January 9: ULFA is now
not in favour of solving problems of Assam
through militancy. “Militancy was not able
to solve any problem in last 30 years. We
want to solve the ethnic problems of Assam,
so that a true democratic atmosphere will
prevail where every one will be free to
speak up for the safety and security of
Assamese people,” said ULFA chairman Arabinda
Rajkhowa, alias Rajib Rajkonwar, while interacting
with local mediapersons at his Lakwa residence.
Rajkhowa said no one was above the people
of Assam.
January 9: Paresh Baruah,
military chief of the ULFA, seems to be
enjoying hospitality in China. His presence
in the neighbouring country has been confirmed
by the arrested head of United National
Liberation Front (UNLF) chief RK Sanayaima
alias Meghen. Meghen was arrested in December
in Bihar by the National Investigation Agency
(NIA), confessed during interrogation that
he had met the elusive 'commander-in-chief'
of ULFA during the 2010 Shanghai World Expo.
January 17: Chief Minister
Tarun Gogoi receives a formal letter from
ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa expressing
his outfit's willingness to hold peace talks
with the government.
January 17: Addressing
a the delegation of BNC led by BTC chief
Hagrama Mohilary, Union Home Minister P.
Chidambaram says that the Central Government
wants the NDFB-ATF, headed by Ranjan Daimary,
to abjure violence before formal talks get
underway. He also states that the Central
Government would like to talk to both factions
of the NDFB together and not separately.
January 19: ULFA c-in-c
Paresh Baruah contacts persons close to
him over phone and makes it clear that his
stand on the issue of talks with the Government
remains the same and he would come for talks
only if the Government of India agrees to
talk on sovereignty of Assam.
January 20: The executive
body meeting of United Liberation Front
of Asom (ULFA) is held at a secret location
in Nalbari district after about eight years.
The meeting reportedly passed five resolutions
including the decision to hold the general
council meeting within the month of February.
A high-level ULFA leader on condition of
anonymity said that the ULFA leadership
gathered at the Charia residence of deputy
commander-in-chief Raju Barua and then left
the village for a secret location. Sources
further said that executive body meeting,
presided over by ULFA chairman Arabinda
Rajkhowa, was attended by vice-president
Pradip Gogoi, deputy commander-in-chief
Raju Barua, foreign secretary Sasha Choudhury,
finance secretary Chitraban Hazarika, adviser
Bhimkanta Burhagohain, publicity secretary,
Mithinga Daimari, women wing chief Kaberi
Kachari, cultural secretary Pranati Deka
and executive member Anu Burhagohain. It
is said that the meeting continued for more
than one hour and was attended by two-thirds
majority members of the executive body of
the outfit.
January 21: ULFA’s elusive
commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah rejects
the peace initiative. Three videos are released
by ULFA. One showed Paresh Baruah in camouflage
fatigues dancing to the tune of Bihu songs
along with gun totting ULFA cadres, a second
one showed the ULFA commander-in-chief sitting
on a cane chair flanked by a group of commanders.
A third video showed about 100 armed cadres
raising slogans both in Assamese and English:
"We don't support the so-called talks. We
want independence." "Independence is our
birth right and we shall continue with our
armed struggle until and unless we achieve
our goal," they shouted.
January 23: The leaders
of the pro-talk faction of the United Liberation
Front of Asom (ULFA) claim that the statements
of the outfit's 'commander-in-chief' are
being influenced by international forces.
They also demand that the elusive leader
must be expelled from the central executive
committee for breaching the outfit's discipline.
The pro-talk ULFA group alleged that Baruah
by his recent acts is trying to pose hurdles
before the proposed talks, which cannot
be accepted at any cost in the interest
of the people of Assam.
January 25: The chief
executive body meeting of the United Liberation
Front of Asom (ULFA) which is being held
at various secret locations in Nalbari district
after eight years, will conclude on January
30. According to a top leader of the outfit,
the ongoing executive meeting thoroughly
discussed all the issues relating to the
proposed peace talks with the Central Government.
All the resolutions of the executive body
meeting will be passed at the final sitting
on January 30. The resolutions will then
be made public at a press conference to
be held at Nalbari thereafter.
January 30: The last
and final executive council meeting of ULFA
on peace negotiation is held at an undisclosed
location in Tezpur. Top ULFA leaders to
take resolution on several decisions regarding
peace negotiations at this meeting. According
to sources, ULFA will induct several top
leaders of 709 and 109 battalion in the
executive meeting.
