ULFA peace process returns to Track-II diplomacy

Guwahati, Oct 30: With the People's Consultative Group(PCG) holding out a fresh olive branch to take forward the peace process between ULFA and the Centre, a glimmer of hope for a lasting peace in Asom has emerged.

The four key players -- the Army, Centre, ULFA and PCG -- have all softened their stands. The PCG met on Saturday night in Guwahati and offered to take forward the peace process, giving the first official hint that the ice was melting. The PCG pulled out of the peace process on September 27 accusing the Centre of double speak.

''We are ready to resume our role of mediator if the Centre puts forward any concrete offer,'' PCG Convener Lachit Bordoloi said, admitting that there was tremendous pressure from the people to resume the peace process.

The Asom government was also hopeful. ''We are very hopeful that the deadlock will be broken and the peace process resume,'' said Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi.

The Centre -- specifically the office of the National Security Advisor (NSA) to the PMO -- is yet to make any official statement, allowing Track-II diplomacy to take over avoiding the media glare.

The peace process hit a roadblock as the Centre was demanding a letter from ULFA expressing its willingness to talk, but the outfit insisted that it could not be done without the release of their five top leaders, now in jail.

Union Home Minister Sivraj Patil had reportedly told a visiting All Asom Students Union (AASU) delegation that the Centre was equally concerned.

''Mr Patil told us that the Centre was actually ready for the release of the top ULFA leaders and was awaiting the arrival of the letter,'' said AASU's Dr Smujjal Kr Bhattacharya, who met him on Saturday along with other top members. AASU had been demanding unconditional talks and urging both the state and the Centre to resume the process. But it was evident that the next round of peace process would not be under the arc light of media and Track-II would be more important and crucial for the success of the talk.

''Last time the peace process failed because the bargaining was done through the media. No peace process would be ever successful that way,'' admitted a PCG member.

The army has, meanwhile, softened the counter-insurgency operation against ULFA giving some space to the peace process. Sources in the Dinjan camp in upper Asom informed that although there was no official order, the sugetsion was to 'go slow'.

Meanwhile, public pressure has been mounting on both New Delhi and ULFA to come back to the negotiation table with AASU taking a new initiative to bring pressure.

The PCG, however, said new Delhi should keep direct contact with it to remove any hurdle instead of directly going to the press.

''We have done whatever we can to bring the peace process to this stage. We do not want it to die. ULFA has made it known that it would consider any peace proposal from the Centre if it is routed through the PCG,'' said Mr Bordoloi.

UNI