Insurgency / Assam

For the battle-weary Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT) cadre ensconced in their designated camps, the ?cause? is nearing culmination and the countdown has begun for a new ?happier, freer life?.





Ever since the ground rules of the ceasefire agreement were formulated in 2000, Bodo Liberation Tigers cadre ? numbering more than 3,000 ? have remained confined to their respective camps waiting for orders from the leadership.





?We are optimistic that this round of talks will be fruitful and the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) will materialise in the Bodo heartland,? 28-year-old Lwaba Islary of...

Feb. 9: Barring a last-minute hitch, the Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT), the Assam government and the Centre will sign a new Bodo accord in New Delhi tomorrow to pave the way for creation of the much-awaited Bodoland Territorial Council.

The BLT and the government today reached a consensus on the twin issues of reservation of seats in the proposed council and the right of the Bodo community to contest elections to the three tribal councils of the state.

A 20-member delegation comprising senior BLT leaders and members of other Bodo organisations evaluated the draft memorandum of settlement with...

Guwahati, Feb. 7: A weakened middle order, coupled with the absence of ?hit men? in the Ulfa is posing serious problems in the outfit?s bid to regroup, intelligence sources said.

?As things stand now, the only way the Ulfa can make its presence felt is through hands-on involvement of its top leadership in the movement,? a highly- placed source said.

The Ulfa?s top leadership is known to have undergone rigorous arms training on foreign soil. But they ended up playing the role of backroom boys, based in foreign countries, ever since the outfit was able to raise ?commanders? who could carry out...

New Delhi, Feb. 7: Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi today announced that the much-awaited accord on constitution of a new administrative set-up for the Bodo heartland was likely to be signed with the Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT) on Monday.

?There were two issues on which we had differences with the BLT. Now that these have been amicably resolved, it is likely that an agreement will be reached during the next meeting,? he told newspersons here.

Gogoi said the rights of non-Bodos based in the territory that would be administered by the proposed Bodo Territorial Council (BTC) had been taken into...

Guwahati, Feb. 6: After repeatedly rebuffing the Centre and the Assam government, the outlawed National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) appears to be finally headed for the negotiation table with its chairman Ranjan Daimari giving his associates the green signal for a political dialogue with New Delhi.

Intelligence sources here said the NDFB chief had directed two of his deputies, both in judicial custody at present, to prepare the ground for peace talks with the Centre.

The NDFB?s willingness to resolve the Bodo issue through a dialogue was confirmed during the interrogation of its...

Silchar, Feb. 5: The Centre has cleared a proposal to set up an additional joint monitoring group to review adherence to the ground rules of the six-month ceasefire between the government and the Dima Halam Daoga (DHD). The truce took effect on January 1.

North Cachar Hills deputy commissioner Syed Iftikar Hussain told The Telegraph over phone from Haflong that the monitoring panel, headed by joint secretary in the Union home ministry Aravinda Kumar, would be in addition to the district-level co-ordination committee comprising senior government officials and DHD leaders. The group will meet...

GUWAHATI, Feb 5 ? The three year long peace talks between the Government and the Bodo Liberation Tiger (BLT) are likely to culminate with the signing of an agreement in the next round of tripartite talks, to be held in New Delhi on February 10. Member of Parliament, Sri Urkhaw Gwra Brahma today told this correspondent that most of the major differences between the Government and the Bodo organisations have been narrowed down and ?we hope that the final agrement will be arrived at on February 10.?

Sri Brahma pointed to that the major difference between the Government and the BLT was on...

Guwahati, Feb. 4: The Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT) today said it was ready to accept the state government?s modified formula for reservation of seats in the proposed Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) for tribals and non-tribals.

BLT vice-chairman Kamal Muchahari today told The Telegraph that the rebel outfit was ready to accept the state Cabinet?s proposal regarding reservation of 30 seats for tribals and five for non-tribals. Five other seats would be kept open for all. Besides, six members are to be nominated to the proposed BTC body.

In a bid to salvage the Bodo peace talks, the state...

Feb. 3: Firearms deposited with Assam police during Operation Rhino in 1990 are being ?conditionally released? to their owners.

Though the Assam government has yet to officially announce any change in its policy on private ownership of firearms, it has reportedly decided to return weapons stocked in the police malkhanas because of an improvement in the law and order situation.

Sources in Guwahati said the government had not framed a new policy on the issue, but asked the authorities of various districts to release firearms after verifying the individual requirements of their owners and the...

KARIMGANJ, Feb 4? Tension prevails in the campus of NEEPCO at Umrangsu of NC Hills district following the threat given by the DHD outfit. DHD extremists now demanding 20% from the salary of the employees of NEEPCO as annual tax towards formation of Dimaland. DHD has been collecting taxes from the salary of the employees. It may be recalled that in the year 1999 three executive engineers of NEEPCO Hiren Kalita, Hari Thapa and Abu Akhtar Jahan were kidnapped by the DHD extremists for not responding to the demands of DHD and after one month they were released on payment of Rs 40 lakh.

After...