United Liberation Front of Assam had survived despite constant pressure from the security forces in the state because of their shelters in neighbouring Bangladesh and Myanmar.
The top leadership of United Liberation Front of Asom on Monday held talks with the government and discussed various aspects of its 'charter of demands'. During the 90-minute meeting, the ULFA delegation led by its 'chairman' Arabinda Rajkhowa held discussions with Union Home Secretary R K Singh and other officials. "It was a very constructive and fruitful discussion. I think we have achieved very good progress in the meeting," Singh said.
The militant outfit had withdrawn its call asking the people to boycott the 33rd Indian National Games.
The police are on the look out for a 'few dumps of explosives' that have already been sneaked into the city by ULFA militants with intention to disrupt I-Day celebrations.
An Assam police source said that the joint team of Army and police conducted raids at Murkusiapara village under Barama police station near Bhutan border.
Troops launched an offensive in the Manabhum reserve forests in Arunachal Pradesh to search out United Liberation Front Asom rebels as intensifed army operations against the militant outfit entered the third day on Friday.
The Assam government on Wednesday in principle decided to take the initiative to initiate dialogue with top leaders of the banned United Liberation Front of Assam, even without the participation of the outfit's commander-in-chief Paresh Barua, who is yet to be arrested."The Assam Cabinet, in a meeting held today, in principle decided to initiate dialogue with the ULFA, whose top leaders are now in jail," Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi told media personnel.
The blast triggered angry protests in the area and in nearby Fancy Bazar, the commercial hub of the N-E region.
Babulal Shah died on the spot while his son Ashok Shah was seriously injured and rushed to Assam Medical College Hospital in Dibrugarh. A team of policemen and the army were rushed from the district headquarters to Borhat.
The outlawed United Liberation Front of Assam (Independent) is anguished over the sorry state of Assamese film industry which has been going through a lean phase. The outfits commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah has blamed the situation on the 'overwhelming invasion' (increasing popularity) of Hindi movies.
The peace talks process with top United Liberation Front of Asom leaders has started, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said on Monday but ruled out that the state's sovereignty would be on the agenda. "The process for talks has started but no breakthrough achieved. However, the government is optimistic," Gogoi told reporters in Guwahati.The issue of 'sovereignity of Assam', however, would never be on the agenda for talks, he said.
This year the army have maintained constant vigil over the two vital supply lines to ULFA bases in Myanmar putting the outfit cadres holed up in Myanmar in a spot.
Surveillance has been mounted all over Assam apprehending terror strikes by the outlawed anti-talks faction of the United Liberation Front of Assam led by its fugitive commander in chief Paresh Barua in and around the outfit's raising day on April 7 next.
The Border Security Force has handed over the two top leaders of the United Liberation Front of Assam, who were picked up from the Indo-Bangla border in Tripura, to the Assam police, which has begun interrogating them.
Ceasefire with ULFA extended till Sept 15
The anti-talks faction of the outlawed United Liberation Front of Assam led by its self-styled army chief Paresh Barua on Thursday issued a statement threatening to train its gun on 'Indians living in Assam' in retaliation to the 'atrocities perpetrated on innocent Assamese people by the COBRA Force of colonial India' in Tinsukia district of eastern Assam in the name of operation against the ULFA militants.
"Hafizur Rahman (the prime accused) has told the magistrate that he had met Tarique Rahman at Hawa Bhaban along with Ulfa leader Paresh Barua on April 1, 2004," the state-run BSS news agency quoted a senior police official as saying on Sunday night
The ULFA had called upon sportsmen to stay away from the Games for their own safety while opposing holding of the event in the state without a final solution to "Assam-India" political conflict.
Bangladesh Inspector General of Police Abdul Qayum, however, said the information 'seems incorrect'.
'The time has come for all those believe in a democratic India to stand up and be counted and to make a choice.'
She said she needed a break for at least two years to complete some of her unfinished literary works.
Gogoi said security in Guwahati had been tightened. Checking of vehicles had been intensified and additional security forces were deployed in vulnerable areas, he said.
A senior police official informed that the police came to know about the explosive materials following the arrest of an ULFA militant in Guwahati on Thursday.
The United Liberation Front of Asom's self-styled commander-in-chief Paresh Barua, who is known to be against talks, on Saturday said he had "full confidence" in chairman Arabindo Rajkhowa and the outfit was ready for a dialogue provided "sovereignty" for Assam was discussed.
The chief of the United Liberation Front of Asom Arabinda Rajkhowa was handed over to the Border Security Force by Bangladeshi security agencies at an outpost along the Indo-Bangladesh border in Meghalaya early on Friday morning, official sources said.
Rebati Phukan will convey the message to the ULFA and get the points clarified by them." Phukan said, "There is every possibility that the five detenues will be released by the end of August."
In its effort to bring lasting peace in Assam, the government on Saturday signed an agreement with the banned United Liberation Front of Asom to end violence in the troubled northeastern state and set the ball rolling for peace talks.
Over 95 per cent of people in nine districts of Assam have rejected the banned United Liberation Front of Asom's demand for sovereignty for the state, a referendum conducted by a forum of kin of the militants has revealed.
The Central and Assam governments are for immediate "direct talks" with the top leadership of United Liberation Front of Asom to resolve the insurgency problem of the state, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said on Tuesday.
Police suspect the gunmen belonged to the ULFA-Independent faction as they were in battle fatigue.
The Centre on Tuesday held talks with the top leadership of the banned United Liberation Front of Asom and discussed various aspects of its 'charter of demands' which sought amendment in the Constitution to find a lasting solution to the three-decade-old insurgency problem in Assam.
Caught amid a raging battle between the Myanmar Army and Kachin rebels, the anti-talks faction of the outlawed United Liberation Front of Assam may be in a difficult situation.
The banned United Liberation Front of Asom and 3 other militant outfits have called for a boycott of the Independence day celebrations and declared a general strike on August 15.\n\n
Apprehending trouble in its bases outside the country in the post-Mumbai scenario that has stepped up the crackdown against terrorism in South Asia, the banned United Liberation Front of Asom is trying to step up activities in Assam through smaller tribal militant groups promoted by it.
Having prepared its charter of demands, the pro-talks faction of the United Liberation Front of Assam is now ready for talks. They now await a formal invitation to the first round of talks with the government of India.
The report said the outfit might have linkages with other ethnic insurgent groups active in neighbouring states, and receives aid from "unknown external sources".
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