Author: Nava Thakuria
Publication: News Blaze
Date: August 31, 2008
URL: http://newsblaze.com/story/20080831192018zzzz.nb/topstory.html
The United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA),
formed in 1979 to fight for a 'Sovereign Socialist Asom', today faces a peculiar
and embracing situation. The civil societies, advocacy groups with political
parties and student organizations of Assam have come to the streets raising
their voices against the hundred thousand illegal Bangladeshis living in the
State. The local media too remained full of news, analysis and editorial columns
on the issue since a high court verdict observed that illegal migrants from
Bangladesh would soon emerge as the king makers in Assam.
But the banned armed outfit, who pledged to
be the saviour of Assamese people, maintained unbelievable silence on the
issue. The media savvy group had not issued a single statement regarding the
deportation of illegal Bangladeshis from Assam. Their stand is however understood
as usual that the ULFA leaders continues to demand deporting of all foreigners
(read Nepali, Hindi speaking people from mainland India with Bangladeshis)
from the region. They never, as their press statements argued in the past,
distinguished illegal Bangladeshis with the mainland Indian population living
in the State.
Note that Assam was ignited by a Gauhati High
Court verdict weeks back against the illegal migrants from Bangladesh, where
it expressed the apprehension that the State's indigenous people might be
reduced to minorities soon, in their own land. The court also warned that
neither the Centre nor the State government could disown their foremost responsibility
of defending India's borders to prevent trespassers and ensure the security
of its citizens.
It is mentionable that the All Assam Student's
Union-led historic Assam Agitation was the outcome of the prolonged anxiety
of indigenous Assamese against Bangladeshis living illegally in the state.
The movement, started in 1979 to deport millions of Bangladeshis, united all
social and advocacy groups. It culminated in 1984 following the signing of
the Assam Accord and it also paved the way for emerging of the regional political
party, Asom Gana Parishad.
Now with the growing public outcry on the
issue, the ULFA leaders find themselves in an uncomfortable situation. Most
of the people of Assam are today convinced that some of the senior ULFA leaders
are taking shelter in Bangladesh. Not only staying there as armed cadres,
they have maintained business interests in that country. It is widely believed
that the ULFA military head Paresh Baruah is running a huge business avenue
including hotel and travel agencies based in Dhaka. The latest media report
reveals that the outfit also possesses stakes in a major Bangladeshi newspaper
group.
That the dreaded outfit was not in a comfortable
and commanding position was also proved with the almost peaceful celebration
of Independence Day this time, even though it imposed a general strike on
August 15 in Assam to prevent the observation. Unlike the last few years,
there were no explosions and brutal killing by the ULFA militants, when the
State was preparing for the celebration of the Day. For the record, more common
people in general and journalists in particular joined the observation. Like
earlier years, journalists and conscientious citizens of the city gathered
at Guwahati Press Club premises to hoist the National Flag. They also held
a procession in the streets of the city. Significantly, the State witnessed
a good number of community celebrations of the Day and thousands hoisted the
Tricolour atop their houses braving the diktat of the militants including
the ULFA.
The outfit also faced a major crisis, when
some of the active ULFA rebels under its 28th Battalion announced a unilateral
ceasefire two months ago. The rebels urged the ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa
with those central committee leaders of the outfit to come forward for peace
talks with New Delhi. Among the pro-talk rebels, Jiten Dutta dared to irritate
the ULFA leaders while he demanded the deportation of Bangladeshis from the
region.
Now staying in a designated camp at Sadiya
in eastern Assam with other members of ceasefire groups, Dutta was vocal against
the Bangladeshis since earlier days and he issued occasional statements to
the local newspapers demanding the deportation of those migrants. Then it
was received with suspicion that Jiten Dutta, though he introduced himself
as a commander, was not a real ULFA cadre. Because, it was a general observation
that ULFA could never raise voice against Bangladeshis.
One can guess that the uprising in Assam may
or may not succeed in deporting those migrants from Bangladesh, but it is
for sure that the ambience has created a situation, where ULFA turns into
the opposite poll and that is against the interest of indigenous Assamese
people.
