The information in this news item is important. It gives a good picture of what life would be in "Independent Assam". There is a caveat - is the source of information reliable?
Dilip Deka
Guwahati, Monday, June 27, 2005
Differences crop up in ULFA leadership
By A Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, June 26 The banned United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) has reportedly split right through the middle with the leaders and cadres being divided along regional lines. Highly-placed sources disclosed today that there is a rift between upper Assam and lower Assam leaders and cadres.
The sources said that sharp differences have cropped up among the leaders of the outfit with the lower Assam commanders having contrary views on a number of key issues vis-a-vis the stand taken by the leaders hailing from upper Assam. ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa and commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah both hail from upper Assam. But the commanders hailing from lower Assam control the outfit as a whole, particularly the armed cadres.
The moot point of the differences is the stand taken by the ULFAs top leaders on the issue of Bang! ladeshi infiltration into Assam. Rajkhowa and Paresh Baruah have taken an ambiguous stand, merely stating that the issue can be sorted out after Assams independence. The lower Assam cadres, however, want the outfit to take a stand against infiltration since it is an issue close to the hearts of the common people in the State.
The maltreatment of the cadres by the seniors within the outfit, like demotion from the rank of lieutenant to sepoy for criticising the seniors for wrong policies and use of non-democratic means in elections to top posts have generated a lot of internal bickerings within the group.
The ULFAs Nalbari unit, comprising the 709 battalion, has emerged as the most powerful unit. Most of the ULFAs active commanders are from this unit and they have their own set of opinions, quite contrary to the ones held by Rajkhowa and Paresh Baruah. Earlier, the sources said, all important operations were carried out by the upper Assam-based A and B units o! f the 28th battalion.
Misunderstandings have cropped up as a large number of lower Assam leaders have been killed or arrested during operations while the upper Assam leaders, who hold the top organisational posts, are safely ensconced in Bangladesh. The sources said that the leadership in Bangladesh are operating with their hands tied as Bangladeshi authorities have reportedly warned them not to do anything against the interests of Muslims in Assam. Some of the leaders, like Anup Chetia, have married Bangladeshi women. They also have heavy financial interests in Bangladesh that they do not want to compromise on.
Leading the lower Assam lobby within the ULFA is Raju Baruah, a one-time right hand man of Paresh Baruah. Lower Assam cadres have started rallying around Raju Baruah who hails from Bahjani in Nalbari district. It is this lower Assam that has contributed scores of ULFA cadres who are presently attached with different units of the ULFA.
Raju Baruah ha! s decided to stay away from Bangladesh and avoid the leaders there. He is reportedly in Burma along with a few trusted men, staying in a camp in an area with a profusion of NSCN (K) camps. He is said to be unhappy also with the fact that there is no democracy within the organisation with the upper Assam leaders maintaining a vice-like grip on the organisation while the dirty work is entrusted to the lower Assam men, the sources added.
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