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Delhi in a tizzy over Ulfa rift - Hunt for source of threat to talks - http://www.telegraphindia.com/1051125/asp/northeast/story_5518499.asp | |
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A STAFF REPORTER | |
Guwahati, Nov. 24: The outlawed Ulfas silence and Dispurs confusion about the emergence of a group calling itself the anti-talks faction have led the Union home ministry to send a frantic message to the government, seeking confirmation of the peace-threatening development. The self-proclaimed Ulfa faction issued a statement from Golaghat on Sunday, questioning the basis of the nascent peace process and vowing to continue the armed movement against Indian colonial rule. The home ministry is understood to have asked the Tarun Gogoi government to quickly ascertain the veracity of the statement. It has also alerted central intelligence agencies in the region to find out the source of the threat. The uncomfortable suspense over the development has been accentuated by the Ulfa leaderships failure to allay fears of a rift. We have not been able to ascertain the identity of Rajib Phukan, whose signature is on the written statement. It has also not been confirmed yet whether Ulfa has any member by that name, a senior intelligence official said. He said the renegade leader if anybody by that name exists must have immense courage and clout to go against Ulfas decision to start a peace process after 27 years of insurgency. The name Rajib Phukan, however, does not figure in our list of Ulfa big guns. The official said the onus was on the Ulfa leadership to deny or confirm the rift. The Ulfa-constituted Peoples Consultative Group held its first round of talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and chief minister Tarun Gogoi last month. Its brief is to prepare the ground for a dialogue between Delhi and the Ulfa leadership. On whether the anti-talks groups statement had seriously affected the peace process, the intelligence official said it has certainly created a lot of confusion. It is not a pleasant thought, especially when the second round of talks between the consultative group and Delhi is likely to be scheduled soon. Till such time somebody clears the air, the dilemma over whether to accord importance to the development or ignore it as a hoax will remain. In its only statement so far, the mysterious anti-talks faction said central security forces were killing Ulfa members. We will carry on our fight with security forces to avenge the killings, it said. The statement was on Ulfa stationery and signed by Phukan, who claimed to be a border commandant in the outfits hierarchy. The group also claimed responsibility for the recent twin blasts at Naloni near Sarupathar in Golaghat district. It said the Inter-city Express was the target, but the bomb exploded three hours before the train passed by because of a technical snag. The Golaghat administration had suspected Naga militants of being involved in both blasts because the site is close to the Assam-Nagaland border. |
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