Four insurgent groups from the north-east India -- the banned United Liberation Front of Asom, Manipur People's Liberation Front, Tripura People's Democratic Front and Kamatapur Liberation Organisation have given a joint call for boycott of 'Indian Republic Day' on January 26 to register their protest against 'Indian colonial occupation of the region.'

In a joint statement e-mailed to the media in Guwahati on Sunday afternoon, the four insurgent groups of the region have also called for a 'general strike' from 1 am to 6 pm on January 26 and appealed to the 'revolutionary people of the region' to prevent celebrations of Indian Republic Day.

In a statement issued on behalf of all the four insurgent groups, the chairman of the ULFA Arabinda Rajkhowa made an appeal to those insurgent groups in the region who are in ceasefire agreement or engaged in peace talks with government of India, to come back to the path of revolution for the sake of greater regional unity.

The ULFA chairman stated, "We are pained to note that the liberation forces in the region remain divided into two lines -- those in 'ceasefire' and 'peace talk' process with India on one line, and those actively continuing armed struggle against India on the other.

India's two-pronged strategy is to suppress the armed struggles by use of massive military force on the one hand, and to destroy the revolutionary character and organisational capability of those under 'ceasefire' and 'peace talk process' by corrupting them with money and comfort. This is the 'Indian solution' to the conflict situation in the region. But we are confident that liberation forces of the Region will ultimately emerge victorious.

We congratulate the freedom fighters and struggling peoples of the region for their unrelenting resistance against offensive after offensive of the Indian occupation forces for the last several years. This has encouraged us to call upon those of our brothers now in 'ceasefire' and/or 'peace talk' with India to return to the path of armed struggle, the only path to our freedom and independence.

We firmly believe that only armed struggle and people's resistance against Indian colonial occupation can forge the unity of our region for a common future. At the same time we will reiterate our stand for a satisfactory political and peaceful resolution of the conflicts with India."