[Assam] Other reports say that the Indian Army got those ULFA commanders, Reporter!

[Bartta Bistar]

 

Tactful Ulfa in talks gambit

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050618/asp/northeast/story_4882422.asp

 

Guwahati, June 17: The banned Ulfa today threw a spanner in the peace process by ruling out a political dialogue until the government arranged for the release of three of its leaders from Bhutanese military custody.

Jailed Ulfa veteran Bhimkanta Buragohain, who is believed to be in touch with the outfit?s top leadership through those who visit him in prison, said the trio ? Bening Rabha, Ashanta Bagphukan and Robin Neog ? must be present at Ulfa?s central committee conclave for the outfit to take a decision on starting negotiations.

Buragohain, who was produced at a designated Tada court, said all three were captured by the Royal Bhutan Army during Operation All Clear in the Himalayan kingdom in December 2003.

?We were together till December 24, 2003. After that there has been no news of them. They have to be produced and released along with seven of us because the Ulfa constitution stipulates that the central committee cannot take any decision without a quorum.?

The militant leader claimed the trio was kept in a Royal Bhutan Army camp after their arrest.

Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi said recently that there was little his government could do in regard to ?missing? Ulfa functionaries. The comment was in response to Ulfa commander-in-chief Paresh Barua?s demand for the release of 10 senior members, including the missing trio.

Buragohain, addressed as mama (maternal uncle) by Ulfa activists, said the ball was now in Delhi?s court.

Using anonymity to circumvent the ban on officials speaking to the media without authorisation, a state home department functionary said Ulfa had cleverly included Rabha, Bagphukan and Neog in the list.

?The outfit?s leadership knows that the government cannot produce those on whom there has been no news since Operation All Clear.?

On whether the government had cleared the hurdles in the way of releasing those jailed in Assam, the official said: ?Even the chief minister has made it clear that there will be no problem in releasing the jailed leaders. But the other three are actually missing and it is almost impossible to produce them.?

Buragohain insisted Ulfa was keen to start peace talks and the people were backing the outfit.

He dismissed reports of a rift in the Ulfa think tank over the peace process initiated by writer Mamoni Raisom Goswami.

?There is no difference. We have the same soul and that soul is Ulfa,? he said.

 

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