The Assam Government spokesperson Pradyut Bordoloi, who is also holding the post of Cabinet Minister of Power, Industries & Commerce department, has claimed that it is the result of the relentless efforts made by the Tarun Gogoi-led government that today peace has knocked the door in Assam. He was of the opinion that the State as well as the Central government is confident to bring back peace in the state.
It is worth mentioning that the government has entered into ceasefire agreements with the Karbi insurgent outfit, the United People’s Democratic Solidarity (UPDS) and the Dimasa outfit, Dima Halam Daogah (DHD), splinters of both the outfits, the Karbi Longri North Cachar Hills Liberation Front (KLNLF) and the Black Widow (Dima Halam Daogah-Jewel Garlossa faction or DHD-J) have continued with their activities. On December 15, 2008, the NDFB replaced Ranjan Daimary, with B. Sungthagra alias Dhiren Boro, as its new president at a meeting held in Kokrajhar. A few days later, Daimary was expelled from the group. The NDFB now has two factions - a pro-talk faction led by Dhiren Boro and another hardliner led by Ranjan Daimary who claims to represent the ‘real’ NDFB,who has already been in the clutches of CBI and facing interrogations.The Islamist outfits, mainly the Muslim United Liberation Tigers of Assam (MULTA) with the assistance of the ISI of Pakistan has indulged in some acts of sabotage. On June 24, 2008, the Alfa and Charlie companies of the ULFA's Myanmar-based 28th battalion led by Mrinal Hazarika and Jiten Dutta declared a unilateral ceasefire and came over-ground seeking a negotiated settlement to their three-decade-old problem. They declared that they would have no links with the ULFA and they would be called as the “pro-talk ULFA faction”. They also gave up the demand for sovereignty or independence and said that they want to work towards achieving greater autonomy for Assam.
However, the Bravo Company, the sole remaining formation of the 28th battalion and the three other surviving battalions (27th battalion, 109th battalion and the 709th battalion) are still active. The turn of events within the ULFA, particularly the coming over-ground of the two units of the ‘28th battalion’, has weakened the outfit to a great extent.
Talking to this scribe, Bordoloi on Monday said that following the repeated appeals from government's end to shun violence and to join the national mainstream and after the arrests of some frontline leaders , almost all the banned outfit's in the state have off late shown eagerness for peace and have started to stay in the designated camps.
''It's a good sign for the state and we are optimistic to find-out an amicable solution to their demands" - the Minister added.
When asked on the probabilities of peace talks after the arrest of ULFA supremo Arabinda Rajkhowa and NDFB chief Ranjan Daimary in Bangladesh, the Minister opined that the law will take its own cource of action but Government is ready for the discussions.
"They (ULFA) have to withdraw the demand of sovereignty which can only pave the way for talks with the Government"- the Minister clarified.
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