January 31: A Tribunal
headed by Delhi High Court judge Mukta Gupta
issue notices to Nagaland and Meghalaya
governments on the Centre's plea seeking
its nod to extend the ban on militant outfit
United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) by
two more years. The tribunal is hearing
the plea of the Ministry of Home Affairs
(MHA) seeking its nod to extend the Government's
notification, issued on November 27, 2010,
to extend the ban by two years on the militant
outfit on the ground that it has so far
not abjured violence. "There is nobody present
on behalf of the United Liberation Front
of Asom. Thirty days time has to be given
to the outfit to file their objection against
the notification," the panel said. The ban,
which was slapped in accordance with the
Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967,
was first imposed in 1990. Since then, the
order has been re-imposed every two years.
February 5: ULFA 'vice-chairman'
Pradip Gogoi says that there is no split
in the ULFA as its 'chairman' Arabinda Rajkhowa
and elusive 'commander-in-chief' Paresh
Baruah are in frequent contact with each
other.
February 5: Three ULFA
leaders are reportedly arrested by Bangladeshi
security forces and later handed over to
the Border Security Force. Those handed
over include: self–styled captain Antu Chaudang
and two 'second lieutenants' Pradeep Chetia
and Pranjit Saikia alias Saurav.
February 5: One Nagaland
police constable and two suspected NSCN
(U) rebels are apprehended by a team of
police and Army personnel allegedly for
arms smuggling. The trio Zhavito Yaputhomi
(29), Tokihe Sema (30) and constable G Avishe
Sema (25) are arrested from near Lahorijan
on NH-39 during a joint operation.
February 6: ULFA leaders
including ‘captain’ Antu Chaudang, ‘second
lieutenant’ Pradeep Chetia and another cadre
Pranjit Saikia are remanded to ten days’
police custody by the Court of Additional
Chief Judicial Magistrate, Kamrup.
February 6: The Army
apprehend one AANLA rebel and recover one
.22 pistol and one magazine from his possession
at Garampani Reserve Forest under Borpathar
police station in Diphu. The rebel is identified
as Maheswar Urang (27).
February 10: A seven-member
coordination committee is set up to fix
modalities and oversee a couple of critical
aspects regarding the ULFA-Centre peace
process.
February 21: The three
Maoist rebels who were arrested from Orissa-Jharkhand
border few days back are brought to Guwahati
by the sleuths of special task force of
Assam Police and are expected to be produced
in the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate,
Kamrup. The trio identified as Aditya Bora,
Singh Raj Orang and Ashik Sabar hail from
Assam.
February 23: According
to sources in the Ministry of Home Affairs
(MHA) as told The Assam Tribune, leaders
of the militant groups like UNLF and PLA
of Manipur, chairman of the NSCN (K), SS
Khaplang and the commander in chief of the
United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA),
Paresh Baruah among others attended meeting
held in Ruili in Yunan Province of China.
Sources revealed that according to information
available with Indian security agencies,
from the Chinese side, officials of the
Public Security Bureau attended the meeting.
March 4: According to
The Assam Tribune report, in recent times,
the militant groups of the North East are
becoming closer to each other in Myanmar
in the interest of their own survival and
most of the outfits of the region have strong
bases in the Taka (Taga) area in the Sagain
division of Myanmar. The recent videos of
ULFA commander in chief Paresh Baruah along
with his supporters, which was released
to the media, were shot in the bases of
the outfit in Taka.
March 9: The Maoist rebel
groups have started making efforts to establish
tactical alliance with the hard line faction
of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA)
headed by the commander-in-chief of the
outfit, Paresh Baruah. Highly-placed sources
in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) told
The Assam Tribune that the Maoist rebel
groups already established contacts with
militant groups like the PLA of Manipur
and NSCN (I-M) of Nagaland and though the
Maoists have been trying to establish links
with the ULFA for a long time, the efforts
gathered ground in the wake of the recent
developments.
March 10: Police arrests
two persons, including Keshav Mahanta, a
ULFA cadre, from Bamunimaidam area in Guwahati
and recovers a pistol from his possession.
March 17: The hardliners
of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA)
hit out against the leaders of the pro-talk
faction and say that no one has the right
to talk about the constitution of the ULFA
and its ideals by staying with the enemy.
The hardliners of the ULFA also said that
the true feelings of the people of Assam
on the demand for sovereignty would come
out only through plebiscite and not by holding
“Jatiya Abhibartan”.
March 20: The Pro-talk
faction of ULFA led Arabinda Rajkhowa, decides
that its cadres will not stay in designated
camps like those of other outfits engaged
in peace dialogues with the Government.
