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India to end military operations against Bodo rebels

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Guwahati, May 25, IRNA
India-Cease-fire
New Delhi is expected to announce Wednesday the cessation of military operations against an influential tribal separatist group in India's northeastern state of Assam by signing a formal cease-fire agreement, officials told IRNA.

An Indian Home Ministry official said a cease-fire agreement with the leaders of the outlawed National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) will be signed in New Delhi in the presence of senior Assam government officials.

"The truce could be the beginning of an end to nearly two decades of bloodshed in the region," the Home Ministry official told IRNA requesting anonymity.

The NDFB is a rebel group fighting for an independent homeland for the Bodo tribe since 1986.

At least five senior NDFB leaders Tuesday held a meeting with Home Ministry officials in New Delhi to finalize cease-fire ground rules and other modalities for peace talks.

"Almost all the formalities were already worked out and we hope the cease-fire agreement comes into effect from Wednesday," the official said.

The decision by New Delhi to end military operations and begin peace talks comes after the NDFB in October last year offered a unilateral cease-fire.

The NDFB is one of the region's dreaded rebel armies with an estimated 1,500 fighters, who largely carry out hit-and-run attacks.

The Bodos, a primitive tribe most of whom are now either Hindus or Christians, account for about 10 percent of Assam's 26 million people and live mostly in western and northern part of the state.

Initially, New Delhi was dithering on formally reciprocating to the NDFB's ceasefire offer prompting the rebel leadership to issue a warning to call off the truce.

"The formal cease-fire with the NDFB will help usher in a new era of hope and peace in the region," Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi told IRNA.

The state's other frontline rebel group, the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) too have offered to hold talks with New Delhi although the outfit wants that their main demand of sovereignty or independence be discussed in such negotiations. New Delhi is yet to respond to the ULFA's peace overtures.

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

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::IRNA No.027 25/05/2005 13:43 --End