ULFA lay down 3 conditions for talks with Centre

Guwahati, Jul 24: The much vaunted ULFA talks has returned to square one with the outfit slapping three conditions for beginning direct talks with the Centre.

ULFA Chairman Arobindo Rajkhowa through a letter to peace initiator Indira Goswami has said sovereignty should be the main agenda of the talk along with release of jailed top ULFA leaders and whereabouts of the missing ULFA comrades in the Bhutan operation.

The letter was sent to the Peoples Consultative Group (PCG) member Mukul Mahanta who in turn sent it to Dr Goswami.

The letter also asked the Centre not to approach them directly for any negotiation until the three conditions were met.

These conditions have almost closed all doors of hope for any negotiations although Dr Goswami is still hopeful.

"I am still hopeful and shall let the Home Ministry know about the three conditions,'' said Dr Goswami in New Delhi.

The ULFA's new conditions have been viewed as 'unfortunate' by the Home Ministry. Although no official statement came from Home Secretary V K Duggal, but the mandarins of the ministry alleged that the ULFA wanted to create a situation where they do not have to sit for talk and carry on their extortion racket.

Earlier, the PCG also had accused Home Ministry of making "unnecessary demands" from the ULFA and said that decision of a third meeting between them and the Centre were deliberately violated. A bemused Home Ministry and Home Secretary V K Duggal, already under fire for 7/11 Mumbai blasts, are trying to figure out what wrong they have said by asking for a direct communication from the ULFA.

"I do not know. But what I know is that ULFA has to write directly to the Home Ministry about their desire to talk detailing their demands'' said Mrs Goswami, who herself getting frustrated over the deliberate attempt by both sides to make the peace process more complex than ever.

With statements and e-mails flying in from every direction on daily basis, the hope for peace through negotiated settlements only diminishes with complete chaos and confusion marring the peace process.

Under heavy fire from all sides, the Union Home Ministry is unlikely to pamper ULFA anymore as they have become too busy handling terrorism and Naxal and their priority list, the North east militancy comes third and that even after the NSCN talks.

The ball is now ULFA's court. If they want the peace process will continue or if they do not want, the labyrinth of deliberately created cloud of confusion will continue to overshadow the ray of hope of permanent peace in Asom.

UNI