Insurgency / Assam

NEW DELHI, May 23 ? In a significant development, Government of India today entered into a ceasefire pact with the United Peoples Democratic Solidarity (UPDS) for a year. This is the second militant group of Assam to opt for a ceasefire agreement with the Union Government. The latest ceasefire pact is likely to bring some respite for Assam Government in restoring peace in Karbi Anglong and North Cachar Hills districts. The NSCN (I-M) backed outfit had unleashed a reign of terror in the two districts, escalating tensions. As reported earlier by this newspaper, a section of the UPDS was engaged...

DIBRUGARH, May 22 ? Family members and friends of the senor leader of the outlawed ULFA, Tapan Baruah alias Madan Das today took charge of the body at the Assam Medical College here. The family members, accompanied by others from Tapan?s native Balikuchi village near Nalbari arrived here in a bus. The body was taken to Tinsukia this afternoon in connection with some legal formalities, before being transported to Nalbari. Tapan?s elder brother, Biren Das completed the formalities. Biren, a grocery shop owner, said Tapan was the fourth in the family?s six siblings, which included five sons and a...

GUWAHATI, May 21 ? The leaders and cadres of the Bodo Liberation Tiger (BLT) are totally disillusioned and frustrated at the delay in finding an amicable solution to the Bodo problem and the ongoing peace talks may head towards an uncertain future if the Central and the state governments fail to take immediate steps regarding formation of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC). Talking to The Assam Tribune today, the BLT publicity secretary, Sri Mainao Daimary said that all members of the BLT are now totally frustrated over the attitude of the Central and state governments. He pointed out...

GUWAHATI, May 19 ? The State government has chalked out a four-phase plan for the rehabilitation of the people displaced from their homes in the ethnic riots in Kokrajhar district in 1996 and 1998, and the process to rehabilitation is scheduled to start in the first part of June. Talking to The Assam Tribune today, the Kokrajhar Deputy Commissioner, Dr A K Bhutani said that at present about 1,80,000 persons belonging to 33,000 families are living in 54 relief camps in the district and the State government has decided to release Rs 2 crore a month for the rehabilitation of the affected...

KARIMGANJ, May 18 ? The Dimasa extremist organisation the Dima Halong Daogah (DHD) is now creating terror in the northern parts of Cachar district especially in the foot of Borail hills. Santosh Mohan Deb, MP has requested the govt of Assam to start Army operations under unified command to control the activities of the outfit. In a press meet organised at his Silchar residence recently Deb expressed concern over the terror created by DHD extremists in the peaceful district of Assam. ?If the State or Central government do not take any preventive measures against DHD then a day will come when...

NEW DELHI, May 17? The Union Human Resources Development Minister, Dr Murli Manohar Joshi today declined to make any commitment to set up a Central University at Kokrajhar but assured that the Central Government would implement proposed agreement between the Centre and the Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT). The Union Minister responding to a question by U. G. Brahma at the Rajya Sabha here today, urged members to exercise caution and have patience as talks between the Government of India and BLT was on and setting up of Central University besides several other Central institutions were part of the...

GUWAHATI, May 17 ? Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today said the Centre should apply the same principles to bring the banned United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) to the negotiating table as it had done in the case of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (I-M) in Nagaland. Speaking at a ?Meet the Press? programme at the Guwahati Press Club, the Chief Minister said he had all along been telling the Centre to tackle the ULFA problem on the lines of its policy on the NSCN (I-M).

He also inaugurated the Press Club website www.guwahatipressclub.com prior to his speech. While reiterating that he...

GUWAHATI, May 16 ? Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi today informed that ceasefire agreement between Karbi militant outfit, United People?s Democratic Solidarity (UPDS) and Government of India might materialise as the process was in an ?advanced stage.? Stating that the insurgency situation in the State had improved a lot during the last one year, the Chief Minister hoped that talks between the ULFA and the Centre would take place as the people of the State were yearning for peace and development. He claimed that of late people?s cooperation towards security forces fighting insurgents in the...

NEW DELHI, May 16 ? In keeping with the understanding arrived at the last round of tripartite talks on the Bodo issue, the Assam Government has submitted a draft agreement on the proposed Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) to the Centre, highly placed sources in the Home Ministry told this newspaper. But submission of the draft is unlikely to hasten the resolution of the vexed problem, as the State Government?s plan has skirted all the contentious issues dogging the negotiations with the Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT).

According to sources, the submitted draft for instance has not spelled out...

KOKRAJHAR, May 15 ? In a significant move, the Bodo Liberation Tiger (BLT) today decided to reconsider participation in talks with the Centre if the Government fails to show a positive stand on solution of the Bodo problem. This decision was taken at the central executive committee of the BLT held in Kokrajhar today. Briefing newsmen after the meeting, the BLT chairman, Hagrama Basumatary said that the BLT representatives would desist from participating in talks with the Government without instruction from the ?BLT cabinet?. The BLT chairman said that the Assam Cabinet?s decision on the...