GUWAHATI, October 15: Rumblings in the Asom Gana Parishad over the "secret killings" in the state today forced Chief Minister and party president Prafulla Kumar Mahanta to clarify that his government was not involved in such crimes. Several party leaders had raised the issue at meetings of the AGP executive committee and the legislature party earlier this week. They said the government's failure to stop the "secret killings" was one of the reasons behind the debacle in the Lok Sabha polls. It is believed that a section of surrendered ULFA activists is gunning down relatives and sympathisers of ULFA rebels in connivance with the police. Among the persons killed are ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa's brother, four members of central publicity secretary Mithinga Daimary's family and the parents of hardcore militant (since killed) Babul Ingti. "Secret killings have been taking place from the time we were not in office. No one has claimed responsibility for these," Mahanta told a press conference here today. He cited the killings of social worker Sanjoy Ghose, BJP leader Pannalal Oswal and danseuse Rashmi Bora as examples. "It is unfortunate that some people are trying to give a political colour to these killings and are holding the AGP-led government responsible for these," he said. On the status of the judicial inquiry into the Ananta Kalita case, the Chief Minister said there were certain procedures that had to be adhered to before issuance of a notification. "However, we have decided on a judicial probe," he said. Kalita, an Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad activist, miraculously survived an attempt on his life by "secret killers" recently. He claims to have been abducted by some surrendered ULFA activists on September 16 and taken to a police camp in the city before being shot at and thrown off a cliff along the Assam-Meghalaya border. According to his advocates, Kalita wanted to have his statement recorded by a magistrate, but the police did not take any step in this regard. His statement was recorded today after the chief judicial magistrate issued an order yesterday. "Whatever has appeared in the newspapers is not true. The police are investigating the case," Mahanta said. He blamed the Congress for the spurt in crimes allegedly committed by a section of surrendered ULFA activists, saying that it was during its rule that the ex-ULFA was created. "By giving the surrendered rebels the freedom to move about with illegal weapons, the (Hiteswar) Saikia government opened the door for the ex-ULFA's forceful and illegal entry into various businesses," he said. The Chief Minister said a section of ex-ULFA leaders were "used" by the Congress even during the last Lok Sabha polls. He said the police had been directed to seize all illegal weapons from surrendered ULFA activists. However, he did not cite the number of weapons seized so far, saying, "The process is on." Mahanta also criticised the Congress for ordering Army operations in the state, leaving behind a huge debt burden, "illegally" appointing a large number of teachers and not repairing roads in the state. (Correspondent; The Telegraph, Calcutta; October 16, 1999)

IMPHAL, October 15: Life in Manipur was completely paralysed today following a dawn-to-dusk bandh by insurgents. The strike was called in protest against the merger of Manipur with the Indian Union on October 15, 1949. The day is being observed as "black day" by the Manipur People's Liberation Front (MPLF), a body representing three major insurgent outfits of the state. The MPLF comprises the United National Liberation Front (UNLF), Revolutionary People's Front (RPF), and People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK). The organisation has termed the historical event as "annexation" of Manipur by the Indian union. Shops and business establishments were closed throughout the state. Educational institutions did not open as both students and teachers stayed away. Roads were deserted as the transport system was paralysed. People preferred to remain indoors. government offices recorded thin attendance. In some areas, suspected insurgents forcibly closed down government offices. However, the state police department functioned as usual. Indian Airlines also cancelled its flights to and from Imphal. Police and CRPF personnel patrolled the streets of Imphal to prevent any untoward incident. There were no reports of violence from any part of the state. (Correspondent; The Telegraph, Calcutta; October 16, 1999)

AGARTALA, October 15: Tension ran high in Agartala following recovery of the huge cache of explosives from Tripura Road Transport Corporation (TRTC) complex in the heart of the city recently. The explosives, wrapped in clothes and polythene sheet, were hidden inside the office room of traffic superintendent Sharadindu Debbarma. Recovery of five dynamite sticks, 10 detonators, fuse wires and 125 grams of unidentified explosive powders inside steel tubes from the busy TRTC complex in Krishnanagar area created commotion. Militant outfits, particularly ATTF, have of late procured high explosives like power-device and land mines from ISI. ULFA militants, according to intelligence sources, played a key role behind ISI's explosives consignments to the ATTF. In fact, some ULFA extremists helped ATTF blow up security convoys (one being an abortive attempt) killing TSR and BSF jawans. It is likely these bomb materials were meant for them. (Correspondent; The Assam Tribune, Guwahati; October 16, 1999)

DIBRUGARH, October 16: The officer-in-charge of the Namrup police station, sub-inspector Dandinath Sarmah and four other policemen were seriously injured in an ambush allegedly laid by United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) militants late this afternoon. The incident occurred at Golaibasti, near Namrup where militants hurled grenades at policemen. (Staff Correspondent; The Assam Tribune, Guwahati; October 16, 1999)

IMPHAL, October 16: Senior Kuki leader and deputy chairman of Manipur Planning Board Chungkhokai Doungel today alleged that the abortive attempt on his life last week by armed militants was 'politically motivated'. Doungel, who is also a senior MLA of ruling Manipur State Congress Party (MSCP), claimed that valley-based underground outfit Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL) supported by some Naga militants was behind the attack as he had 'actively' campaigned for MSCP candidate Thounaojam Chaoba Singh in the recently-concluded Lok Sabha polls. Chouba Singh has assumed charge as Union minister of state for Youth Affairs. On October 9 militants had attacked Doungel and his family members, exploded powerful bombs and opened fire from three sides when they were passing through Telipati area here. While Doungel and his family, including his son Christopher Doungel, who is the commandant of First Manipur Rifles, escaped unhurt, his personal security officer and two passersby were injured by the bomb splinters. His car was also partly damaged. (PTI; The Assam Tribune, Guwahati; October 16, 1999)

SILCHAR, October 16: The authorities in North Cachar Hills district have expressed concern over the involvement of a section of state government officials in the extortion drive by militants. Top official sources said the state government has decided to issue a fresh circular warning its employees of dire consequences if they helped militants. The Army last week took into custody under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958, a block development officer (BDO) in the district for "aiding and abetting the extremist organisations." Sources said Harangajao block BDO Manghan Parate Hmar was arrested on October 9 after a National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) militant revealed the link between the block development officer and the militants. The Army also seized the cash receipts of the funds collected by Hmar during a raid conducted on a rebel hideout at Barailkhala near Harangajao on August 3, the sources added. Hmar was handed over to the police. Earlier, the Army arrested a state health directorate official at the district headquarters of Haflong for allegedly collecting "taxes" from the office staff for Dima Halam Daoga (DHD), a militant outfit of Dimasa tribals. The official later confessed to having collected the amount on the orders of a senior official. The militant outfits, including the DHD, the NDFB and the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) and their paid emissaries have stepped up the extortion drive and killed over two dozen persons, who refused to adhere to the extortion demands, in the district over the past five years. This year the militant outfits have fixed a target of Rs 6 crore to be collected by extortion. There has been no let up in the drive despite the arrest of DHD commander-in-chief Bejoy Neidung in August. Apart from the Army, four companies of the Central Reserve Police Force and a truncated battalion of the 6 Assam Armed Police have been deployed in the district to stem the menace. (Correspondent; The Telegraph, Calcutta; October 17, 1999)

