ULFA battalion declares unilateral ceasefire in Assam

Amarpur (Assam), June 28 : A 'battalion' of banned outfit United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) declared unilateral ceasefire recently in expectation of reciprocal gesture from the Central government to pave way for restoration of peace in north-east region of India.

Declaring ceasefire, Mrinal Hazarika, the commander of one of the most potent battalions of ULFA, said that the step is towards restoration of peace in the strife torn northeast region of the country.

"From today, we from the 28 Battalion of the A and C companies have declared a unilateral ceasefire in our area, and we hope that against this step of ours we will get a positive reciprocation from the government," said Hazarika.

The leaders of 'A and C companies' of ULFA decided to break the organizational discipline and declare a ceasefire in the interest of the region which has been witnessing violence for last many years.

The decision came after the leaders of the '28th Battalion' of ULFA met on June 24th.

Officials informed that in last five months, many of the ULFA rebels have surrendered before the army in an attempt to enter mainstream and lead a peaceful life.

Earlier this week, as many as 59 militants surrendered and laid their arms before the army and state police personnel in Assam.

They mainly included ULFA militants and Naga ultras (NSCN-IM) and two NSCN (Khaplang) cadres.

ULFA, one of the two-dozen armed groups in the region, has been fighting for independent homeland for ethnic Assamese since 1979.

The ULFA accuses non-Assamese people of plundering the state's resources and spoiling its culture.

More than 20,000 people have been killed so far in the ULFA insurgency.

ANI