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India resumes military operations against NE separatist group

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Guwahati, India, Sept 24, IRNA
India-ULFA-Military Operations
India Sunday resumed military operations against an influential separatist group in the northeastern state of Assam after operating a 40-day ceasefire, threatening a fragile peace process in the region, officials said.

An Assam government spokesman said soldiers of the 2nd Mountain Division in eastern Assam began anti-insurgency operations Sunday against the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) after the rebels killed a tea planter and a policeman in stepped up attacks and large scale extortion drive over the weekend.

The central government has decided to call off the truce and resume military operations against the ULFA in view of the stepped up attacks and extortion drive by the rebels, S.K. Kabilan, Assam's top government official, said.

He said the army has resumed operations in some parts of the state.

There is no immediate reaction available from the ULFA.

New Delhi on August 13 announced suspension of military operations against the ULFA for 10 days to facilitate holding direct peace talks with the rebel leadership. The ceasefire was extended thrice and expired last Wednesday.

The ULFA too reciprocated the governments goodwill gesture by announcing cessation of hostilities for an indefinite period.

Holding of direct peace talks between the ULFA leadership and government peace negotiators were, however, deadlocked with New Delhi seeking a formal letter from the outfit stating that it was ready for direct talks, name of the outfit's negotiating team members, and specific timeframe for the dialogue.

The ULFA maintains that the outfit was not in a position to take a decision and write a letter to the government without their five central committee leaders who are currently in jail and hence insisting on their release first.

This is a real setback for the peace process and the government gave the ULFA enough opportunity to prove their sincerity. But the rebels frustrated the government by negating their gestures, Arindam Nath, a retired schoolteacher said.

More than 10,000 people have lost their lives to insurgency in Assam during the past two decades.

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