Division in outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (Ulfa) was visible on Wednesday when publicity incharge of elusive Ulfa chief Paresh Baruah threatened fresh strikes to achieve “sovereignty for Assam at any cost”.
The statement of Ulfa has come at a time when pro-talk faction of the outfit, led by its chairman Arbinda Rajkhowa, is gathering at an undisclosed location of lower Assam’s Nalbari district to hold the meeting of central executive council to take a formal decision on holding peace talks with the government.
The pro-talk faction of Ulfa leaders and its chairman had been claiming, “There is no division or ideological differences within the Ulfa. We will formally try to get in touch with Baruah and try to persuade him to participate in the peace process.”
Though, possibility of elusive Ulfa chief joining the peace talks was completely negated as in a statement emailed to the local media, Ulfa “second lieutenant” and publicity incharge Arunodoy Duhotia also claimed that the outfit had roped in “a new batch of cadre” and gathered ammunition “to strike with greater vengeance and prove reports wrong that the Ulfa is a spent force”. To corroborate his claim, he even attached a photograph of the new recruits at an Ulfa training camp at an undisclosed location.
The emailed statement of the Ulfa also coincided with an informal discussion of Ulfa leaders to chalk out strategy for the central executive council.
According to sources, Ulfa chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa, vice-chairman Pradip Gogoi, former deputy commander-in-chief Raju Baruah, foreign secretary Sasadhar Choudhury, finance secretary Chitrabon Hazarika, his wife and cultural secretary Pranati Deka and publicity secretary Mithinga Daimary were present at the meeting.
The statement of Ulfa further said, “The Ulfa’s armed movement for three decades is not yet over. Though many have tried to claim that the movement is a matter of the past because of the peace process, we will not compromise over the sovereignty of Assam.”
Expressing their reservation towards the peace initiative of Ulfa leaders released from the jail recently, the outfit said, “We will not let them (Centre) fool us like they have done it with many other outfits of the region.”