Peace talks with the Assamese militant outfit ULFA have always proved to be elusive. Having twice reneged from their promise of coming to the negotiating table, ULFA leaders are once again playing a cat and mouse game. With two of their top leaders in custody there was hope of talks with arrested ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa making conciliatory noises only to go back and talk of sovereignty.
And so the peace process with ULFA is once again poised at a crucial juncture. Arabinda Rajkhowa is finally in India’s net after three decades. But the tricky issue of “sovereignty” is threatening to derail the prospects of any talks. Cracks have emerged in the group with ULFA “Commander-in-Chief” Paresh Baruah sticking to his stand of “sovereignty” and asking Rajkhowa to clear his stand. It is understood that Baruah, the only top ULFA leader still at large, is opposed to talks. Under these circumstances Rajkhowa is taking his time and is likely to consult all the other arrested leaders before coming to the table.
In fact he dramatically announced while being produced in a Guwahati court last Saturday, “Not surrendering will never surrender.” Adding: “With handcuffs on how can one talk about peace talks” But then this could be simply public posturing.
A political statement from him, however, is likely soon which will lay out the roadmap for talks. Rajkhowa, who had in the early 90s backed out of negotiations with the Centre at the last minute, has made it clear that he favoured talks: “We do not want our revolution to end but there should be a peaceful solution to it, preferably constitutionally. I want peace talks to restart and conclude…That is why I have come forward to carry on my agenda,” he told some television channels after his detention. The government on its part has announced in Parliament that it is open to talks provided the group abjures violence and gives up the demand for sovereignty.
ULFA violence has kept Assam on the edge with the group managing to plant explosives successfully even in the heart of Guwahati. It would not be correct to expect militant violence to cease as the Paresh Barua faction is not ready for peace talks yet. The government expects that pressure will now mount on Paresh Baruah – who is currently in Myanmar – to opt for talks.
Officials are hopeful that ULFA could be brought to the table by January or February. Efforts are on to choke the entire financial channel of Baruah and his family members with the help of a friendly Bangladesh government. Paresh Baruah is understood to have investments to the tune of hundreds of crores in various sectors, including real estate and manufacturing, in Bangladesh. It is learnt that financial disputes between ULFA and other surrendered militants, including Rajkhowa, had also created a rift among them, leading to the final split. Paresh Baruah’s “mentors” are also unwilling to allow him to participate in talks. Earlier this year, Mohammed Hafijur Rehman and Din Mohammed, both prime accused in the Chittagong arms haul case, had confessed in court that the 10 truck-loads of weapons and ammunition that were seized in 2004 had in fact been meant for the ULFA. Rehman also revealed that Barua, himself, had supervised the arms-smuggling operation with assistance from Dawood Ibrahim and Tareque Rehman, son of then Prime Minister Khaleda Zia.
Meanwhile, the Central government is in no hurry for holding talks and is treading cautiously. Wary that any wrong move or vested interests may derail the proposed peace talks, the Centre is extremely cautious about their plan of action. Assam has been put on high alert following inputs that the anti-talk faction may carry out terror strikes to derail the ongoing peace efforts. Government officials are simply not willing to jump the gun given the experience of 1992. “We are looking at all aspects. We do not want to take any chances,” a senior government official said.
Given the experience of 1992 when talks with ULFA leaders including general secretary Anup Chetia failed, the government has decided to keep its cards close to its chest. In 1992, attempts to bring the ULFA leadership to the table failed as the leaders, including Chetia, who were released from jail for
talks took the opportunity to go underground and later flee to Bangladesh. Later in 2005, the ULFA set up a 11-member team – People’s Consultative Group headed by Jnanpith-winning author Indira Goswami. It held talks with National Security Adviser MK Narayanan but that did not go anywhere as no ULFA leader was involved in the peace process. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had then announced that he was willing to discuss all issues but within the framework of the Constitution.
