ULFA open for talks with UPA to solve Asom crisis

Guwahati, Dec 26: The banned United Liberation Front of Asom(ULFA) is once again harping on its demand for restoration ofsovereignty of Asom and hoped for revival of the peace initiative for asolution to the conflict in 2007.

In statement e-mailed to the media here, ULFA chairman ArabindaRajkhowa reiterated that the solution to the Asom problem would bepossible only through restoration of sovereignty in the state.

He called upon all political and non-political organisations inthe state to contribute towards finding a solution to the conflict.

The ULFA leader also registered the group's opposition to the'Greater Nagalim' as demanded by the NSCN-IM even as the generalsecretary of the outfit Thuingaleng Muivah is scheduled to visitNagaland during the New Year.

Earlier, the ULFA-nominated People's Consultative Group (PCG)stated that there was nothing to go overboard over the latest offer ofsafe passage to top ULFA leaders from the Prime Minister.

The PCG maintains that the 'safe passage' offer was unlikely toend the current deadlock in the peace process unless New Delhi releasedfive senior ULFA leaders from jail.

The ULFA chairman decried 'cosmetic protests' registered bypolitical parties of Asom against the 'Greater Nagalim' that proposesto include large parts of eight districts of Assam.

The 'Greater Nagalim' single administrative block for Nagas livingin the region, is one of the key demands of the NSCN-IM that is engagedin a peace process with the Centre.

The proposed map of the 'Greater Nagalim' includes many parts ofAsom, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh. All these states have registeredtheir protest against the 'Greater Nagalim' design while the protestsare more audible in Manipur than in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.

The ULFA chairman also criticised the Asom government and theCentre for overlooking Nagaland's bid to encroach upon Asom'sterritory. The militant group alleged that Nagaland government had sofar set up four administrative sub-divisions.

UNI