CM; I don't think that is fallacy. Are you discuss on sovereignty just for the sake of discussion. What will such a discussion lead to ? This can't be a evening tea gossip. If two parties are discussing a point , which is the demand of secession by one of the parties, do you expect that by the end of the discussion this party will drop their so-called demand and go home. Is that for which they have been fighting for a quarter of a century. To come to the table both parties should have some common ground. If GOI is not ready to discuss on sovereignty, what common ground do you think they have to discuss ?
Prasenjit On 4/27/05, Chan Mahanta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Ram: > > > The fallacy in your argument is in assuming that discussing of the demand > for sovereignty with the aim to end the conflict is the same thing as > Assam's secession being a fait accompli. > > > Negotiations can and should focus on the causes that led to the demand of > independence, and solutions for them. If mutually acceptable alternatives to > independence could be found, and there is absolutely no reason why they > could not be found, then a peaceful end to the conflict could be arrived at. > Question is whether the Indian Govt. has the strength of character and the > Indian people political will, to bring an end to these conflicts, in the NE, > in Central India and in Kashmir. > > It is as simple as that. > > c-da > > > > > > > > > > > > > > At 1:58 PM -0500 4/27/05, Ram Sarangapani wrote: > C'da, > > I agree its absurd for the GOI if they are going thru these > convolutions. Whatever the dance & play, ultimately the issue is still > of separation. > > > Not that I am unhappy about the prospect of the Center's convoluted > > efforts to get negotiations going. It is good. > > The GOI is not interested in discussing the issue of sovereignty (and > the ULFA doesn't want to drop it). The GOI very likely cannot do so > because it might be extra -constitutional And there are other > issues/questions: > > a) Does the GOI have the authority to give 'independence' to a state? > Assam is a part & parcel of India, and it has every right to stay > within the union just as Rajastan or UP. So does the GOI have the > constitutional authority? > > IMHO, the GOI has the obligation/duty to protect the borders, keep it > safe from foreign invasions etc. But I seriously doubt if the GOI has > the authority to portion off parts of the country away. Some > constitutional expert will have to weigh in this. > > b) Does the ULFA represent all Assamese? How does a militant force say > that they represent the will of the people of Assam? Do they impose > this will OR is this what the Assamese really want? Who has an answer? > > Lastly, if memory serves correct, one of the big reasons that Indian > Independence took so many years to formalize, was this question of > constutionality. Whether the UK Govt. had the right to grant > independence, as India belonged to the British Empire as opposed to a > 'caretaker' (govt.) of the empire at that time. Some netter could > possibily educate us further on this. > > I am not sure, anywhere in the Indian constitution, there is a provsio > for the GOI to discuss issues of separation from the union with a > group of people. > > I too sincerely hope there is some resolution to this problem whether > its thru discussions, or peace parleys, but I see problems either way > ahead. > > If the GOI accedes to the demands, it will have to forever answer > constitutional questions whether they had the right in the first place > to grant independence. The GOI will also have to answer this question > to the millions of Assamese who may not have wanted independence from > India, but was forced upon them > > If they don't (and the ULFA does not back down from its stand), then > this insurgency will continue into perpetuity. Usually an optimist, I > really don't see the light at the end of the tunnel in this case. > > --Ram > > > > > On 4/27/05, Chan Mahanta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Heh, heh, heh---:-). > > > > That is a good one Ram. I am with you on this absurdity. > > > > It is nothing to do with PC, but everything to do with painting > > oneself to the corner by deifying a word--Sovereignty. It is all > > about appearances, about make believe. > > > > Not that I am unhappy about the prospect of the Center's convoluted > > efforts to get negotiations going. It is good. But the absurdity of > > the self-imposed impediments is appalling. > > > > > > At 12:29 PM -0500 4/27/05, Ram Sarangapani wrote: > > >If this story is true, what on earth is the GOI up to? It seems > > >theywant a substitute for the word 'sovereignty' with something > > >thatspalatable to both themselves and the ULFA. > > >The GOI should not worrry som much about the word itself as opposed > > >tothe meaning of the term. Simply put, the ULFA wants Assam to > > >beseparate from India, and what part of that is there to parse? > > >**"Once that politically correct substitute is found, the PMO's > > >letterto the Ulfa will follow," said writer Mamoni Raisom Goswami. > > >"And,hopefully, the letter should be ready in the next four to five > > >days,"she added.