Assam in turmoil as Indian army, ULFA declare war

The political situation in Assam has taken a turn for the worse with militant group, United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and the Indian army refusing to compromise and intensifying their battle.

ULFA, which is being blamed for ethnic attacks that have killed 73 people, mostly migrant workers, in northeast India till date this month, have now threatened to target politicians, January 13.

The warning came as thousands of army and paramilitary troops fanned out across Assam after separatist rebels killed scores of Hindi–speaking migrants last weekend.

"If any Assamese youth is killed in the ongoing army operations, the ULFA’s 28th battalion would target and eliminate (ruling party) Congress leaders working at the grassroots and also state–level politicians," said rebel leader Prabal Neog, according to local newspapers.

The threat came ahead of a visit by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh this Tuesday to review the security operations and meet family members of the victims and those injured in the string of attacks over January 5–8. He will be visiting the violence–torn eastern districts of Dibrugarh and Tinsukia.

"The political leaders have come to shed crocodile tears from mainland India and play divisive politics here," Neog said.

State authorities have told Congress workers and leaders to be on guard against attacks by the rebels, who have been fighting for an independent homeland in the oil, tea and timber–rich state since 1979.

"Security has been tightened across the state with many Congress leaders now being provided with police escorts," a senior Assam police official said.

Meanwhile, India's National Security Adviser (NSA) M.K. Narayanan has said that the ULFA would be dealt with firmly. "We want peace in Assam. If the ULFA continues to change its tactics, we will pursue the ULFA in a manner that we have tried to avoid so far," he said.

Narayanan has also hinted that the banned militant outfit was possibly acting at the dictates of a "foreign power."

Interestingly, Assam's Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said, earlier, that the ULFA is functioning under the influence of the ISI – Pakistan's state intelligence agency.

"We don't have hard evidence or reason to suspect that they are under the influence of the ISI. But now whatever suspicion is proved right," he said.

"Till today they [ULFA] have not come for talks. I told Mamoni, the main negotiator, that they are not in a position to come for talks and if they were, the Prime Minister himself offered a safe passage. Why didn't they come? This is enough reason that they are under the influence of ISI," he added.

"First time we have made it very clear that we will not let down our guard or our vigilance. We have learnt our lesson that we cannot count on their promise. We will not let down our guard unless they come for direct talks and give up violence," Gogoi added.

"People of Assam must reject the ULFA," Narayanan stressed. "The ULFA has no support from the local people. The people of Assam are completely fed up with the ULFA. The ULFA leadership is a rump leadership, out of touch with the aspirations of the people. We can deal with the problem and that's what the Army has come down to. They will crack down on the limited bases of support, but we want to do it in a manner that doesn't cause harm to the innocent citizens."

Narayanan did not spare words in attacking the ULFA leaders Paresh Barua and Arabinda Rajkhowa for being "completely out of step with views and aspirations of the people of Assam."

"What is Paresh – talking in Dhaka – captive of forces which are inimical to India's interests?" Narayanan asked.

The government had offered a "hand of friendship" and offer of peace and dialogue, but the ULFA leadership callously rejected it and took resort to senseless violence, he stressed.

Meanwhile, intelligence officials have confirmed that ULFA members were fleeing into the jungles and an army spokesman said troops were combing the area.

"Our operations are going on full swing and we are not giving any respite to the militants," defence spokesman Colonel Narendra Singh said from Tezpur town.

According to government sources, the Congress Party–led government in neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh state has also stepped up military operations following the attacks.

The army is seeking to flush out the rebels and soldiers were landing by helicopter in the thick jungle of the two states.

According to military sources, over 10,000 soldiers are already engaged in counter–insurgency operations in Upper Assam, and more forces are arriving to join what will be the biggest armed offensive against the outfit.

"More troops are being brought in. The operation will be clinical, airborne, heli–borne. We are going all out," said Major General NC Marwah, GOC, 2 Mountain Division.

"The idea of the operation is to uproot bases, eliminate rebels or capture them," an army commander, who asked not to be named, said. "So far we have killed five rebels and captured at least six of them in separate raids."

"There have been no pitched battles yet with the ULFA with the rebels on the run and probably going towards Myanmar where they have training bases," the official said.

The army official said the ethnic killings were carried out by a 30–member group of handpicked guerrillas from the ULFA's 28th battalion.

"About 30 separatists armed with assault rifles and other sophisticated weapons actually carried out the brutal massacres in eastern Assam after splitting into smaller groups," the army commander said.

ULFA has not claimed responsibility for the attacks, which have drawn widespread protests in Assam. But authorities said they have no doubt that the group was behind the massacres.

More troops would be dispatched to the region if required, Union Home Secretary V.K. Duggal said after a security meeting.

Meanwhile, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad has assured that the Army crackdown on the ULFA would soon yield the desired results. "It is a big headache for the UPA Government, but it will be solved soon," he said.

Expressing anguish over the violence unleashed by the ULFA, he said the UPA Government at the Centre would not tolerate any action targeted against Hindi–speaking people.

Union Chemical and Fertilizer Minister Ram Vilas Paswan has also publicly opposed holding any talks with the ULFA and said it should be "wiped out."

Addressing a press conference in new Delhi after visiting the violence affected areas of Assam, the Lok Janshakti Party president said the Centre should come down heavily on the banned group for taking the lives of innocent and poor labourers.

"No talks with ULFA should be held. It has taken the lives of innocent people. A terrorist organization that kills unarmed and hapless people should be wiped out," he said.

Paswan has also attacked the Opposition National Democratic Alliance (NDA) leaders for not making their stand clear on the ULFA.

"On the one hand, BJP president (Rajnath Singh) has demanded strong action against the ULFA, and on the other hand, George Fernandes, the convenor of the NDA, has met the leaders of the ULFA in jail and not only given clean chit to them, but also said that the action of ULFA is quite natural," Paswan said.

The Union Minister has termed the ULFA as a frustrated organization, which is trying to gain cheap publicity out of the killings of innocent people. He added that the banned group has lost its base in Assam and has no credibility.

"Just to draw the attention of people in the country and outside, the ULFA is killing people. This is just an attempt to gain publicity and terrorise people. But the Assamese understand this. That is why the whole Assam has reacted strongly against the barbarity," said Paswan.

In 2000, ULFA militants killed at least 100 Hindi–speaking people in Assam in a series of well–planned attacks after the rebel group vowed to free the state of all "non–Assamese migrant workers."

The ULFA rebels managed to give security forces the slip in three past military crackdowns – the first major offensive against them being Operation Bajrang in November 1990, followed by Operation Rhino in 1991 by the Indian army and Operation All Clear in December 2003 by Bhutan's army.