It is understood that the government which has been working towards bringing Rajkhowa to the negotiating with the help of Dhaka for the last few months, has prepared a strategy to end the three-decade old insurgency. Officials claim that a favourable government in Dhaka and an international environment contributed to Rajkhowa’s surrender. Rajkhowa, whose real name is Rajib Rajkonwar, was among top six leaders who founded the separatist outfit way back in April 7, 1979. The ULFA chairman, who did not complete his graduation, is the second of three sons of freedom fighter Umakanta Rajkonwar who passed away three years ago. Accused of several cases including that of waging a war against India, Rajkhowa also has an Interpol red corner notice against him, issued on June 4, 1997. Out of India since 1992, Rajkhowa is known to have been traveling to Myanmar, Bhutan, Thailand, Pakistan and other countries on fake identity and fake passports.
In the absence of an extradition treaty with Bangladesh, surrender was the only suitable option for Rajkhowa. Technically, Bangladesh cannot hand over any insurgent to India without an extradition treaty. This development is extremely significant coming ahead of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to India beginning December 18. Sources said following the crackdown against ULFA and other insurgent groups, the Hasina government has made its intent clear of fulfilling New Delhi’s long standing requests.
Feeling the heat from the Hasina regime and bogged by internal dissidence, the rebel group had recently sent out feelers for negotiations. Last week the People’s Committee for Peace Initiative in Assam (PCPIA) – a conglomeration of 28 groups representing various socio-cultural milieu in the state – met Chidambaram, MoS in PMO Prithviraj Chauhan and BJP leader Sushma Swaraj and submitted memoranda on the need for talks and political settlement. Senior ULFA leaders like ideologue Bhimkanta Buragohain (currently in jail) have been saying that it was Rajkhowa who would take the “final decision” on holding talks with the government.
Rajkhowa’s arrest is the second major blow to the ULFA after Dhaka last month facilitated the handing over of two top ULFA leaders, “foreign secretary” Sashadhar Choudhury and “finance secretary” Chitraban Hazarika. Choudhury and Hazarika were asked to surrender, when they were trying to cross over to Indian territory from Bangladesh.
They surrendered and were taken into custody. They were later handed over to the police in Assam. The duo, reportedly, are willing to participate in talks.
It is understood that India’s emissaries were in touch with Rajkhowa over the last few months and that led to Choudhury and Hazarika’s surrender and finally Rajkhowa’s. A dialogue between Central officials and the “pro-talk” ULFA faction was held in the last week of October in Guwahati. Three leaders of the pro-talk faction – Mrinal Hazarika, Prabal Neog and Jiten Dutta – participated in the meet.
With India and Bangladesh finalizing an Agreement on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons, India would now press Bangladesh to hand over ULFA General Secretary Anup Chetia. This agreement will be signed during Hasina’s visit. ULFA general secretary Anup Chetia has been in a Bangladesh jail since 1998 and the treaty will facilitate his handing over to India.
ULFA’s ISI links
ULFA has for long maintained close linkages with Pakistan’s ISI which procured several passports for Paresh Baruah and other ULFA cadres. Several ULFA cadres have also received arms training from the ISI at various training centres in Pakistan, close to the Afghanistan border. The top ULFA leadership was also in close touch with certain officers of the Pakistani High Commission in Bangladesh, who have arranged for their passport in various names and travel to Karachi, from where they have been taken to the terrorist training centres run by the ISI and its affiliates. ULFA had also announced its support for Pakistan during the Kargil war. They described the Pakistani intruders – primarily Pakistani Army regulars and Afghan mercenaries – as ‘freedom fighters’. The ISI has provided ULFA cadres with arms training, safe havens, funds, arms and ammunition. Training has been given at camps in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan. At least 300 ULFA cadres were also trained at Rawalpindi and other locations in Pakistan. The training included courses in the use of rocket launchers, explosives and assault weapons. Paresh Baruah has been regularly visiting Karachi since 1992-93. He is also reported to have met Osama bin Laden in 1996 during a visit to Karachi. The ULFA leader was reportedly taken to a camp on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, where he not only received assurance of military help in the form of arms and ammunition, but also assurances of co-operation and logistical support.