ULFA seeks more time, division suspected

Guwahati, Sep 13 (UNI) The United Liberation Front of Asom(ULFA) has sought more time to respond to the government demand for a formal letter for talks, signalling that internal division within the militant outfit was blocking an early response.

Although the intelligence agencies have long been fearing that peace initiator Dr Indira Goswami had begun harbouring a similar apprehension.

Meanwhile, according to Home Ministry sources, another peace initiator, Reboti Phukan, has contacted the ministry and sought five days more as the ceasefire with the ULFA expires on Friday midnight.

''That is why we have been insisting from the beginning that the jailed five leaders should be released so that a collective decision can be taken by the ULFA and any possible dissension nipped in the bud,'' said the Peoples Consultative Group(PCG) member Lachit Borodoloi in a meeting recently.

The peace process between the ULFA and the Centre appeared to have hit a roadblock with both sides refusing to back down from their respective stands. While the banned group was insisting that the government release its top leaders from jail before direct talks, the Centre had maintained that it would consider the demand only after receiving a written commitment about ULFA's willingness to participate in the parleys.

Already two streams of negotiation have surfaced with Reboti Phukan and Indira Goswami leading one with the tacit backing of Mr.

Phukan's childhood friend and ULFA C-in-C Paresh Barua straight into the corridors of North block.

The other stream remained with the PCG members, who were confused about their own status with ULFA Chairman Aurobindo Rajkhowa through statements insisting on a greater role of the PCG.

A sense of uncertainty has gripped the whole peace process and even Dr Goswami has become disillusioned with both sides refusing to relax even by an inch.

In fact, in 1993 too, the ULFA faced a similar impasse with Rajkhowa leading an ULFA delegation to the then Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao and Paresh Barua objecting to it. The then Chairman Rajkhowa was in favour of a negotiated settlement.

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