IMPHAL, October 16: Naga residents of the New Checkon area of Manipur's capital town finally accepted the body of slain pharmacist Joseph Jajo today, but tension continued to simmer over their demand that Kuki legislator Chongkhokai Doungel and his family move out of the locality. Jajo was abducted and killed by six unidentified assailants, all dressed in olive green fatigues, on Wednesday. The killing was preceded by an abortive attack on Naga leader Ningam Hungyo by Chongkhokai Doungel's security guards. The Nagas suspect the Kuki legislator's son, 1 Manipur Rifles commanding officer Christopher Doungel, of having a hand in Jajo's killing. The IPS officer and his father had a narrow escape when suspected National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) rebels triggered a blast in the Telipati area on October 9. The Manipur government has ordered a magisterial inquiry into Jajo's killing, but the Nagas of the locality are yet to be pacified. Though no untoward incident took place today, the curfew clamped by the authorities in New Checkon continued to be in force. Representatives of the Naga community are scheduled to meet Chief Minister Wahengbam Nipamacha Singh tomorrow for a fresh round of discussions on their demands. Sources said the Chief Minister was in a spot of bother because of the Nagas' insistence that the Doungel family be directed to move out of the area. The Kuki community today jumped into the fray, saying that any attempt to oust the Doungels from the New Checkon area would be resisted. The Kuki Inpi, Manipur, also condemned the repeated attacks by Naga militants on Chongkhokai Doungel and his family. In separate memoranda to Nipamacha Singh and Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, the apex body of the Kukis sought constitution of a special task force to look into the militant attacks on the legislator and his kin. It also demanded that Chongkhokai Doungel be provided 'Z' category security. There have been five attacks on the Kuki legislator's family over the past few years. Though both Doungel and his son escaped unhurt in the October 9 blast, the legislator's security officer and two bystanders were injured. (Correspondent; The Telegraph, Calcutta; October 17, 1999)

GUWAHATI, October 17: After surrender of several senior members and a crack down by the security forces, the National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) has intensified its activities in several districts of Lower Assam. During January last several frontal members of the militant group came overground by laying arms and ammunition. According to official sources, the NDFB of late has activated its district committees for expanding the organisation forcing the security forces to step up patrolling in Lower Assam districts. The sources, however, revealed that the 'eastern command' of the outfit has been 'annihilated' due to frequent operations carried out by the security forces. 'A massive operation was launched along the Assam-Arunachal border few months back and during the onslaught 'Eastern Command' of the organisation was completely destroyed. Moreover several senior member had surrendered after the operation', the sources added. (Staff Reporter; The Assam Tribune, Guwahati; October 18, 1999)

IMPHAL, October 17: The Manipur government has set up a one-man commission headed by state home commissioner Kunjabihari Singh to inquire into recent snatching of arms and ammunition by underground elements from some Manipur Rifles personnel deployed on poll duty in hill districts. The commission would find out the actual causes and circumstances that led to the snatching of arms and ammunition and fix responsibility, Singh said in a notification dated October 13, a copy of which was issued to press Saturday. (PTI; The Assam Tribune, Guwahati; October 18, 1999)

AGARTALA, October 15: Tension prevails in rural and interior Tripura following militant outfits' 'black day' call today. Both the outlawed organisations - National Liberation Front of Twipra (NLFT) and All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF)- called 'Black Day' to protest the merger of princely Tripura with Indian union on October 15, 1947. The call created panic in rural areas as report indicate movement of heavily armed insurgents around non-tribal dominated villages. Sources apprehend large-scale massacres and raids by militants. Reports say hit-squads of NLFT were already campaigning in several vulnerable areas of all the four districts. NLFT's hardcore militant Jogendra Debbarma alias Jashua has been personally supervising the 'Black Day' operations, it is reported. The already volatile situation has become worse following NLFT militants' directive for not performing Durga Puja. The extremists belonging to this Christian organisation destroyed Puja pandals and Durga images at Totabari and Kamalnagar under Kalyanpur police station. The militants threatened that if any Hindu dares to perform Puja in any area then the whole village would be attacked. The organisation had given the same dictat last year also. (Correspondent; The Assam Tribune, Guwahati; October 18, 1999)

GUWAHATI, October 19: Mantru Rudropaul was picked up and thrown behind bars when he was doing his routine work -- cutting grass. The daily-wage labourer residing in Karimganj sector near the Indo-Bangladesh border could little understand the charge which imposed on him a five-year detention -- TADA. Forcibly picked up by some BSF jawans in 1994, the young man recently came out of jail. He should thank the lawyer who manoeuvred to free him, for absence of a bailor had been a major block in the path to the outer world for him and several others who landed up in prison on the same charge. Despite the draconian law being withdrawn in 1996, Assam has nearly 1,000 TADA-related cases yet to be disposed of, leaving hundreds of innocent men languishing in captivity. The height of harassment is evident from the fact that only 14 persons have so far been convicted under TADA in the state since 1991 despite 26,000 arrests having been made on this count. In other words, only four of a total of 1,237 TADA-related cases were wound up with conviction orders. Three years after the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, known by its sobriquet TADA, was revoked, authorities in this border state retain the hangover and harass any `suspicious' person as if the Act is still in force. Notes Lawyer Shantanu Bharali: "All though no fresh case has been registered under TADA since its nullification, the government machinery continues to hold power to imprison anyone it chooses." There are 400-odd TADA cases where the police is yet to give its final report which even include major murder cases that had hit the headlines. "Even this year, the court registered 32 miscellaneous cases. This means people are still being picked up," adds Bharali, who has been campaigning against TADA ever since its enforcement. What makes matters worse for the ones who vegetate behind bars is that their investigating officers earn promotional posts that lend them little time to spare for expedition of the TADA cases. Admits IPS officer Bhaskar Mahanta, the Guwahati Superintendent of Police: "It is virtually impossible for an official of my cadre to take time off to prepare voluminous chargesheets under TADA. And unless the chargesheet is fault-free, the court would find loopholes. That means the cases would be further hanging fire." (UNI; The Indian Express, New Delhi; October 20, 1999)

GUWAHATI, October 20: The Border Security Force (BSF) has intensified patrolling along the Indo-Bangladesh border to contain the activities of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Talking to this reporter here today, the deputy inspector-general of the BSF, Ashok Kumar, said that 11 companies have been deployed along the Dhubri border to prevent entry of ISI members into the state. "The personnel equipped with night vision devices are keeping strict vigil to foil the attempts of the ISI agents," he said, adding that four additional companies are kept in the Dhubri district for the ensuing election. The DIG said that patrolling had also been intensified in the Dhubri town, Golakganj and Bilasipara areas so that militants could not disrupt poll process. "These areas have been identified as sensitive in view of the militancy and antisocial elements, hence we are keeping close watch accordingly," Kumar added. When asked about reported infiltration of the ISI agents across the border, Kumar revealed that river patrolling had been stepped up after getting information about the infiltration. Moreover, several check gates have been set up. (Staff Reporter; The Assam Tribune, Guwahati; October 21, 1999)

