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ULFA not interested in talks with Centre

Nitin Gogoi in Guwahati

The United Liberation Front of Asom says it is not interested in NSCN-IM-like talks with the Indian government even as Assam Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta indicated in Guwahati on Tuesday that a cease-fire with ULFA on the lines of the one currently in force in Kashmir is feasible if the outlawed outfit comes forward for some kind of informal discussions with the Centre.

The National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Issac-Muivah group) has observed a cease-fire with the government since August 1997. ULFA's stand on the issue of talks appears in the latest issue of its periodical, Freedom.

'Contrary to all the confusion of Indian propagandas (sic), ULFA would like to make it clear again that it is ready to talk with Indian government for the peaceful solution of the conflict. On the other hand, the Indian attitude is still enigmatic which is viewed from the ongoing marathon talks of NSCN (IM) and India. India shouldn't consider ULFA as such manner to entrap in between the deep sea of so-called ceasefire and the devil of unconditional talk,' says the article in Freedom.

'As far as the present motive and ground situation is concerned, India is preparing its ground with an aim to compel ULFA to talk in India's terms and conditions exerting maximum military pressure. No such attempt will be successful, everybody does believe in Assam as ULFA does. State terror and the words of so-called Indian Constitution can't bring the peace and solution to the conflict in Assam,' the article goes on to say.

Mahanta's remarks came at an informal chat with the media over breakfast at his home to celebrate the Bhogali Bihu festival on Tuesday. The chief minister said it was only following informal parleys that a cease-fire was declared in Kashmir and Nagaland. "Look at the cease-fire in Nagaland and Kashmir. Both were preceded by informal discussions between the government and the militant groups. Informal talks have always helped, and ULFA should realise this," the chief minister said.

Political and student groups have been urging both ULFA and the state government to declare a cease-fire in order to improve the situation in Assam.

Only discussions between the government and ULFA could help find a lasting solution to the insurgency in Assam, Mahanta said, adding that he had no objection to ULFA talking directly to the Centre. "I have no objection to ULFA talking directly to the Centre and my government has been saying this since 1997," he added.

When journalists asked him to react to ULFA's condition that the talks should be held on the issue of sovereignty, the chief minister said he stood by his government's earlier stand that there should be no pre-condition whatsoever from any side.

He added that ULFA should abjure violence before coming to any kind of a dialogue with the government. "Violence and discussions, whether formal or informal, cannot continue side by side," the chief minister said. The Centre last week turned down an offer made by ULFA for talks on the single issue of sovereignty; the Union home ministry pointed out that talks could be held only within the ambit of the Constitution.

Mahanta also denied reports that ULFA had sent feelers through intermediaries. "Neither the home ministry nor ULFA has got in touch with the Assam government in this matter," he added.

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