Gogoi as catalyst
Ulfa demands warrant rethink
http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=3&theme=&usrsess=1&id=117463
Having led the Congress to victory in the 2001 and 2006 assembly elections, Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi can be relied upon to act as a catalyst to bring about direct talks between the Centre and Ulfa leaders. Since modalities for talks are being worked out by the Ulfa-appointed People's Consultative Group which has twice held discussions with the PMO over the past eight months, its mission must be encouraged. Ulfa's main demands comprise talks on sovereignty, suspension of Army operations and release of its top leaders. While the first is incompatible with the Constitution and the second possible through a ceasefire, the last needs to be examined in the background of what happened after Operation Bajrang in 1990. Soon after taking over in June 1991, the late Hiteswar Saikia released hundreds of suspected Ulfa cadres, frustrating the Army's gains achieved during Operation Bajrang. Similarly, many captured during Operation Rhino in 1991 were freed and became a law unto themselves. During the Prafulla Mahanta government a top leader, soon after his release, headed straight for Bhutan. Gogoi is said to favour releasing them ~ some are missing after Bhutan's crackdown in December 2003 ~ but the Governor, Lt-General (retd) Ajai Singh is against any leniency. He should know better since he commanded Operation Rhino. But in the changed circumstances and for the sake of facilitating talks, if this becomes inevitable, the demand deserves reconsideration strictly on terms that there will be no repeat of the 1993 volte face.
The arrest in Siliguri last week of Ulfa's prestigious 28th Battalion commander Mrinal Hazarika on his return from Nepal and three of his accomplices merits serious attention since it is possible the outfit has not quite given up recruiting fresh cadres and finding new bases and allies. Hazarika only stated the obvious when he confessed that the Ulfa was trying to establish contact with Nepal's Maoists. Any further drift is bound to compound the problem and it is here that Gogoi's dynamism will be tested.
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