TEZPUR, October 20: Adip Phukan, editor, Sadin, addressing the gathering at a citizens' meet here organised under the banner of the Assam Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chhatra Parishad (AJYCP) in protest against the kidnapping of Rajib Koch and Rajesh Mishra on September 28 last by the suspected former United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) activists, alleged that in Assam, altogether five torture camps had been set up by the police from where all the operations were carried out by the antisocials activists. He further alleged that under the instructions of Prafulla Kumar Mahanta the plan was carried out and that both the inspectors-general of police, Ramchandran and Srivastava are executing it. Lachit Bordoloi, general secretary, Manab Adhikar Sangram Samiti (MASS), speaking on the occasion, said both the government and the district administration had failed to protect the life and property of the people of the state. He said in order to protest against the government policy, one common platform should be set up to raise their voice against the government. Bordoloi further alleged that the ruling Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) government was involved in the secret killings and that in kidnapping incidents in the state, the Chief Minister Mahanta is the main actor. Bordoloi thanked the people of Tezpur for showing others as to how to protest against the government corrupt machinery. (Correspondent; The Assam Tribune, Guwahati; October 21, 1999)

IMPHAL, October 21: The Union government has agreed to provide 245 companies of paramilitary forces for the forthcoming repoll in the Outer Manipur parliamentary constituency. Repolling will be held in altogether 173 polling stations in the Outer Manipur seat on October 28 next. Reliable sources said six new battalions of the Border Security Forces (BSF) will be arriving here in Imphal within this month in order to replace the CRPF companies deployed in the state. There are more than 11 battalions of CRPF in the state. These companies were headed by one inspector-general of CRPF, Manipur and Nagaland range. The replacement of CRPF companies by the Border Security Forces has been agreed by the Union government as asked by the state government for holding the repoll to 173 polling stations in Outer Manipur constituency. The people of Manipur also pressured the state government to replace the CRPF battalions following the Tonsen Lamkhai massacre in which ten civilians including four students were killed by the CRPF personnel on October 3 last. Sources said that the paramilitary forces likely to arrive here in Imphal include ten battalions of the Assam Rifles, six battalions of Border Security Force and three other additional battalions of the CRPF. (Correspondent; The Assam Tribune, Guwahati; October 22, 1999)

NEW DELHI, October 21: The Baptist Church today denied allegations levelled by the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) recently, that its mission in Tripura was supporting terrorist groups in the state. 'The allegations are baseless. No Christian organisation can condone violence including killings and abductions,' Baptist Union of North India (BUNI) Pastor and Evangelist Reverend Victor David said. Moreover, there was no question of the church supporting any kind of anti-national activity, he said. The Baptist church here has forwarded to its Tripura counterpart an RSS representation seeking its intervention in getting four senior functionaries of the Sangh Parivar outfit released from the custody of an insurgent group, David said. The RSS had alleged earlier that the National Liberation Front of Twipra (NLFT), which had abducted its activists from North Tripura in August, was backed by the Baptist Mission in the state and that the Church has not denied its support to the militant outfit so far. It had also accused the Marxist government in the state of 'turning a blind eye' to militant activities. (Staff Correspondent; The Assam Tribune, Guwahati; October 22, 1999)

GUWAHATI, October 22: With extremism-related cases of violence showing a declining trend, the overall law and order situation in Assam has marked an improvement during the current year, moreover there was no report of any major case of militancy-related violence during the recent past, claimed state home secretary MK Barua while briefing the newspersons on law and order situation as the chief spokesman of the state government this afternoon. The insurgent groups are also facing stiff resistance from the people in many areas, whereas the massive turnout of voters during the recent Lok Sabha elections in the state has also proved that the mass base of the insurgent groups are also eroding considerably, Barua said. There were 353 cases of insurgency-related violence in the state during the past nine months ending on September 30 last, as against the 545 such cases during the corresponding period last year, he said, adding, altogether 137 civilians were killed in such incidents during the period this year, while the corresponding figure for the corresponding period last year was 250. During the last nine months 200 hardcore militants were killed in encounters with security forces, while 1,200 of the militants were arrested in the state during the period, he said. Commenting on the popular resistance against the militants, he said that one NDFB ultra was nabbed near Rangiya in Kamrup district on October 14 last with the help of the people, while five militants of the Adivasi Cobra Force were lynched on October 20 last, he said. The state is also raising two battalions of India Reserve Battalion and within a month or two the appointment procedures will be finalised for the purpose, he said. (Staff Reporter; The Assam Tribune, Guwahati; October 23, 1999)

IMPHAL, October 22: Kuki Inpi Manipur, the apex body of the Kuki community in the state, has expressed its resentment against the demand for shifting MLA Chungkhokai Doungel's residence by some Naga leaders in a memorandum submitted to the Chief Minister. Expressing deep anguish at the murder of one Naga individual Joshep Jojo by some unidentified anti-social elements, Kuki Inpi said Doungel's family however should not be accused of engineering the killing. Condemning the repeated attempts on the lives of Doungel's family members, the apex body said the party which drafted the memorandum, instead of condemning the attempts, demanded shifting of the residence of the Doungels. The Kuki Inpi has appealed to the responsible parties to leave the Doungel family in peace and stop further attempts so that unnecessary tensions may be done away with. At the same time, Chief Minister Wahengbam Nipamacha has rejected the demand of the United Naga Council, Naga People's Movement for Human Rights and Naga Women's Union Manipur to initiate a judicial inquiry into the killing of Joshep Jojo. The Chief Minister had however promised to institute a magisterial inquiry into the incident. (Correspondent; The Assam Tribune, Guwahati; October 23, 1999)

DHUBRI, October 22: Ashok Kumar, DIG, BSF, Guwahati visited the Indo-Bangladesh border a few days ago reportedly to take stock of an exchange of fire at Bhogdaha area on October 6. According to a BSF source here, the BDR, the border security force of Bangladesh, had started unprovoked firing at one of two patrol boats of the BSF at Takamari whereupon the other boat immediately took position and started returning the fire. The exchange of fire lasted intermittently for 4 hours, the source added. However, there was no casualty, it is learnt. The DIG met the BSF officers at Sotrasal before proceeding to the site of firing. Kumar was accompanied by his wife Niru Baid on that day. She is the president of the BSF Parivar Kalyan Yojana, Guwahati Sector. While the DIG visited the BSF camps and the site of firing, etc., Baid had some informal chat with local civilian women. She also offered a token donation of a sewing machine to Satrasal Panchayat. To further this mission she also expressed her desire to organise a free medical camp at one or two places of the border area. The camps will be manned by the medicos of the Army, she said, adding that besides free medical check-up and treatment, free medicines would also be provided as far as practicable. Her gesture was highly appreciated by the local people. (Correspondent; The Assam Tribune, Guwahati; October 23, 1999)

