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No thorns in Ulfa talks path http://www.telegraphindia.com/1051026/asp/nation/story_5400367.asp |
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OUR CORRESPONDENT |
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New Delhi, Oct. 25: Making a conscious effort to be seen as accommodating rather than assertive, the Ulfa-constituted team of mediators today set the tone for the first round of negotiations with Delhi by promising to steer clear of contentious issues like the banned militant groups stand on sovereignty."We look forward to the meeting tomorrow. Our job is to ensure that all difficulties are removed and a congenial atmosphere is maintained for the process to go further," lawyer Arup Borbora, spokesman for the Peoples Consultative Group, said. The Prime Minister, national security adviser M.K. Narayanan and Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi will participate in the talks, scheduled to begin at Manmohan Singhs Race Course Road residence at 3.30 pm. The nine-member consultative group, which arrived in the capital from Guwahati yesterday, assembled at writer Mamoni Raisom Goswamis residence at Delhi University this morning to outline the agenda for the talks. Emerging from the meeting, the delegation was greeted by a media contingent eager to know what they had planned for the negotiations. Borbora expressed confidence that the peace process was headed in the "right direction", justifying his optimism by pointing to the involvement of "members of civil society" in such a task for the first time in the 27 years that Ulfa has been in existence. He said the Ulfa leaders decision to form a team of mediators reflected their "wisdom" and desire to restore peace. The lawyer criticised army chief Gen. J.J. Singh for insisting that Ulfa should lay down arms before entering into a dialogue with Delhi. Borboras colleagues in the consultative group were careful not to contradict him on any issue. Each of them stressed the need for a political instead of a military solution to militancy. |
Assam peace talks today
http://www.hindu.com/2005/10/26/stories/2005102608091200.htm
Special Correspondent
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People's Group for `dignified solution' |
NEW DELHI: For the first time, the People's Consultative Group (PCG) appointed by the banned United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) will hold peace talks with the Centre here on Wednesday. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will also address the PCG, sending a positive signal about the seriousness of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government to take its initiative forward.
Honourable solution
On the eve of the talks, the PCG said the ULFA wanted a "dignified and honourable'' solution to the State's three-decade-old insurgency problem.
"We want peace in Assam. The ULFA wants a dignified solution to the 27-year old conflict,'' PCG member and Guwahati High Court advocate Arup Borbora said here. After their meeting with the Prime Minister, the 11-member PCG will hold talks with the National Security Adviser (NSA) M.K. Narayanan.
"Our job basically is to frame the basic structure for ultimate dialogue between the conflicting parties and resolve the issue amicably. We will also try to remove all hurdles coming in the way of direct talks between them and make them fruitful,'' he said after their closed-door internal meeting which was held at the residence of Jnanpeeth award winning Assamese writer Indira Goswami who has been mediating for the Centre-ULFA talks.
The peace talks come in the background of Army Chief General J.J. Singh's observation that there was no possibility of easing operations against the ULFA.
ULFA talks to begin amid killings in Assam
http://www.newkerala.com/news.php?action="">
By Syed Zarir Hussain, Guwahati/New Delhi: Two militants of the outlawed United iberation Front of Asom (ULFA) were killed by
police in Assam ahead of landmark peace talks between the central government and representatives of the rebel group Wednesday in New Delhi.A police spokesperson said the two ULFA militants were killed in a shootout with security forces in Mowmari village in northern Assam's Darrang district Tuesday.
"The two were on an extortion bid when police on specific information challenged them and in the ensuing encounter both of them got killed," a senior police official said.
The encounter came on the eve of the talks in New Delhi Wednesday where a group of civil society leaders chosen by the ULFA are to begin negotiations to bring an end to three decades of insurgency in Assam.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is expected to attend the inaugural session of the talks that are scheduled to begin at 3.30 p.m. at his 7, Race Course residence in New Delhi. Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi would also participate in the proposed talks.
The ULFA, a rebel group fighting for an independent homeland since 1979, last month nominated an 11-member People's Consultative Group (PCG), a team of prominent civil society members with noted Assamese writer Indira Goswami as their leader.
"No contentious issues would be raised by us and the aim of the talks is to set the peace process moving," Goswami told IANS.
The ULFA representatives include prominent journalists, a footballer of yesteryears, human rights activists, an engineer, a lawyer, and a doctor.
The government last week formally invited the PCG for talks following a letter from the ULFA offering the outfit's desire to begin formal negotiations.
"Our aim is to see that the peace process gets rolling and then the government could think of a ceasefire," said Goswami, who was acting as a mediator between the ULFA and New Delhi.
The central government team was earlier scheduled to be led by National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan. It was upgraded at the last moment with the prime minister now chairing the talks.
"We want to see the ULFA leaders holding direct face-to-face talks with the government at a later stage when their demands and other grievances could be taken up. Now we are trying to prepare the ground for peace," PCG spokesperson and senior Gauhati High Court lawyer Arub Borbora said in New Delhi.
There is tremendous hope and optimism in Assam over the talks.
"I sincerely hope there is some positive forward movement so that the ULFA could come for talks and solve the issue peacefully," said Milika Baruah, octogenarian mother of ULFA's self-styled commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah.
The ULFA military chief has not visited his home since he and five others formed the outfit 27 years back.
In 1992, a group of five senior ULFA leaders were freed from jail and taken to New Delhi for initiating talks with the then Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao. The leaders went underground after holding one round of talks.
"The situation then was quite different from now with the people of Assam clamouring for peace. Our leadership, too, is equally keen to resolve the conflict through negotiations," jailed ULFA leader Pranati Hazarika said.
The ULFA is one of the most organised rebel outfits in the northeast where more than 30 militant groups operate with demands ranging from independence to greater autonomy.
At least 15,000 people have lost their lives to insurgency in Assam since 1979 when ULFA, the state's first rebel group, was founded.
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