*** > > >Being PC has never been one of my strong points, so I have a hard > > >timeunderstanding this. > > >-- Ram > > > >http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050427/asp/northeast/story_4664712.asp > > >Delhi in Ulfa talks quandary- Search on for 'sovereignty' substitute > > >A STAFF REPORTER Mamoni Raisom Goswami Guwahati, April 26: The > > >Prime Minister's Office (PMO) is searching fora word or a phrase > > >that would be a politically correct substitute forthe term > > >"sovereignty", which is used by the Ulfa. > > >"Once that politically correct substitute is found, the PMO's > > >letterto the Ulfa will follow," said writer Mamoni Raisom Goswami. > > >"And,hopefully, the letter should be ready in the next four to five > > >days,"she added. > > >In its earlier letter, the Ulfa had made it clear that it would > > >notsit for talks till the government was ready to discuss its demand > > >for"sovereignty of Assam", which has been the core issue in the > > >outfit's25-year-old armed struggle. > > >Goswami, who has been trying to facilitate talks between the > > >outfitand the Centre, said she met national security adviser M.K. > > >Narayananyesterday and impressed upon him the need to expedite the > > >despatch ofthe reply from the PMO to the Ulfa. > > >"The PMO had earlier addressed its reply to the Ulfa's letter to > > >me.This is not acceptable to the boys. So I have asked them that a > > >freshletter be issued in the name of the organisation," she said. > > >"We are trying to find a word or a phrase that can mean > > >sovereignty," she said. > > >The phrase "core issue" could also be an acceptable substitute, > > >shesaid. "Basically, the idea is to ensure that the government is > > >notembarrassed and at the same time the Ulfa is reassured by the > > >languageof the letter that the Centre is willing to even discuss > > >sovereignty,"she said. > > >"I have also told them (the PMO) that unless their reply > > >incorporatesacceptance of the Ulfa's condition, there is no use," > > >Goswami said. > > >On its part, the Centre had stated that it was ready to negotiate > > >withany group provided it abjured violence and the talks were within > > >theambit of the Constitution. This, however, did not impress the > > >Ulfa. > > >Goswami further said she had told the PMO that talks should start > > >assoon as possible. "This is an important time... Elections are > > >alsocoming," she said. > > >Efforts at ending militancy in the state recently saw a group > > >ofsocio-literary bodies led by the Asam Sahitya Sabha appealing to > > >thegovernment and the Ulfa to declare a ceasefire from April 22. > > >However, the Ulfa summarily dismissed the appeal and accused the > > >sabhaof toeing Delhi's line by calling for the ceasefire. > > >Ulfa chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa said sabha chief Kanaksen Deka > > >hadfallen into the "trap laid by the colonial rulers of Delhi to > > >crushthe freedom struggle of the people of Assam." > > >On the other hand, the people of Jeraigaon - the native village > > >ofUlfa commander-in-chief Paresh Barua and general secretary Anup > > >Chetia- have invited Goswami and chief minister Tarun Gogoi to their > > >Bihufestivities to give a push to the peace move. > > >"I am definitely going there," Goswami said, adding that it was > > >a"welcome move." > > >_______________________________________________ > > >Assam mailing list > > >[email protected] > > >http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assam > > > > > >Mailing list FAQ: > > >http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/assam/assam-faq.html > > >To unsubscribe or change options: > > >http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/options/assam > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Assam mailing list > [email protected] > http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assam > > Mailing list FAQ: > http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/assam/assam-faq.html > To unsubscribe or change options: > http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/options/assam > > > -- Prasenjit Chetia Atlanta, GA _______________________________________________ Assam mailing list [email protected] http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assam Mailing list FAQ: http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/assam/assam-faq.html To unsubscribe or change options: http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/options/assam