IMPHAL, October 23: Manipur medical minister V. Hangkhalian had a narrow escape this afternoon when suspected militants opened fire on his convoy in Churachandpur. His driver was killed in the attack. A pastor who was present at the site was also injured. The militants attacked the minister while he was coming from his house. He had gone to Churachandpur to attend a wedding. Hangkhalian, a Paite tribal, belongs to the ruling Manipur State Congress Party (MSCP). Senior police officials suspect the attackers were either Kuki or valley militants. No outfit, however, has claimed responsibility for the attack. The Churachandpur police could not be contacted as communication system between the district headquarters and the capital remained disrupted. (Correspondent; The Telegraph, Calcutta; October 24, 1999)

DHAKA, October 24: Bangladesh has denied reports about presence of top ULFA leader Arabinda Rajkhowa in the country. "This is an absolute rubbish," home secretary Saifur Rehman told PTI today when asked to comment on a report quoting Assam Governor Lt Gen SK Sinha that Rajkhowa was on a self-imposed exile in Bangladesh. "Ask the Governor to give us his (Rajkhowa's) present address in Bangladesh," Rehman said. (PTI; The Assam Tribune, Guwahati; October 25, 1999)

NALBARI, October 24: Indicating that the common man is fed up with the prolonged insurgency in the state, a people's movement is slowly building up in the villages against the activities of various militant groups. The seeds of this movement were sown in Thamna, a small hamlet in the northern part of Nalbari district in lower Assam, close to the Indo-Bhutan border, across which live several militants belonging to both the ULFA and the National Democratic Front of Bodoland in the dense jungles there. It all began at the weekly market at Thamna Bazar, where, following the withdrawal of a CRPF camp in December last year, members of the Bodoland Liberation Tigers (BLT), another Bodo rebel group, swooped down on the shop-keepers and issued extortion notes demanding a "tax" ranging from Rs 50 to Rs 5000, depending on the size of the establishment. While the extortion notes caused widespread panic among the petty shop-keepers, one man stood up against it. Umesh Rabha, a BSF jawan who opened a shop after hisretirement, organised the local shop-keepers and motivated the villagers of the area. A cycle rally was organised in protest on December 31, in which over 5,000 people participated. They rode from Thamna to Mussalpur, another village which was also victim to the extortion notes, where another thousand people joined them. While the media failed to give significant coverage to the event, the message spread by word of mouth to neighbouring areas. Soon, those living in nearby villages like Jalah in Barpeta district also followed their example and organised similar resistance. The villagers of Jalah even went one step further. Knowing that a BLT member was hiding in a particular house, they surrounded it and set it on fire, burning to death the youth, along with his revolver. Rabha, who became a target of the militants, had a narrow escape when they attacked him. According to the police, although it was the BLT which had sent the extortion notes, it was the ULFA which dispatched a member to shoot him down."The people in the villages have taken to another interesting measure. They have removed the bamboo cots from their houses, so that no militant can come and ask for hospitality during night time," said Apurba Jiwan Barua, Superintendent of Police, Nalbari district. Ashis Bhutani, deputy commissioner of the district, said a delegation of the people had also approached the district administration saying "we have done our part, now it is for the authorities to take over". And while an army camp was set up in Thamna, the people themselves offered to work on shifts during the night to keep vigil and guard against the entry of unwanted elements, said Bhutani. The district administration also felicitated Rabha for his courageous leadership. Meanwhile, the developments have led to the formation of an organisation, providing a platform for insurgency-affected people of Nalbari, Barpeta, Bongaigaon and Kokrajhar all sensitive districts of Lower Assam. This group has been organising public meeting in the interior areas, appealing to the people to resist militants. The organisation has also set up groups of drummers, who beat drums to signal the entry of militants into their village. "As soon as the message spreads through the beating of the drum, the people rush to the spot and drive the militants away," said Hareswar Barman, a member of the body. News of the organisation has led to the formation of similar groups all over Lower Assam now, said Amal Sarma, chief convenor of the organisation. In Guwahati, State Home Secretary M.K. Baruah said it was a good sign that the people themselves were trying to fight militancy, which had not been possible even with the deployment of the Army and the police. "On October 14, villagers gheraoed a house and kept three militants confined till the police arrived and arrested them," he said. Last week, the locals hacked to death six militants in a village near Taramhat in Kokrajhar district, Baruah said. (Samudra Gupta Kashyap; The Indian Express, New Delhi; October 25, 1999)

KOKRAJHAR, October 24: The Union government will release an amount of Rs 10.5 crore within this month for relief and rehabilitation of the ethnic riot victims who are still living in relief camps in Kokrajhar district. This was disclosed by the Joint secretary (Northeast) of the Union home ministry, GK Pillai. Talking to newspersons here, Pillai, who came here yesterday to take stock of the relief camps, said that the Union government was interested in rehabilitating all the inmates of the relief camps. He said that about six months would be required to complete the action plan for the rehabilitation of the displaced people. He said that the people who used to live in the recognised revenue and forest villages would be rehabilitated in the first phase. It may be mentioned here that more than two lakh ethnic riot-hit people belonging to both the Adivashi and Bodo communities, that is about one-fifth of the total population of the district, are still living in the relief camps. The relief camps are causing serious problems for the district administration as the administration is finding it almost impossible to provide relief materials regularly to the camp inmates due to paucity of funds. Moreover, rehabilitation of the people displaced in the riots has also become a serious problem as most of the inmates of the relief camps used to live in the reserve forest land before the riots and at this moment the state government here not been able to find adequate government land to rehabilitate them. Official sources said that it would not be possible for the administrations to rehabilitate the inmates in the forest land due to a Supreme Court judgement, while, on the other hand, the Centre would never allow the state government to dereserve any forest land. On the steps taken by the Central and state governments for the implementation of the recommendations of the seminar on economic development of the Bodoland Autonomous Council area, held in Kokrajhar in March, Pillai said that both the Central and the state governments are committed to implement all the recommendations. He said as per the recommendation of the seminar, the Kokrajhar post office had already been upgraded. He said that opening of All India Radio centre and an office of the HUDCO were outcomes of the seminar. He said that steps are being taken for the opening of a full-fledged university in Kokrajhar and to install ten thousand shallow tube wells in the BAC area. The Joint secretary of the Union home ministry also said that the Centre would welcome any militant outfit for talks for an amicable solution of their problems. On the Bodo problem, he said that the Centre would soon convene a meeting to discuss the mater. Pillai, who was accompanied by the Financial Adviser, home Affairs of the government of India Pranab Roy and the state Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner S Mitra, had discussions with cross-section of people, representatives of political parties, students' organisations and non-government organisation during his stay in Kokrajhar. He also visited Lauripara, Amguri and Joypur relief camps and spoke to the inmates. (Correspondent; The Assam Tribune, Guwahati; October 25, 1999)

