ULFA using children for bombs

Guwahati, Oct 18 (UNI) The ULFA is now using children and young school going students to carry bombs and explode to evade security net.

The police stumbled upon the fact when they caught a ten year unidentified boy at Bongaigaon immediately after throwing a grenade in the Railway station on Monday night, while another named Gautam Kalita, a class VII student from Rangia, died on the previous day at Kahilipara, when the bomb he was carrying exploded.

"This is most horrifying," said Asom Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi talking to newsmen. "How can they bring children and students to conflict," he said. The ULFA has always been insensitive to children and two years back they bombed to death 16 students at Dhemaji in an Independence Day programme.

"Now the militancy has come to such a pass that they are using ten year kid to throw bombs. Where is the human rights violation now?" said Asom Governor Lt Gen Ajay Sinha.

The All Asom Students Union (AASU) is also worried. "Since this has become a trend, it is extremely unfortunate. Students are students. The militants cannot exploit them," he said.

As the ULFA is running out of dedicated cadres, they have been using the unemployed hooligans for long. "That has been known for years, but what has been most audacious that they are using kids and children. This is simply height everything," said the Tinsukia District Magistrate Absar Hazarika.

The Bongagaon police, which caught the ten year old kid from the spot, said that the kid was paid Rs 100 to throw the bomb. The police said these kids and students are least suspected and in case of arrest of casualty, the damage is next to nothing.

Tinsukia district Deputy Commissioner Absar Hazarika said on Friday that students in his district were "bribed with money, cars, motor-cycles and cell phones to explode bombs and grenades in public places".

Interrogation of Jolen Moran, who had carried out a recent grenade attack in the oil town of Digboi in the district, injuring a shop- keeper, revealed that he was a student of class XII at Tinsukia Somar Bidyapith, Hazarika said. The ULFA was paying for Moran's education and his rent in return for his services, he said. The police was also looking for Jolen's two absconding friends who were ULFA linkmen, Hazarika said.

The arrest of three other ULFA insurgents also revealed that the youths, who were between 18-25 years old, were studying in college, the DC said.

Besides, students, Hazarika said, village youths were also roped in for militant activities for monetary considerations.

The use of students and children in its armed struggle by the ULFA will remain a blot on human civilization, says the All Asom Tai Ahom Students Union(AATSU).

"It is a violation of human rights as children cannot distinguish violence from non-violence. The ULFA should give up arms and come forward for peace talks," said the AATSU publicity secretary Lakhya Konwar.

All Assam Students' Union (AASU) President Sankar Prasad Ray said, "We believe in non-violence. It is unfortunate that an armed organisation in Asom has been using students and children in its armed movement, and this new trend will do more damage to the society than ever before. The Government should take steps to solve all outstanding issues with the rebel group through peace talks." All Koch-Rajbonshi Students' Union (AKRSU) President Atul Ray said, "Rampant IED explosions cannot make a movement vigorous. Use of students and children in its armed struggle by the rebel group will erode its support base. Armed organisations should avoid killing innocent civilians, and the government should also take sincere steps to solve the problems." Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba-Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) general secretary Pulok Choudhury also condemned the recent killings by the ULFA. He said bloodshed could never solve problems. He, however, said there might be a third force in the use of students and children in the armed movement and the government should nip the trend in its bud.

He appealed to the ULFA to come clear if it was not involved in using students and children in its armed movement.

UNI