According to ULFA ‘vice-chairman’ Pradip
Gogoi, the decision is taken as the members
of the central executive committee feel
that staying in designated camps would further
alienate the ULFA cadres from society.
March 25: To strengthen
its organizational set-up, ULFA lifts ban
on the four Pro-talks group leaders who
took the lead to declare a unilateral ceasefire
in June 2008. ULFA ‘chairman’ Arabinda Rajkhowa
said all the four leaders, Mrinal Hazarika,
Prabal Neog, Jiten Dutta and Jun Bhuyan
(all from the outfits 28th battalion), would
very much be a part of the peace process
initiated by the central leadership.
April 23: ULFA leaders
are given INR 40 million by the Union Government
for daily expenses and to run their families.
The Union Home Ministry released the first
installment of financial assistance to the
ULFA leaders, including 'chairman' Arabinda
Rajkhowa, 'vice-president' Pradip Gogoi
and others besides its cadres - totaling
approximately 400. "We have disbursed the
money to the ULFA through the Assam Government.
The money has been given to take care of
the daily expenses of ULFA members and other
family requirements," a Union Home Ministry
official said.
April 24: ULFA denounces
a recent declaration by the Paresh Barua
faction that all the battalions of the outfit
were dissolved and there would be no battalion
commander.
April 27: State Government
decides to set up nine more designated camps
in the State for the cadres of the Pro-Talk
faction of ULFA, as per the directive of
the Ministry of Home Affairs.
May 5: After a mutual
agreement with the Government of India and
Government of Assam, the Centre extends
the SoO agreement with the UPDS for a period
of six months with effect from May 5.
May 16: Centre’s Interlocutor
P C Haldar meets representatives of Karbi
National Liberation Front (KNLF) at Guwahati.
May 17: Union Home Minister
P. Chidambaram says that Centre would start
negotiations with ULFA even if its military
chief, Paresh Baruah, didn't take part in
the peace process. The dialogue with ULFA
will begin soon after the new Assam government,
led by Tarun Gogoi, assumes office. The
previous government in the state, also led
by Gogoi, was keen on finding an honourable
solution to the Ulfa problem," said Chidambaram.
May 18: Chief Minister
Tarun Gogoi says that the new Congress Government
in Assam would work towards finding a lasting
solution to the demands raised by the ULFA
and other rebel groups of the State. He
said that the people gave a mandate for
peace and conciliation and it is his duty
to find a permanent solution with the ambit
of the Constitution of India.
June 10: Chief Minister
Tarun Gogoi says that the pro-talk ULFA
cadres would have to formally sign a ceasefire
accord vowing suspension of operations,
before the peace talks take a concrete shape.
June 14: The pro-talks
faction of ULFA has asked Reboti Phukan,
who has twice mediated to bring ULFA to
the negotiating table in 1991 and 2006,
to go to Dhaka and convince ULFA general
secretary to join the peace process. Over
a month ago, Delhi is understood to have
requested Dhaka to give access to Chetia.
Once Dhaka agreed, ULFA was told to hold
consultations and agree upon a member who
could visit Dhaka and convince Chetia to
return.
June 27: The Telegraph
reports that the Paresh Baruah faction of
the ULFA, NSCN(K) and NDFB (anti-talk) alongwith
the support of UNLF, PLA and PREPAK, have
united under a single umbrella in Myanmar
to creat an “independent Northeast country”.
The effort is headed by SS Khaplang.
August 2: A three-member
delegation of the NDFB (Pro-talk) faction
led by its chairman, B Sunthagra and publicity
secretary, S Sanjarang accompanied by BJP
Lok Sabha MP Ramen Deka calls on Leader
of Opposition (Lok Sabha), Sushma Swaraj
to urge her to prevail upon the Centre to
expedite the peace process. The spokesman
of the militant outfit told that they have
requested the opposition leader to raise
the issue of the peace process in the Parliament.
August 5: ULFA hands
over its charter of demands to Union Home
Minister, P. Chidambaram and Assam Chief
Minister, Tarun Gogoi in New Delhi. The
charter, which they called ‘Framework of
Charter for Negotiations to Resolve the
Issues between Assam and India’, was submitted
by a seven-member delegation of ULFA, led
by its chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa. The 12
broad groupings under which negotiations
are proposed to start are: • Grounds for
ULFA’s struggle and their genuineness. •
(B)Status report on missing ULFA leaders
and cadres • Constitutional and Political
arrangements and Reforms-including protection
of the • identity and material resources
of the local indigenous population of Assam.
• Financial and Economic Arrangements, including
settlement of all royalties on mines/minerals
including oil on a retrospective compensatory
basis and rights of independent use for
a sustainable economic development in future.