IMPHAL, October 24: Federal Party Manipur (FPM) candidate in Outer Manipur Lok Sabha seat, Gaidon Kamei, has alleged that an attempt was made on his life by some unidentified youths. In a statement yesterday, Kamei said four youths armed with lethal weapons attacked his house here on October 22 but fled when his house guards resisted them. Kamei said he suspected a "political conspiracy to eliminate him" before the October 28 repoll at 176 polling stations of the constituency. Party general secretary N Joykumar Singh, in a statement yesterday, condemned the attack on Kamei, and said FPM has urged the government to take necessary steps to prevent recurrence of such attacks on him. (PTI; The Assam Tribune, Guwahati; October 25, 1999)

SHILLONG, October 25: Meghalaya home minister TH Rangad today declared that his top priority will be to ensure safety and security of all citizens and maintenance of law and order in the state at any cost. Addressing his first press conference since taking over as the home minister on October 13 last, Rangad said his endeavour would be to improve police efficiency by boosting their morale and modernising the force. "We will not tolerate drunkenness, slackness and corruption among the men in uniform", he said adding "members of the public trying to bribe the police would also be taken to task." Rangad, along with AL Hek, both from BJP, are members of the four-party new coalition ministry headed by Chief Minister, BB Lyngdoh, which was sworn-in on October 13 after the United Democratic Party ditched the Congress from the 13 month-long alliance. Borrowing Chandrababu Naidu's concept of 'smart' government, the BJP leader said the coalition government will strive to implement the concept in Meghalaya. He explained the letters in smart stood for "simple, moralistic, accountable, responsive and transparent". Yet another priority of the government will be to weed out corruption, Rangad said and added that cell to check economic offences in the state will be set up shortly. About the extremism problem in the state, Rangad announced only militants with ideology are welcome for talks. "But we will be tough on the surrendered ultras who are indulging in crimes, other militant groups sponsored by politicians and ordinary criminals masquerading as militants," he warned. He appealed to militant outfits in the state to give up arms and said that the state is implementing a centrally sponsored rehabilitation package for the militants who come overground. (Special Correspondent; The Assam Tribune, Guwahati; October 26, 1999)

TEZPUR, October 26: The Agnigarh Region Council unit of United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) in a press release here signed by Bikram Lahkar, organising secretary of the outfit, has strongly refuted the statement of Kaju Borah alias Babli Borah, who was arrested on October 22 last at Guwahati, stating that the members of the outfits had a meeting with the Assam Jatjyabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad (AJYCP), MASS, KASS and other conscious citizens to continue the movement of Tezpur against the former United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) activists. The release stated that it is nothing but a conspiracy of the government along with Kaju Borah to demoralise the people of Tezpur who has raised their voice against the former United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) menace so that the movement stops. The release further expressed its sympathy towards the family members of Rajiv Koch and Rajesh Mishra who were allegedly kidnapped at gun point by former United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) activists on September 28 last. (Correspondent; The Assam Tribune, Guwahati; October 27, 1999)

AGARTALA, October 26: Twelve of the 16 state government employees, who were abducted from the Manughat block office in Tripura's Dhalai district on September 6, returned today after payment of huge ransoms by their families. They reached Shibbari at 3.30 am and informed the Kamalpur police. Police sources said the 12 panchayat employees were shifted from one camp to another in the Longtarai and Atharamura hill ranges by their captors over the past two months. They said two of their colleagues died of malaria in militant custody. A large group of NLFT militants abducted the 16 employees on September 6 while they were attending a meeting at the Manughat block office. After two days, the rebels released one of the panchayat secretaries, Ratan Debnath, with a note demanding a huge ransom. The militants also directed the government not to take any action against BDO Sunil Debbarma. Section 144: Prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC have been imposed in the sub-divisional town of Dharmanagar in North Tripura district following an attack on the sub-divisional police office and some tribal houses during yesterday's bandh, reports PTI quoting police sources. Superintendent of police, North district, Nepal Das, said the police had resorted to a lathi charge and fired three rounds in the air to disperse the mob, which was pelting stones at the SDPO's office. However, there was no casualty. A group of people also ransacked some tribal houses in the town, Das said and added that altogether six persons had been arrested in this connection. Police patrolling has been intensified and district magistrate Kumar Alok is camping at Dharmanagar. The town observed a 12-hour bandh yesterday in protest against the killing of one person and the abduction of six others at Shanti Cherra on Sunday. (Correspondent; The Telegraph, Calcutta; October 27, 1999)

NEW DELHI, October 26: A crackdown on ULFA and Bodo militants appears imminent, with the government of India and Bhutan finalising plans to launch a joint operation inside Bhutan shortly. The operations cleared at the highest level is currently awaiting approval of the cabinet Committee on Security and is expected to come within weeks, if not months, highly placed sources told The Assam Tribune. The operations to be supervised by the Tezpur-based 4 Corp will involve at least two divisions of Indian Army, besides the Air Force and at least three battalions of crack Bhutanese Army commandos trained by the Indian Army. The tentative period for launching the operation has been set for October-March but the Army has said that they will be ready to move in within two weeks time if the clearance comes, sources added. The main target of the operations, which is planned to be a sustained one instead of a seek-and-destroy mission, will be ULFA's 17 camps that houses around 1500 to 2000 trained militants. The urgency of the operation, sources said, was to halt the ultras as they have started making preparations to shift from Bhutan to distant Myanmar. The last hitch that was the clearance from the government of Bhutan came recently when two rounds of talks between the government there and ULFA broke down with the militants seeking one-and-a-half years time to leave the country. The plan prepared by the Army has been cleared at the highest level by the government including the ministry of home Affairs, ministry of Defence and External Affairs, sources said. The cabinet Committee on Security which is headed by Prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee includes the Defence Minister, the External Affairs minister and the Union Finance Minister is likely to meet towards the end of the month, sources added. The plan to mount a joint operation, in fact, made a year ago and the Army was all set to launch it in mid-February but the King of Bhutan Jigme Singhe Wangchuk sought some time to try to resolve the issue peacefully and it was deferred, sources said. Since then the government of Bhutan held two rounds of talks on November 20, last year and May 7, this year. Reports with government indicates that even the King had a dialogue with the Commander-in-chief of ULFA, Paresh Baruah which apparently was inconclusive. Sources said that a Division of Indian Army and Bhutanese Army battalions are already in place. At least three battalions of Bhutanese Army commandos were given a year-long training and government of India has supplied them weapons like automatic rifles, mortars, rocket launchers worth several crore of Rupees. The Bhutanese Army also started patrolling in Bhangtar from a new base set in Daifam. The positions are essentially to choke off supplies to the rebel camps. According to intelligence report the ULFA has most of its camps located between Kalikhola and Daifam in the deep forest. While Bhutanese Army is likely to be used for cordon operations, the Indian Army will spearhead the main assault with air cover being provided by the Air Force. Sources said that the proposed operation was in keeping with the 'zero Tolerance' policy adopted by the Vajpayee government to tackle terrorism in the country. The policy, in fact, was announced by the President, KR Narayanan, during his address to both Houses of Parliament, while spelling out Union government's plans and policies. The joint operation when launched will be second of its kind in the Northeast. The first one being 'Operation Golden Bird' launched jointly by Myanmar and Indian Army across the international border in Mizoram to intercept a huge consignment of arms and ammunition being escorted by ULFA and NSCN(IM) cadres. The heavily armed ULFA militants had become a threat to the peace and security in Bhutan, causing widespread apprehension in the country. The situation had come to such a pass that the National Assembly of Bhutan discussed the problem consecutively twice in 78th and 79th Session. The discussion on the problem of ULFA-Bodo militants during the last session in September lasted for two days and the National Assembly at the end of it adopted three resolutions. The assembly decided that it was important to resolve the problem peacefully and to remove the militants from Bhutanese territory and it was for the government of Bhutan to continue with the process of negotiation with the ULFA leaders. The second resolution said that as part of the peaceful approach, an effective measure would be to cut off all supplies to the camps of the militants, and to prevent such supplies from reaching them through Bhutanese villages and towns. To this end, the security forces shall guard all bridges, roads, mule tracks and footpaths, at strategic points and to strictly enforce the blockade. The National Assembly also decided to try any supporters of the ULFA and Bodo militants, if they are caught helping the militants under the National Security Act of the country. (Kalyan Barooah; The Assam Tribune, Guwahati; October 27, 1999)

