Skip to content Skip to navigation

Another Logjam in Peace Process

Our Correspondent
Guwahati: A war of word between Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and peace broker Mamoni Roisom Goswami may put the peace process in yet another logjam.

Talking to a vernacular daily on its Monday issue, the award winning writer says she is not satisfied the way Mr Gogoi urges her to rush to Bangladesh.

“If need be I am ready to leave for Bangladesh with Rebati but it must be a decent appeal.”

“Let the Government make necessary arrangement to go to Bangladesh. I will do it tomorrow itself. But it will not be my personal initiative. The Chief Minister knows: how a top ranked leader of a banned outfit can be met.”

She rues that she finds it difficult it ti understand what Mr Gogoi says these days.

Notably, in a recent press conference Mr Gogoi said, “let Mamoni Raisom Goswami meet Paresh Baruah or Arabinda Rajkhowa and convince them to come forward for talk, as direct contact with them is necessary for talks.”

Mr Gogoi also said it was strange that Mamoni Raisom Dr Goswami was maintaining silence on the Hajo blast. According to Mr Gogoi, “she has not condemned the incident, which I feel is rather strange.”

It may be recalled the entire peace process was revived recently while a forum headed by the professor with Delhi University called on Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh in Delhi and urged him to revive the process.

When the delegation called on National Security Adviser MK Narayanan sought a direct proposal to the Government from the ULFA top brass to this effect.

The Chief Minister further asserted that the Centre’s stand on talks with the ULFA was clear, he said direct contact with the top leadership of the outfit was necessary for the purpose.

Comments

Sanjoy Hazarika's picture

What is this" peace process" that people are writing about and so excited about, especially the media. You have a group of well-meaning people who do not have any independent contact with Ulfa, as far as I can see, and certainly no clear authorization from them to negotiate. All that this group is doing is requesting the Govt. of India to "talk". The GOI has said it won't until Ulfa leaders come for talks unconditionally. This, the latter have said, they won't. So what peace process are we talking about -- it has no support from either side and is obviously not regarded seriously by too many people in the state and other parts of the NE. It would be better is the media took a dispassionate look at the whole issue instead of rushing into print or broadcast every time. In this case, we have a group of well-meaning citizens wanting to promote peace, which of course is commendable but does not go very far. It is important to note that the PCG, which has set up by Ulfa, may be defunct but it has not been disbanded.

Pages

Add new comment

Random Stories

Alumni Talk held at Don Bosco University

8 Feb 2023 - 9:44am | Dr Buljit Buragohain
On February 7th, the Mechanical Engineering Department of the Assam Don Bosco University School of Technology hosted an Alumni Talk at the Azara campus conference hall. The head of the department, Dr...

New film: Siyahir Rong

17 Mar 2019 - 9:30pm | Prantik Deka
It has only recently completed its shooting portion, but ‘Siyahir Rong’ is already creating a lot of buzz on the social media. The film, based on noted senior political journalist and writer Jitumoni...

Beef controversy forces closure of M’laya BJP office

7 Jun 2017 - 1:05am | SN Sangma
In a major setback for BJP in Meghalaya seven months ahead of the assembly, the party office in North Garo Hills district refused to open after two functionaries of the party pulled out within a week...

Day boarding centre inaugurated

1 Jan 2021 - 10:42pm | Prantik Deka
A day boarding centre with the most modern facility in the region — KidsCareHub, located in Rajgarh, Byelane-1, Chandmari, Guwahati, was inaugurated on January 2 by the state’s noted writer and the...

Other Contents by Author

Indefinite curfew has been clamped in Haflong following a clash between a group of people and DHD(J) militants during the ongoing Dima Hasao bandh on Friday.Tension started in the hills town when a group of bandh supporters attacked a veterinary office and started pelting stones at the DHD(J) designated camp. A DHD(J) militant was injured in the attack. Other camp inmates also tried to retaliate forcing the security forces deployed there to resorted to blank firing to disperse the violent picketers.
Dispur on Friday announced a Rs 200-crore scheme to revive the field of agriculture in the flood ravaged scene.Agriculture Minister Nilamoni Sen said that the government had formulated the special programme to help the agriculture sector, for which funds would be made available by State and central government.According to him, the department had cancelled all forms of leave of all agriculture department officers for the next two months, till the time of rabi sowing, to make up for the loss of kharif crop due to floods.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi is scheduled to undertake another aerial survey of flood-hit areas in Sivasagar, Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts on Saturday.Gogoi is expected to meet district administration officials from these districts on Saturday. Towards the evening he would be back to Guwahati. On his arrival, the chief minister is slated to hold a high level meeting of the officers to take stock of the relief operations.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Friday conducted an aerial survey of flood-hit districts on Friday.Gogoi laid thrust on relief and rescue of the marooned people. At the outsit he reached Jagiroad and visited the affected people in Moigaon where the victims alleged non receipt of relief materals. Then he left for Darrang, Sonitpur, Lakhimpur and Dhemaji apart from Kazaringa National Park and the Majuli.
The overall flood situation continues to improve on Friday. The water levels of the mighty Brahmaputra and its tributaries are receding.The death toll has gone upto 27. Six people have been remained traceless. Over 15 lakh people in 18 districts have been affected. Assam government has announced a 200 crore special scheme covering four lakh 10 thousand hectare crop lands which will benefit around 12 lakh flood affected population.
Aaranyak, one of the most prominent conservation group in the country has expressed its shock and deepest grievance at the recent incidences of poaching of four rhinos in the flood stricken Kaziranga National Park in just three days time. This is a massive setback to the efforts towards conservation and protection of this unique creature that finds an inherent place in the very heart of Assamese culture.We strongly feel that the management of the Assam Forest Department has not been up to the task of protecting the rhinos, especially in conditions of flooding of the Park. This, we feel, can be ascribed to a complete lack of coordination between the Forest Department and the Karbi Anglong...
World Tourism Day celebrated on September 27.
The Max Mueller Bhavan, New Delhi formally released a book, on September 18, titled “West meets East: Schopenhauer and India”, edited by Arati Barua under their specific program “Germany and India 2011-12 : Infinite opportunities”. Robin Mallick , Program director South Asia region formally released the book. Astrid Radunski, cultural counselor of the Embassy of Federal Republic of Germany in New Delhi, spoke about IDSS and its work. Professor Nirmalya Narayan Chakravorty , Member Secretary of Indian Council of Philosophical Research (ICPR) who Chaired the session, delivered a lecture on about the book . Professor Matthias Kossler, honorable President of the...
Security has been beefed up across the state following ULFA’s stepped up activities to make their presence felt. The outfit is trying to carry out a string of blast in the vital spots forcing security forces to be kept on high alert. Vehicles are being frisked to avoid any incident. In Guwahati, security forces have sealed the entry and exit routes. According to intelligence inputs, ULFA’s Paresh Baruah faction has recruited 1000 new cadres who are being trained by Manipur based People's Liberation Army. ULFA has also stepped up extortion activities in Upper Assam.
Former army chief Gen V K Singh on Monday said that BTAD violence is a fit case for the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act to be applied. Talking to reporters in the sideline of a function, he said that army could have reached the spot early and that there was no need to wait. He further questioned the alleged delay in sending army to the riot hit spot.