ULFA leader's poems released in Frankfurt book fair

Guwahati, Oct 6 (UNI) Even as violence returned to haunt Asom, ULFA publicity secretary Mithinga Daimary's collection of poems was released in the World Book Fair at Frankfurt yesterday.

''Melodies and Guns'', a collection of poems originally written in Assamese language, kept the audience, including noted litterateurs Amitabha Ghosh and Dilip Chitre, spellbound in the inauguration ceremony.

The ULFA at the moment may not have time for melodies but jailed publicity secretary Mithinga Daimary, away from the hide and seek game, had taken up pen and writing endlessly for the past one and half years, jail authorities said.

Now his release had been sought by the ULFA, which had given a pre-condition before the start of the peace talk, but that was not happening.

The jailed leader has to his credit a number of poems, which he penned under the pseudonym of "Megon Kachari". Mr Daimary had made a name as a poet much before he joined the outfit.

The idea of publishing his collection struck Dr Mamoni Raisom Goswami during her interaction with the militant in her role as the peace negotiator between the proscribed group and the Centre.

Dr Goswmai, a Jnanpith-awardee, said she was moved by the poetry of Mr Daimary. '' His poems have the smell of the gun but also have a deep underlying love for humanity, '' she added.

The ULFA leader, who was held during the "Operation All Clear" by the Royal Bhutan Army in 2003, had his entire family wiped out during the so-called secret killings in the late 1990s.

The poetry book of this 45-year-old had been translated into English by Pradeep Acharya and Manjit Baruah.

UNI MT SJC AKP1249