NEW DELHI, October 26: The ministry of home Affairs today sternly warned the NSCN(IM) faction against terrorising the voters of the Outer Manipur parliamentary constituency, charging that threat to kill voters was undemocratic and a violation of all decent norms of human conduct. The threat by the Naga outfit to voters in Manipur which follows a similar threat to people of Nagaland issued by the outfit on the election eve, has come as a major embarrassment for the Union government which has a ceasefire agreement with the outfit. The ground rules of the agreement among other things also lay down that the outfit will not hold out threats like killings, kidnapping. The MHA condemning the threat held out by the NSCN(IM) faction, today said that such a threat was undemocratic and only reflected the authoritarian and dictatorial style of functioning of the NSCN(IM). The ministry strongly warned the NSCN(IM) that 'ceasefire' should not be used to commit illegal and criminal acts against the peace-loving people of Nagaland. The elections are part of the constitutional process and have nothing to do with the peace process and the political talks between the NSCN and the government. The NSCN(IM) would be held responsible for their illegal and criminal actions, MHA warned. The Naga Ho Ho have clearly stated that it is up to the people to decide whether they should vote or not. The NSCN(IM) would be well advised to leave the matter to the people to make their own choice rather than a force a decision at the barrel of a gun. The MHA also criticised the NSCN(IM) for its involvement in rape of three women in Nagaland. The MHA also drew attention of the outfit to few other incidents involving the outfit. (Staff Correspondent; The Assam Tribune, Guwahati; October 27, 1999)

IMPHAL, October 26: In a significant development, Indian and Myanmar army have decided to launch a joint drive to flush out the militants within a short period, sources here said. The military officials of Myanmar also asked the Indian authority to find out and handover the pro-democracy Myanmarese activists who are presently taking asylum in Manipur. At the same time Indian authorities also asked the Myanmarese authority to trace out the hideouts of the underground activists inside Myanmar. It may be mentioned here that more than 150 pro-democracy activists including National Democratic League (NLD) MP of Myanmar were taking shelter inside the Indian territory. Indian government has been treating them as refugee and they are kept in the refugee centres in Chandel district. The state government as well as the Union government also provided necessary funds for them since two decades back. Over and above, the Union Defence Minister George Fernandes is actively involved in the rehabilitation programmes of the pro-democracy activists of Myanmar. He has also been rendering necessary help for the pro-democracy activists, whenever he visited Manipur, Fernandes pays visit to Myanmarese campus in Moreh. Sources from the border town, Moreh said, in contrary to the ongoing situation that Myanmar was made to take actions against the pro-democracy activists very clearly in the Indo-Myanmar biennial meeting held recently at Tamu (Myanmar) and Moreh (India) on October 20 and 21 last. It is also learnt that 17-member Indian delegation led by Colonel Kadian Commandant of 3 Assam Rifles also talked with the Myanmarese team led by Brigadier General Soe Nyint, deputy Commandant NW. India also put it across that it was not at all happy that some Northeast insurgents have set up bases within the territory of Myanmar. The Indian delegation also asked their Myanmar counterparts to check the inflow of drugs into the Indian soil. Sources said that the two countries reportedly expressed satisfaction with the progress of the construction of the road connecting Tamu and Kalimyu inside Myanmar. (Correspondent; The Assam Tribune, Guwahati; October 27, 1999)

AGARTALA, October 26: Outlawed NLFT today released 12 government officials, whom they had abducted from Tripura's Manu block office more than a month and half ago, allegedly after extracting heavy ransom, police said. Two of the total 17 officials abducted from the block office on September 6 had been killed in captivity by the abductors, the police said quoting the released men. The ultras released the men at Isanroajapara in Dhalai district in the early hours allegedly after being paid Rs 10 lakh ransom, the police said, adding, four of the officials were taken to Manu Hospital for treatment. One official was released by the ultras along with a ransom note demanding Rs 1 crore, while police rescued two officials after an encounter with the outfit at Kamarmaracherra in North district on October 7 last, the police added. (PTI; The Assam Tribune, Guwahati; October 27, 1999)

