Second round of ULFA- Government of India talks today

By- Correspondent| Date- September 3, 2011

The second round of talks between ULFA and the Centre will be held today in Delhi.

A three-member ULFA team comprising of its finance secretary Chitraban Hazarika, foreign secretary Sashadhar Choudhury and deputy commander-in-chief Raju Baruah is already in Delhi and is expected to held talks in several ground issues such as ceasefire rules, cadre details, etc would be discussed.

The ULFA is against having their entire strength of cadres in just three designated locations and are suggesting nine such Navanirman Kendras.

Return of Anup Chetia is also expected to be on the platter. Spokesman and foreign secretary of ULFA Sashadhar Choudhury had earlier confirmed that that the Government of India has facilitated for Anup Chetia to be back in the country soon. ULFA General Secretary Anup Chetia, who has been in special custody of Bangladesh Government since 1997,  is expected to be back in India post Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s upcoming visit to Bangladesh next week. Chetia’s return is expected the boost the talks between The Union Government of India and ULFA.

Mentionable that the pro-talk faction of United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) had earlier submitted their charter of demands to the Union Government of India in New Delhi and had sought a definite timeframe of one and a half years for a permanent solution to the more than three decade old insurgency in Assam.

A quick list of the demands made in ULFA demands charter to the Union Government of India is in their earlier round of talks were:

• A fresh look on the issue of sovereignty (for which ULFA came into existence), so as to ensure that the people of Assam can assert their indisputable rights to control their own lands and resources.
• High level discussion on grounds and root causes for ULFA struggle and their genuineness
• Status report on around missing ULFA leaders and cadres (reported to be around 50), including those have been missing since 2005
• Protection and conservation of the ethnic people and right on all resources, with complete constitutional and political rights.
• Finance and Economy – Complete rights on all economic resources, including oil, prevention of any further exploitation and compensation to be given to Assam for all exploitations on its economic resources till date.
• Illegal Migration – All necessary preventive and corrective actions including complete sealing of the international border, prevention of migration taking place through river ways and setting up of a task force by the locals and indigenous communities to secure this.
• Solution to all ethnic and tribal issues and problems including solution to border dispute and land acquisition issues through constitutional amendments.
• Changes and upgradation in education and health sectors for complete prosperity and protection.
• Focus on development of agriculture and rural development schemes
• Complete rights of the indigenous on land and natural resources and facilitate complete flood control system.
• Industrial development – solution to issues on transportation and communication, facilitate more entrepreneurship, improvement of skill set for workers, facilitation of capital for industrialization.
• Complete protection and development of all types of local culture and folklore of Assam
• To foster better bilateral relations with neighboring countries for boosting trade and economy.

On the other hand, the pro-talk faction of ULFA has been so far seen to be soft on their elusive Commander-in-Chief Paresh Baruah who is still opposed to the notion of talks with the Government of India. Mentionable that Baruah has recently slammed the Chief Minister of Assam through a press release for the land swap deal which is to be signed in the Prime Minister’s visit.