The fact of the matter is that there is hardly a difference
between the Assam Govt. which cannot exist without Delhi, and the
Center.
Therefore who has the onus here is entirely matter of
semantics.
The rest is all spin.
At 9:27 AM -0500 9/20/05, Ram Sarangapani wrote:
It seems that the TOI has put the onus on the State govt.
(Bold/Highlight are mine)
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Manmohan's ULFA talks receive Gogoi setback
NEW DELHI: The Centre's initiatives to hold talks with ULFA may have already suffered a setback.
This, since Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Army Chief J J Singh's three-day visit to the North-East -- beginning today -- comes in the wake of an operation by the Army, killing 12 ULFA militants -- including two top leaders.
The militants were gunned down inside the Dibru Saikhowa national park, about 500 kms northeast of Guwhati, by the Tezpur 4 Corps of the Army in Saikhowaghat.
The operation is being seen as a fresh blow to the newly conceived peace bridge that aimed at exploring avenues for discussion between the Centre and ULFA.
The Army is quiet about the operation, launched a fortnight ago, but intelligence officials have confirmed that, "The Army's Tezpur 4 Corps and Assam Police killed 12 militants and surrounded ULFA's camp in Tinsukia forests leaving no option for the 35 militants but to surrender."
About other ULFA men in the camp, military sources say, "Radio intercepts show that the chances of their surrender are quite high. The camp has been cut off, leaving militants with no vital supplies."
The operation is seen as a stand-off between the state and the Centre as Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi wants the operations to continue while Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has accepted to talk all core issues with ULFA.
By his vow to flush out militants from the state, Tarun Gogoi may put a spoke in the wheel when the 11-member team of People's Consultative Group (PCG) formed by ULFA comes to New Delhi in the first week of October to explore avenues
Experts feel that the talks may reach a blind corner because of the state's continuation of operations against the militants.
In the aftermath of the operation, and as anticipated, the ULFA has threatened to call off peace initiative while the Centre is cagey about the group's commitment towards the talks.
However, the silver lining could be the sovereignty factor -- once held non-negotiable by ULFA -- which would no longer remain a hurdle in the talks between the Centre and the militant group.
While moving ahead with the peace talks, ULFA leadership will be under tremendous pressure from Bangladesh on the one hand to continue with the PCG initiative, and from its cadres on the other, to abandon the peace process in wake of Army operation.
However, the chances of the latter are slim.
ULFA, many consider, might be on a vantage position if it goes ahead with the PCG initiative which will give them a bargaining capacity and broaden its support base.
The recent killing of ULFA cadres has also delivered a serious blow to numerous insurgent groups who have been "sensitized" to come over ground.
It remains to be seen how the Defence Minster, Chief of Army staff, and later this week the Home Minister, handle the situation and most importantly lay ground for the October talks between the Centre and ULFA.
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