nagaon, Dhubri, Kamrup, Karimganj and Hailakandi.
Full Text : North-East on fire
Foot soldiers of Islamist organisations in the North-East spreading anti-India sentiments should not be taken lightly, says Seema Sengupta
After a brief lull, Assam is in turmoil once again. The killing of innocent civilians by rampaging insurgents, as a malleable Centre desperately calls for truce to rescue the forthcoming National Games from the scourge of terror, reluctant to act tough on the illegal migrants goes on to prove that the North-Eastern theatre is on the verge of ignition.
As the influx of illegal migrants continues unabated, the security scenario of the region registered palpable change with an estimated 12 million Bangladeshis having infiltrated since 1971. The situation has reached such an alarming stage that Bangladeshi migrants are in a position to influence results of elections in about 32 per cent of constituencies in Assam. The IB estimated the number of illegal immigrants way back in 1998 to be at 1.1 crore with the greatest concentration in West Bengal and Assam.
The impact of illegal immigration in Assam has been profound. While from 1891 till Independence the State's population grew at around 20 per cent per decade, the corresponding figure is pegged at a harrowing 53 per cent presently.
Though Bangladesh denies any illegal immigration, data compiled by demographers at the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies reveal that nearly 3.5 million people disappeared from East Pakistan between 1951 and 1961 probably as a result of Partition while another 1.5 million may have entered India between 1961 and 1974.
Astonishingly, a quarter of the 10 million refugees who came to India during the Liberation War never returned and we are indeed keen to keep the fact under wraps. Perhaps our policy makers are yet to decipher the threats emanating out of the prevailing situation in the North-East. The growth of multiple Islamist organisations in the North-East and their metastasis are a cause for concern.
It is a pity that even after the Group of Ministers' report on reforming the National Security System expressed grave concern over large-scale illegal migration and its ill-effects on internal security in the eastern theatre during the previous regime, we are yet to see through the problem that is assuming an alarming proportion day by day.
Meanwhile, Islamist organisations like the Muslim United Liberation Tigers of Assam (MULTA), Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM), Muslim United Liberation Front of Assam (MULFA)/Muslim Liberation Army, Muslim Volunteer Force (MVF), Independent Liberation Army of Assam (ILAA), Liberation Islamic Tiger Force (LITF), Islamic Security Force of India (ISFI), Jamaat-e-Islami (JEI, Assam Unit), Muslim Liberation Tigers of Assam (MLTA), United Social Reform Army (USRA), Islamic Sevak Sangh (ISS), United Reformation Protest of Assam (URPA), Students' Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), People's United Liberation Front (PULF), Students' Islamic Organisation (SIO) and Islamic Liberation Army (ILA) spread its tentacles across the North-East. These groups are entrusted with the job of creating instability in the region.
A proper dissection of a few organisations reveals the following facts: MULTA was formed in 1993 with the objective of protecting the interests of Muslims in Assam - especially the illegal migrant Muslims from Bangladesh who continue to be its main support base - and of carving out a "rightful place" for Muslims in Assam. The outfit is trying to have a separate Islamic homeland in Assam comprising the districts of Nagaon, Dhubri, Kamrup, Karimganj and Hailakandi.
A group of 13 MULTA cadres were trained by the ISI in Bangalmara, North Lakhimpur district. A joint group of 160 MULTA and MULFA cadres underwent 3 months of training at Chatak and Jayantipur in Bangladesh under the supervision of an ISI Major Nizamuddin Shah and Captain Iqbal Ali during the end of 1999 and beginning of 2000.
Al Qaeda in Bangladesh is training MULTA cadres and channelling arms and ammunitions to Islamist organisations from temporary headquarters set up by the ISI in a mosque at Hathijan in Cox's Bazaar.
In the beginning of May 2002, nine Islamist groups assembled at a camp near the Bangladeshi town of Ukhia and formed the Bangladesh Islamic Mancha (BIM). The new umbrella organisation, in a bid to expand Islamic solidarity in the region, has included non-Bangladeshi fundamentalist groups like the Rohingya Solidarity Organisation and the Arakan Rohingya Islamic Front of Myanmar.
MULTA is also a member of BIM whose declared objective is to create a Brihat Bangladesh by merging areas of Assam and Myanmar's Arakan province. BIM has been convened at the initiative of HUJI-B and is reportedly being chaperoned by the ISI and Al Qaeda.
MULTA does not qualify the "separate homeland" issue by stating whether it is to be a sovereign state or one within the Indian Constitution. However, the Constitution does not allow an Islamic state within its ambit, it is therefore assumed that MULTA wants to carve out a sovereign state.
