Anti-ULFA body intensifies agitation against violence

Guwahati, Apr 27 (UNI) An anti-ULFA organisation today launched an agitation to protest the banned outfit's subversive activities and demanded the whereabouts of the civilians who had been kidnapped by the ULFA.

Asom Public Works (APW), an anti-ULFA organisation comprising family members of those who were either killed or kidnapped by the outfit, demonstrated a token hunger strike at Dispur Last Gate here.

Nearly 200 families of about 12 districts of the state, who have bore the brunt of ULFA atrocities, participated in the demonstration demanding the whereabouts of the victims kidnapped by the outfit.

The stir comes a day after the six 'missing' ULFA cadres' wives withdrew their 35-day indefinite fast following an assurance from the Chief Minister. The striking women had been demanding the whereabouts of their husbands who have been missing since 'Operation All Clear' was launched by the Indian Army and the Royal Bhutan Army in Bhutan in December 2003.

The Chief Minister, in a letter to the women, said the government would abide by the verdict of the Gauhati High Court, which is hearing a case related to the 'missing' ULFA cadres.

Contending that the activities of the ULFA have been detrimental to the welfare of Asom and its people, the APW has been constantly protesting the violence perpetrated by the ULFA rebels.

In fact, some of the top leaders of the organisation, including its director Abhijeet Sarma, have alleged that they have been receiving threats from the ULFA to put off the campaign launched against the outfit.

In January last, the APW had conducted a poll across nine districts of the state on the sovereignty demand of the banned outfit. A staggering 95.539 per cent votes were cast against the demand of the ULFA.

More than 12,000 people have lost their lives to insurgency in Asom in the last two decades.

UNI