• Illegal migration-its effect/impact and
required remedies including sealing of international
borders, river patrolling, development of
a native force to man the borders. • Ethnic
issues-problems and constitutional restructuring
including settlement of border disputes
and removal of encroachment. • Education
and Health-reforms as required to preserve
the identity of the people of Assam and
benefits. • Agricultural and Rural Development.
• Land and Natural resources-including right
of natives to the land, flood control and
management • Industrial Growth-Development
of infrastructure, removal of transport
bottleneck, development of entrepreneurial
skill and efficiency in labour, availability
of credit, infusion of capital-leading to
industrial take off and right to engage
in specific relationship with foreign countries
for promotion of mutual trade, commerce
and cultural relationship. • Restoration,
protection, preservation and spread of indigenous
culture of Assam in all its variety. • Amnesty,
re-integration and rehabilitation of ULFA
members and affected people. • August 10:
The Government of India has made it clear
to all the militant groups talking to it
that there would be no further division
of Assam. Highly-placed sources in the Ministry
of Home Affairs (MHA) tells that though
several militant groups including the National
Democratic Front of Boroland (P) have been
demanding creation of separate states, the
Government is against further division of
Assam.
August 23: According
to an estimate of the Home Ministry, there
are 79 insurgent groups including splinter
factions, which are active across six northeastern
States. A detailed list of the militant
outfits furnished by Minister of State for
Home Affairs M Ramachandran in the Lok Sabha
reveals that Manipur has the highest number
of 50 active militant outfits in the region
including 22 valley-based and 27 hill-based
outfits. One militant outfit, Kangleipak
Communist Party (KCP) has 12 factions, while
Kuki National Front has four factions. While
Assam has five active militant outfits including
ULFA, NDFB, DHD, UPDS and KLO, neighbouring
Meghalaya has nine insurgent outfits. In
Arunachal Pradesh, apart from the two factions
of NSCN, another militant outfit, National
Liberation Front of Arunachal has reared
its head in the State. Barring Sikkim, rest
of all the northeastern States are now affected
by militancy. Mizoram now has three militant
groups including Hmar Peoples Convention
(HPC D), Hmar National Liberation Front
(HNLF) and Kamatapur Liberation Organisation
(KLO). Nagaland and Tripura have six and
three militant outfits respectively.
September 3: A tripartite
agreement for suspension of operations (SoO)
is signed between the central government,
Assam government and the ULFA in New Delhi.
The Government of India was represented
by the Joint Secretary (North-East), Ministry
of Home Affairs, Shambhu Singh, while Government
of Assam was represented by the Home Commissioner
Jishnu Barua and Addl. Director General
of Police Khagen Sharma. ULFA was represented
by Shashadhar Chaudhuri, Chitraban Hazarika
and Raju Barua. The period for ceasefire
has not been specified and the SoO would
continue. ULFA has agreed to confine their
cadres to the designated camps but they
requested the Centre to re-christen them
as ‘Naba Nirman Kendras’. The ground rules
also talk about banning on collection of
taxes and extortion.
September 23: Dimasa
militant outfit, Dima Halam Daogah, decides
to climb down from its demand for an autonomous
state and settle for a territorial council
instead. This was informed by DHD chief
Dilip Nunisa, who also said that the outfit
is preparing its design for the proposed
territorial council that it wishes to present
at the final round of talks in New Delhi
by the second week of October.
September 25: According
to media reports, quoting intelligence sources,
the anti-talk ULFA chief Paresh Baruah invested
millions of US dollars in several Bangladeshi
companies having interests in real estate,
shipping, textile, power and medical care.
In a classified report, security agencies
also said he receives USD 1.5 million every
quarter as remittances from these businesses
and an additional USD 5,00,000 every quarter
through Western Money changer from other
sources. The report said Baruah invested
USD 14 million in three Dhaka-based real
estate firms — Basundhara Real Estate, Eastern
Housing Project and Jamuna Group Housing
Project — in the name of one Karujjaman,
a London-based businessman. In Basundhara
Real Estate, Baruah invested USD seven million,
which is 17 per cent of the company’s total
share. While in Eastern Housing Project
Baruah invested USD four million, which
is nine per cent of the total share, in
Jamuna Group Housing Project the ULFA leader
invested USD three million, which is two
per cent share of the company. The report
was prepared following a three month-long
investigation on Baruah’s illegal transactions
and business activities in Bangladesh. Baruah,
against whom an Interpol red corner notice
is pending, owns 30 per cent share (USD
two lakh investment) in Samrita Hospital,
30 per cent share (USD 1.7 million) in Kasem
Textile, 30 per cent share (USD 2.5 million)
in Chowdhury Shipping and 40 per cent share
(USD one lakh) in Dhaka’s famous Chinese
restaurant Wimfray in the pseudo name of
Jumen, a resident of Dubai, the report said.
