Peace in Assam: Will ULFA founder Anup Chetia fulfil his promise?

Guwahati, Dec 25: Indian officials are watching closely the movements of ULFA founder and general secretary Anup Chetia who was recently extradited from Bangladesh.

On Thursday Chetia was released from jail on bail and he has assured that he would take part in the peace talks with the Indian government to bring about stability in the North Eastern states.

Officials say that they trust Chetia to lead the peace talks, but they also would not want a repeat of 1992.

It may be recalled that Chetia had met with the then Prime Minister, P V Narasimha Rao who was keen on holding peace talks. However, Chetia went underground after that.

Chetia is serious about peace talks:

There is a lot that rides on Anup Chetia and this time around the Indian agencies are confident that he will take part in the talks. He has made it clear that he would take part in the talks.

After his release from jail, he said that he would work for a peaceful settlement of the Indo-Assam conflict and will be part of the on-going tripartite talks involving the ULFA, the Assam government and the government of India.

Indian officials say that Chetia is a key figure and can be the driving force in the peace talks. He is serious and we trust what he is saying the officer also added.

However, it is to be if he is able to bring on board his former colleague Paresh Barua for the talks.

Barua currently believed to be in China is said to be close to groups such as the NSCN(K) which nurtures an anti India sentiment and has also refused to be part of the talks.

Chetia was brought to India from Dhaka on November 11 with a specific intention of roping in for the peace talks.

A respectable figure in the ULFA, he has command over the cadres who will tow his line. Chetia was arrested in Bangladesh in the year 1997 for trying to illegally enter the country.

OneIndia News