In what has been seen as vertical split in the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom, a prominent pro-talk Ulfa leader has expressed their concern at the recent upsurge of violence by the anti-talk faction which forced the security forces to intensify counter-insurgency operations in the state.
While calling for restrain to take forward the peace process, the publicity secretary of Ulfa Mithinga Daimary said, “We are worried at the growing acts of violence and also the military offensives and thus call on both the parties to exercise restraint in order to restore a conducive atmosphere for lasting peace.”
Mr Daimary is among prominent Ulfa leaders who are engaged in a peace-process with the state government for resolving the conflict through talks
With Ulfa vice-president Pradeep Gogoi, Mr Daimary who was arrested in Bhutan was also allowed to get enlarge on bail to create an atmosphere for the peace-process. He however appealed to all “responsible leaders of various outfits functioning from different places to show goodwill and shun violence.”
The Ulfa leader, supporting the latest peace process initiated by the government to bring the outfit to the negotiating table, said, “Everyone should show respect to the sentiments of the people who have desired to thrash out a lasting political solution.”
The anti-talks faction of Ulfa has already triggered off two powerful bomb blasts killing six CRPF troopers in one of the blasts.
The home ministry also reviewed the prevailing situation of the state with Assam chief secretary N.K. Das and DGP Shankar Baruah in New Delhi and directed the security forces to intensify counter-insurgency operations.
However, in the security circles the statement of Ulfa’s publicity secretary has also been seen as an attempt to mount pressure on the government to maintain the low scale of counter-insurgency.