GUWAHATI, October 27: The Army is procuring an array of state-of-the-art devices to hit "hard" at the insurgents and check their movement through the Indo-Bhutan border along Assam. "Mine-protected vehicles have already moved into the Lower Assam areas along the border with Bhutan and many more such force multipliers are in the pipeline. They will be deployed to beef up counter-insurgency operations in the coming days," GOC, Four Corps, Lt Gen DB Shekatkar told The Telegraph here. He said the equipment in the pipeline to be "effectively used along the Indo-Bhutan border in Assam were night vision devices and sensors" to detect transborder human traffic after sundown. Gen Shekatkar heads the operations group of the unified command structure. Transborder traffic of insurgents "takes place under cover of darkness", he said. Therefore, the sensors and the night vision devices would be used "for effective sealing of the border between Assam and Bhutan at night." The sensors, according to the GOC, will be placed along the path known to be used by the militants to travel from their camps in Bhutan to Lower Assam. The ground sensor, which is a small equipment, will immediately send signals to the Army patrols about human traffic. "From the location of the sensor which sends the signal, we will know the path being used. Subsequently, efforts will be made to cordon off the path and nab the militant or a group of rebels who are trying to cross over," he said. The general said the Army would verify the credentials of the suspects who are detained while crossing over at night. "If a person is found to be innocent, he would be let off immediately," he added. The general said already 34 mine-protected vehicles have been pressed into service, mostly in Lower Assam and some in Upper Assam. "This will give better capability to the troops deployed along the areas bordering Bhutan in Lower Assam," the general claimed. He said the militants often laid mines along the border which made the movement of security forces in these mine-prone areas hazardous. The militants have also often been planting improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in the mines. Gen Shekatkar claimed that mine-protected vehicles, which have been imported second hand from South Africa, can withstand a blast triggered off with explosives up to 30 kg. "Going by the nature and size of the anti-tank mines which the insurgents have been using in the Northeast, none of them should have any impact on the mine-protected vehicle which we have acquired," he hoped. Mine-protected vehicles arrived in India in April this year. Their first destination in the country was Jammu and Kashmir. The vehicle "can carry more than a section" - 14 soldiers to be precise. The occupants can use their weapons from the side through the port holes provided in the vehicle. "Since there is provision to fire from the inside, the soldiers can use their weapons if they sight a person trying to detonate a mine with a remote control device," the general explained. He described night vision devices, ground sensors and mine- protected vehicle being put to use as "force multipliers" and a "quantum leap" for the troops engaged in counter-insurgency operations in Assam. "After all, hitting hard means better equipment," he added. (Monimoy Dasgupta; The Telegraph, Calcutta; October 28, 1999)

SHILLONG, October 27: Meghalaya government is "always" open to talks with militant groups but those who had surrendered and were still wielding the gun would be dealt with firmly in accordance with the law, state home minister Thrang Ho Rangad has said, reports PTI. Strict steps would also be taken against antisocials and extortionists who are posing to be militants, Rangad told his first press conference here Monday after assuming office in the new BB Lyngdoh cabinet on October 15. "Peace is most important for the development of the state and its economy," he said. Safety and security of all citizens, including maintenance of law and order would be given priority, he said, adding, special attention would be paid to improve the police department and no slackness by it would be tolerated. "I am thinking of the ways and means to also arrest people, who give money to the police, sometimes without being asked," he said and appealed for cooperation from the general people. (PTI; The Assam Tribune, Guwahati; October 28, 1999)

GUWAHATI, October 28: The Bhutan government has prepared a contingency fund of Nu 937 million (Rs 937 million) to deal with any emergency that may arise from "repercussions" to any military action against the ULFA and Bodo rebels who are taking shelter in that country. While this may be an indication that the Bhutan government may go in for a military strike if the rebels refuse to relocate their camps peacefully, it also demonstrates that economic factors are holding back the Royal Bhutan government from going all out against the insurgents. The Bhutan government has said the continued presence of the rebels on their soil was hampering development and industrial growth. Their presence may also pose a threat to the security and integrity of the country in the long run besides affecting the friendly relations with India. The Kurichu power project and the Dungsam cement plant are unlikely to be completed on schedule because of the security threat. The Bhutan government fears that any military action may cripple the economy as it would affect the trade and communication links that pass through Assam and may also prompt the rebels to launch disruptive activities. Except for the Phuentsholing-Thimphu highway, all other roads linking Bhutan with India would be "blocked or seriously affected," minister of trade and industry Khandu Wangchuk told the National Assembly recently. Explaining his government's fears, Bhutan home minister Thinley Gyamtsho said if any rebel is killed their territory, the Bhutanese security forces will be blamed for killing an Indian citizen and "all Bhutanese will face repercussions in Assam." If there was a problem in the eastern dzongkhags (districts) if Bhutanese people and vehicles were not able to move through Assam, basic necessities and essential goods will have to be transported through Phuentsholing and Thimphu, Bhutanese King Jigme Singye Wangchuck told the National Assembly. "This would naturally lead to an increase in the cost of goods," he said. In such an emergency, basic food items sold by the Food Corporation of Bhutan at subsidised prices may have to be distributed free to the people, he said. Similarly, products like kerosene may also have to be distributed free, the King said, adding that the government has decided to procure vehicles for transporting petrol, diesel and other essential fuels. "If facilities like power transmission lines, microwave repeater stations, development centres and bridges are destroyed, they will have to be rebuilt immediately. Therefore the government has prepared estimates and detailed plans to deal with an emergency," he said. Closure of the road links will directly affect 12 eastern dzongkhags, the minister of trade and industry said. He said exports from these 12 dzongkhags through commercial outlets along the Kalikhola-Daifam stretch were worth nearly Nu 304 million annually. Import of food items, oil, medicines and other items amounted to Nu 360 million last year, he said. Moreover, the development projects under the eighth Plan will be "severely disrupted" and the people of 12 dzongkhags will be "directly affected," the home minister added. "Therefore ... it is of utmost importance that solutions to the ULFA-Bodo problem are found through negotiations and peaceful means, and that these militants leave Bhutanese territory at an early date," he said. (Rajib Borah; The Telegraph, Calcutta; October 29, 1999)

GUWAHATI, October 29: The state police have decided to throw an "unseen security ring" around the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) workers in the Bodo-dominated areas of Assam in view of the Pope's visit next month. The decision has been taken "to prevent any backlash" from the National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) in which the Christians are a majority, sources said here this evening. Assam director-general of police, PV Sumant refused to admit that the VHP workers were being given security cover "till the flurry of activities over Pope John Paul II's visit are over." The police chief told The Telegraph, that "the superintendents of police in all the districts have been instructed to remain alert so that there is no outbreak of violence in the state in connection with the Pope's visit. We don't want to leave anything to chance." Sources said the state government was not acting on the basis of any specific intelligence report. It just did not want to take a chance in view of the prevailing turmoil. The Christians, who have joined the NDFB, are mostly Baptists and not Roman Catholics. Moreover, the NDFB is not known to directly peddle a Christian agenda. So the VHP's demand for an "apology" from the Pope for the "cruel deeds of the Catholics in Goa and Vasai in Maharashtra where thousands of Hindus were massacred 400 years ago" is likely to be a non-issue for the NDFB. The VHP's Uttarpurva Pranth, however, does not rule out the possibility of an "NDFB retaliation." Organising secretary of the VHP's Uttarpurva Pranth, Madhav Ghangurde, said, "After all, militants are militants. They are capable of turning something which is a non-issue into an issue if they think they can use it to justify a killing." He said the National Liberation Front of Twipra, another Christian-dominated militant outfit, was still holding four RSS members in captivity "without any rhyme or reason." The outfit is alleged to have links with the Baptist Church. Ghangurde said it would "not be justified" to demand security for the VHP workers based on the "assumption" that "the militants are unpredictable." He said, "We have asked for security from the state government not because we are facing a threat to our lives from the NDFB, but because we have demanded an apology from the Pope. Besides, once you ask for security and it is granted, the security has to remain with you forever. It has to be a permanent feature. Can the state government guarantee that?" he asked. Ghangurde said while the VHP at the national level was demanding an "apology" from the Pope for the "Goa atrocities," the Uttarpurva Pranth was contemplating a separate demand that the pontiff "apologise" for the NLFT's "atrocities" in Tripura. "In January this year, the NLFT had issued a diktat that Jesus Christ should be worshipped in schools on the day of Saraswati Puja. This month, the NLFT rebels vandalised an idol of Goddess Durga in Ramchandraghat in Khowai subdivision. "We want to ask the Pope if Christianity can be propagated by threat and coercion," he said. He alleged that during the last one-and-a-half decade, Christian missionaries have been "active in converting the tribals" in Tripura. "Even in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, armed cadres of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN) have carried out conversions at gunpoint." The NSCN is waging an armed struggle demanding "Nagaland for Christ." Ghangurde said in the Bodo-dominated areas where the NDFB and the Boro Liberation Tigers call the shots, the VHP has taken up specific programmes to "preserve indigenous culture and faith so that they are not lured towards something that is alien." The VHP runs a students' hostel and medical centre in Kokrajhar and Udalguri respectively, which are hotbeds of Bodo insurgency. The VHP leader said of the 30,000 workers in Assam, nearly 8,000 were "serving the people" in the Bodo-dominated areas. (Monimoy Dasgupta; The Telegraph, Calcutta; October 30, 1999)

