Assam talks: A charade before polls
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BHARTI JAIN
TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2006 02:54:34 AM]
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1408996.cms
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NEW DELHI: Not having learnt its lessons from the security fiasco resulting from talks with Naxalites in AP, the Centre seems to be getting ready to burn its fingers again, this time with Ulfa in Assam. |
According to an MHA note, Ulfa triggered 23 incidents of violence in January 06. It served extortion notices to big business houses, particularly ONGC it demanded Rs 500 crore from the oil giant. The peace moves with Ulfa come even as the outfit has ruled out diluting or giving up its sovereignty demand.
The pre-poll peace arrangements with local insurgent groups have a history of leading to security nightmares. A case in point is the dialogue with Peoples War, now CPI(Maoist), in AP.
Ahead of February 04 polls in the state, the Congress warmed up to the Naxalites and promised to talk peace in case it came to power. After coming to power, the Congress paid back the Naxalites by declaring a cease-fire. Between a few dummy rounds of talks, the Naxals used the time to regroup and rearm themselves, while the Congress governments at the Centre and state turned a blond
eye. The ceasefire ended.
History seems to be repeating itself in Assam. Until the PM decided to open the channels of communication with Ulfa, through the PCG, security forces were on their way to decimating the secessionist outfit. The peace moves with Ulfa couldnt be more ill-timed, given that the Royal Bhutan Armys offensive against Ulfa camps on Bhutanese soil in 05 had dealt a crushing blow to the outfits northern operations.
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