Law enforcing agencies are confused by apparently conflicting signals coming from top leaders like Mr. Arabindra Rajkhowa, Chairman of the outlawed outfit and his subordinates. It may be recalled that the leaders were released on bail from jail with the specific objective of facilitating talks at the highest level between the organisation and the Union Government. Those released so far, like Mr. Rajkhowa, had earlier strongly indicated their desire to end insurgency-related violence in the state and the region through talks. This went against the grain of other factions of the organisation now operating from outside the country, led by Chief Military Commander Paresh Barua, who strongly criticised Rajkhowa and others as “quitters.”

Their release was preceded by several surrender ceremonies during the past couple of years where former armed activists gave up their weapons voluntarily to the authorities and pledged to resume normal lives. Also, the ULFA was virtually in its last legs , as its sanctuaries were gone in Bangladesh after the Awami League won general elections there and the army’s strikes kept it under constant pressure. A number of Assam-based intellectuals pleaded for talks between the Government and the ULFA to end the violence once and for all, after three decades.

These efforts succeeded partially, as the government agreed to release top leaders on bail, so that talks could begin without pre-conditions.

But now what Mr. Rajkhowa recently said at a public meeting and recent comments by another released leader Sasha Choudhury, Foreign Secretary of ULFA, have fuelled fresh speculation about the future of the long-awaited talks.

Mr, Rajkhowa had asked at the rally whether the people wanted them to resume the armed struggle, because he would listen to the voice of the people. And Mr. Choudhury went further.

He told newsmen that the problems between “Assam and India” would remain insoluble under the present Constitution. Therefore the Constitution must be amended first, before a serious dialogue could get under way. The ULFA was not going to act from Dispur, the state capital, like other parties. Now the ULFA had become a business and some people tried to make capital by delaying the long-awaited talks.

Choudhury also expressed concern about illegal infiltration from Bangladesh, saying that this was a threat for India as well as Assam. This was a new line among ULFA leaders, who had never talked about the infiltration problem during the years they were being supported by Bangladesh. Presumably the ULFA’s honeymoon with pro-Pak forces in Bangladesh has ended as the Awami League has come to power. Hence its changed stand.

Choudhury told Assam-based media that he would discuss the problem of infiltration at the talks, which should be held openly, with no secrecy.

Analysts said present statements of the ULFA leaders indicate that they were determined to impose pre-conditions on the Central government. They had not raised these issues during preparatory contacts preceding the talks. It seemed they still were thinking of raising the demand for a sovereign Assam.

The purpose behind their tough talk could be two-fold: they were trying hard to retain their credibility as a serious fighting outfit and at the same time to convince the centre to believe that the ULFA was no spent force yet.

However, it is within Assam itself that the strongest reaction has set in against the once popular organisation. A new organisation ,Terror Victims” Families Forum(TVFF) has been formed, comprising relatives of people killed by the ULFA during the last three decades, on suspicion of their links with the administration and the police. Members have demanded the immediate re-arrest of Rajkhowa and his colleagues for the crimes they committed against the people. If this was not done, a very wrong message would go to society as a whole. All those guilty of murders, and extortion should be punished . Criticising intellectuals who pleaded for talks with ULFA , they said such people must own up responsibility form any fresh violence that may occur.

They also demanded compensation for the ULFA victims, as received by next of kin of those murdered in Jammu and Kashmir or in the Maoist-affected areas.

Mr,.Rajkhowa has sought a public apology from the people for the actions carried out by the ULFA, as has Mr, Choudhury, but the people of Assam are not convinced. Clearly they expect much more from the outlawed outfit. (IPA Service)