Dear Netters ? The emails from Mr?Hazarika,?opening the discussion?and the passionate observations made by the rest are all relevant. ? To raise a war against one's own country is sedition, the highest crime in any land. In Great Britain,?homicide is not punishable by a sentence of death; but it applies in case of sedition. ? Government of India wants peace at any cost. I believe it is all whitewash. I presume?Government of India think that the worst is over as most of the leaders are in custody and Paresh Barua does not matter. Long ago,?after Phizo sought asylum in the United Kingdom, Government viewed that there was no need to take notice of the great revolutionary any more; nevertheless I think intelligence kept an eye on him. ? Just a?month ago, a?wellknown journalist visited Assam and I asked him whether Ulfa still extorts money?from the tea estates of?upper?Assam. It seemed to me that he was a Government spokesman in disguise. He categorically replied that there was no longer any extortion by Ulfa. It was a spent force. I then referred to a very recent article to contradict his statement. I believe the particular journalist's view reflected?the official view.When the Chief Minister of Assam visited London a fortnight ago, he told me that Ulfa still extorted money but the police is not informed. Unless police is informed, Government cannot take action.?? ? Long ago, I was present (unauthorised) in a meeting addressed by late Bimala Prasad Chaliha, the then Chief Minister of Assam to a group of?foreign dignitaries. The group leader asked him why Government of India was not strict with the rebel Nagas. Chaliha replied that the Nagas are Indian citizens. They have been misled. It is his duty to lead them the right way. In any case as a Member of the Peace Committee, it was not?within his remit to recommend punitive?measures.?They were asked to bring up the rebels?for discussion and?that was achieved. ? bhuban?
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