HuM was formed in 1998-1999 with an objective of fighting anti-Muslim forces for the creation of an Islamic state and safeguarding the interests of Muslims in Assam. MULFA formed in 1994 demands the creation of a separate Muslim state, protection and preservation of Muslim personal law and 30 per cent reservation for Muslims in Government services and educational institutions. The organisation has well accentuated ISI link. MVF was formed with the objective of safeguarding the interests of Muslims in Assam and fighting anti-Muslim forces.
ULFA's definition of real illegal migrants does not include the Bangladeshis. The foot soldiers of various Islamist organisations in the North-East coordinating with each other and facilitating the spread of anti-India sentiments should not be taken lightly. The entire North-East has become a seething cauldron on account of persistent insurgency and the menace of illegal migrants has further compounded matters.
Unfortunately, the Indian state has a habit of letting a problem fester to such an extent that it becomes intractable in course of time. If the security scenario remains unaltered indefinitely - political, economic and social stability of the North-East will collapse, thereby endangering national security.
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Raju
RAW using literary body to oppose sovereignty demand: ULFA
Special Correspondent
Asam Sahitya Sabha president denies the allegation
Guwahati: The United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) on Saturday accused the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) of using the Asam Sahitya Sabha, the apex literary body of the State, to oppose the outfit's demand for "protection of Assam's sovereignty."
Reacting to a statement of the Sabha, ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa alleged that the RAW had devised a strategy of opposing the "sovereignty demand from the platform of the Sahitya Sabha" through a "secret understanding between the RAW and Sabha president Kanak Sen Deka."
Asked to comment on the ULFA charge, Mr. Deka said: "The ULFA is nothing but a bunch of people wielding guns who have nothing to do with the development of Assam and the Assamese people. If the ULFA is questioning the jurisdiction of the Sabha, then let me ask them to define the boundaries of the sovereign Assam they are talking about. Nobody in Assam today supports the ULFA. The common man wants to come out of this cycle of violence. Let them prove that I am working on behalf of the RAW and I will quit as the Sabha president as well as my public life."
`Not in individual capacity'
He also clarified that he had not issued the statement on Friday in his individual capacity and had only spelt out the stand of the Sabha.
Mr. Deka told reporters on Friday that the Sabha did not support any secessionist activities and considered the State an integral part of India.
The literary body also said the allegation made by secessionist organisations that colonial rule was imposed on Assam through the Constitution was only a conspiracy detrimental to Assam's interest.
The ULFA chairman, however, said the outfit had not raised the demand for "protection of Assam's sovereignty" before the Asam Sahitya Sabha and the rejection of the demand from the platform of the literary body did not reflect the desire of indigenous people.
Mr. Rajkhowa alleged that through Mr. Deka, the RAW wanted the Sabha to reject the sovereignty demand since it was the only issue which the ULFA was willing to discuss with the Government of India.
He also alleged that Mr. Deka and the newspaper edited by him have become a "mouthpiece of colonial India" and urged the people of Assam not to allow the Sabha to be used as "a weapon of colonial exploitation and rule."
IBNLIVE:
On Saturday’s gunfight with the police in Nepali Basti of Fatasil Ambari area in Guwahati, one ULFA operative was killed while three other members of the group managed to escape. The slain insurgent is yet to be identified.
In another incident, a top ULFA rebel was killed in a shootout with the Army in Dirak forest along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border last night.
Army sources in Guwahati said, as quoted by PTI, troops of 7/11 Gorkha Regiment were carrying out an operation inside the forest when they came upon a group of three insurgents.
In the ensuing gunfight, self-styled corporal Palashmoni Barua alias Bibhisan Chetia of the group's 28th Battalion 'A' was killed. The two others managed to escape.
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old salts of the mil scenarious thread might remember the highlighted
term above
what BR says today happens day after tomorrow.
On Saturday’s gunfight with the police in Nepali Basti of Fatasil Ambari area in Guwahati, one ULFA operative was killed while three other members of the group managed to escape. The slain insurgent is yet to be identified.
In another incident, a top ULFA rebel was killed in a shootout with the Army in Dirak forest along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border last night.
Army sources in Guwahati said, as quoted by PTI, troops of 7/11 Gorkha Regiment were carrying out an operation inside the forest when they came upon a group of three insurgents.
In the ensuing gunfight, self-styled corporal Palashmoni Barua alias Bibhisan Chetia of the group's 28th Battalion 'A' was killed. The two others managed to escape.
---
old salts of the mil scenarious thread might remember the highlighted
term above
what BR says today happens day after tomorrow.