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Military calls off its operations against NDFB

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Guwahati, June 1, IRNA
India-Assam-NDFB
A yearlong cease-fire pact between the Indian government and a tribal separatist group in the northeastern Assam state began Wednesday amid hopes of ending nearly two decades of violent insurgency in the region, officials said.

An Assam government spokesman said the cease-fire with the outlawed National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) came into effect from Wednesday with the military calling off its operations against the group.

"The cease-fire with NDFB has begun with cessation of military operations and very soon the NDFB cadres will disarm and live in designated camps as per the truce pact," Assam Home Commissioner B K Gohain said.

The Indian government and top NDFB leaders last week signed a cease-fire accord in New Delhi that is expected to bring the curtains down to a violent campaign for a homeland for the Bodo tribe in Assam that has left thousands dead since 1986.

"Under the cease-fire terms, the NDFB is to end all kinds of guerrilla attacks and the government soldiers on their part are to respect the truce," Gohain said.

A senior police official said NDFB leaders would soon give a list of names of rebel cadres to enable them to lay down arms and stay in specially-appointed government run camps.

The cease-fire will be monitored by a committee of government officials and rebel leaders.

"Once the process of disarming takes place, the two sides will work out modalities for holding peace talks," Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi told IRNA.

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

New Delhi has also invited the state's other frontline rebel group, the outlawed United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), for peace talks although the outfit wants four of their jailed leaders to be released as a preconditions for the negotiations.

"The ULFA's latest demand should be a stumbling block in facilitating talks. Let us see what can be done," the chief minister said.

The ULFA is a rebel group fighting for an independent Assamese homeland since 1979.

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

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::IRNA No.006 01/06/2005 09:58 --End