GUWAHATI, October 30: The Governor Lt Gen (retd) SK Sinha has offered "safe passage" to the commander-in-chief of the banned United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), Paresh Barua to meet his family. Addressing a Press conference at Raj Bhawan here this evening, the Governor's Secretary, Swaraswati Prasad informed that the offer of the safe passage was not confined only to the ULFA C-in-C but to all cadres of the outfit. The Governor had earlier made similar offer to the ULFA chairman, Arabinda Rajkhowa while he visited the family of the militant leader at his ancestral village in Nazira in Sibsagar district. Though the Governor had made the offer on October 22 last, the ULFA chairman was yet to respond to it, Prasad informed today. The State Governor during his recent visit to Chabua in Dibrugarh district met the mother and other family members of Paresh Barua. The family members of the ULFA C-in-C offered to organise a peace march from Chabua to Guwahati to protest growing incidents of violence in the State. The Governor while congratulating the family members of the ULFA leaders for coming out on their own to cast their votes in the last Lok Sabha election, extended full co-operation from his part for any efforts towards peace. The mother of the ULFA leader expressed her desire before the Governor to meet the her son, in response to which he guaranteed safe passage and security to Paresh Barua for a week. The Governor's Secretary today informed of requests coming from large number of parents of other ULFA militants for providing safe passage to their sons to visit their families. In view of the development, the Governor has offered safe passage for one week to all ULFA militants willing to visit their families. Prasad today informed that no specific deadline had been fixed for availing of 'safe passage' offer by the militants. However, militants willing to meet their families will be required to give prior information through various government agencies about plan to visit their families. The Governor has made this move with full support from the Chief Minister and other members of the State Cabinet. It may be mentioned that there have been reports in local Press quoting the latest edition of ULFA mouth piece Swadhinata where the outfit has rejected the safe passage offer to its chairman and termed it a 'trick' on the organisation by the state government. Regarding Bangladesh Home Secretary's reported comments rejecting the State Governor's claim that Arabinda Rajkhowa was presently taking shelter in that country, the Governor's Secretary today maintained that it was a widely known fact and the Governor still stood by his claim. He said the Governor would not like to enter into a debate with the Bangladesh Home Secretary in this matter. (Staff Reporter; The Assam Tribune, Guwahati; October 31, 1999)

GUWAHATI, October 30: In an extension of his offer to ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa, Assam Governor Lt Gen (retd) SK Sinha today guaranteed "safe passage" for commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah and any other rebel who wishes to visit his family. Gen Sinha had announced in Upper Assam last week that the government was willing to allow Rajkhowa "safe passage" for a week so that he could visit his ailing father. "As a dutiful son, Rajkhowa should respond to the offer," he said after calling on the rebel leader's father. However, the militant outfit rejected the offer in a statement issued to a section of the Press. "We had not expected a spectacular response. The offer was made as an expression of goodwill," secretary to the Governor, Saraswati Prasad, told newspersons here this evening. Prasad said Paresh Baruah's mother, brother and a cousin met Gen Sinha recently and expressed their desire to organise a peace march from Chabua to Guwahati. He said Baruah's mother also told the Governor that she wanted to meet the rebel leader. Prasad said any militant who wished to visit his family could avail of the Governor's fresh offer of "safe passage". However, he did not state whether the rebels would be allowed to carry arms. "If needed, security will be arranged for the rebels," Prasad said, adding that Gen Sinha extended the ambit of his offer only after taking the state government into confidence. He said there was no deadline for acceptance of the "safe passage" offer and it would remain "open" till the Governor decided to revoke it. Asked where the ULFA leaders were at present, Prasad declined to name any country. "It is common knowledge. Everybody knows where they have gone," he said. The Governor had said that Rajkhowa was in Bangladesh, prompting the Hasina Wajed government to issue a denial. Declining to state what the Governor's reaction to the Bangladesh government's stand was, Prasad said, "The language used by the Bangladesh home secretary (while denying Rajkhowa's presence in that country) was unfortunate. The Governor is not willing to enter into an argument in this regard." (Correspondent; The Telegraph, Calcutta; October 31, 1999)

GUWAHATI, October 31: "We are all for peace. And this the reason why we have come here to attend the Asom Satra Mahasabha's peace rally," said the elder brother of ULFA general secretary Anup Chetia (Golap Barua), Suren Barua here today. Barua, a retired ONGC employee, who has arrived at the city from Tinsukia, is also a cousin of ULFA C-in-C Paresh Barua. Altogether four members of the Barua's family at Jerai under Chabua PS, have come to the city along with other 41 persons from their village. Four of the Jerai persons, who are the disciples of Mayamora Dinjoy Satra, are women. One of the Baruas, who have come to the city to join the peace rally was Paresh Barua's younger brother Mission Barua. Two others are his cousins like Suren Barua. Talking to newsmen at the Judges' Field venue of the peace rally, Suren Barua, however, said that the government should create the congenial atmosphere required for bringing back the ULFA boys to the mainstream of the society. For that, a policy based on the attitude of give and take is to be adopted by the government, Barua said. Commenting on the Governor's offer of a free passage to the ULFA leaders to meet their family members, Barua said that the declaration failed to convince him of the Governor's sincerity as unless the trap of security arrangements is not withdrawn no ULFA leader is likely respond to it positively. He also said that a peace rally would also be organised at their native village Jerai under the banner of the Asom Satra Mahasabha soon. The people of Jerai will also make an appeal to the President of India through the Satra Mahasabha pleading for a conducive atmosphere to bring back the ULFA boys to the mainfold. (Correspondent; The Assam Tribune, Guwahati; November 1, 1999)