The ULFA leader also owns 12 per cent shares
(Investment of USD two lakh) in Samit Group,
a power utility company in the name of Sishir
Chowdhury, a Tokyo-based businessman. Baruah
also owns 15 per cent share (USD 1.5 million)
in One Group Dilkusha.
October 25: Formal round
of political dialogue between ULFA and the
government takes place in New Delhi. Tripartite
talks were held between ULFA, the central
government and the government of Assam on
the basis of the charter of demands submitted
by the outfit. The meeting was held under
the chairmanship of Union Home Secretary
RK Singh. After the talks, the Home Ministry
in a formal communication stated that the
Government of India representative has been
requested to hold meetings with the Chief
Secretary, Assam and ULFA leaders on their
demands regularly. ULFA leaders told that
this round of talk was limited on fixing
the agenda for the political dialogue with
the Government of India.
November 23: The anti-talk
faction of the ULFA announces its new 16
member central committee headed by Dr Abhijit
Barman, who will be the acting chairman,
while, the commander in chief Paresh Baruah
will also be the acting vice chairman of
the outfit. Paresh Baruah has got the additional
responsibility and his rank in the outfit
has been upgraded from "colonel" to "Major
General". The new committee was formed in
the mobile military headquarter of the outfit.
• As per the list, senior ULFA member Jiban
Moran will be the assistant general secretary
and acting finance secretary while, Drishti
Rajkhowa and Bijoy Das will be the deputy
commander in chief. Michael Deka Phukan
and Partha Gogoi will be the assistant finance
secretaries, while, Montu Saikia, Nayan
Medhi, Salim and Azhar Ali will be the assistant
organizing secretaries. Samiran Bhuyan,
Sagar Topno and Jyotirmoy Bharali would
be the assistant cultural secretaries and
Arunodoi Dohotiya will be the assistant
publicity secretary. Dr Pranmoy Asom will
be the assistant foreign secretary of the
outfit.
November 25: Karbi insurgent
outfit United People’s Democratic Solidarity
(UPDS) signs peace accord with the Centre
and Assam Government, paving the way for
restoration of peace in the troubled hill
district. The Centre declared a package
worth over Rs 2000 crore, while the new
set-up would be rechristened as ‘Karbi Anglong
Autonomous Territorial Council’ (KAATC).
• The agreement was signed in the presence
of Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, Assam
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and the visiting
UPDS delegation. UPDS chairman Longsodar
Senar, general secretary Haren Singh Bey
and two joint secretaries, Kanjan Terang
and Surya Rongphar, and self-styled C-in-C
Anil Teron signed the accord, while State
Home Secretary Jishnu Barua and Joint Secretary
(NE) Shambhu Singh signed it on behalf of
the State Government and the Centre respectively.
Other top Assam government officials, including
DGP Sankar Barua and Additional DG (SB)
Khagen Sarma, and 16 members of the UPDS
took part in the agreement-signing function.
• The main points of the accord are: • 39
additional subjects will be transferred
to the new Karbi Anglong Autonomous Territorial
Council. • There will be a total of 50 members
in the council, in which 44 will be elected
and the rest six will be nominated. • The
council will prepare its annual budget,
and the state government will approve it.
• Funds under the Central Government’s special
package will be directly received by the
council. • New appointments for different
departments under the council will now be
made by the council itself, except for a
few posts. • A special economic package
of Rs 350 crore over and above the Plan
fund over the next five years will be provided
to the council. • The UPDS has been asked
to surrender their weapons and disband the
militant outfit within a month in view of
the approaching elections to the council.
The accord, however, has proposed that rehabilitation
of UPDS cadres, withdrawal of cases relating
to heinous crimes shall be reviewed case
by case according to existing policy for
withdrawal of such cases. • The accord also
proposes setting up of village councils
for boosting democratic process at the grassroots
level. State Finance Commission (SFC) has
been proposed for consideration of higher
fund allocation to the council to undertake
viable activity. The Centre has inserted
a clause proposing strict adherence to established
norms of financial management and proper
audit of the accounts. • Special measures
for socio-economic, education, health and
cultural development have been promised
by the Centre. • Improvement of road connectivity,
water supply and supply of power in Karbi
Anglong district under existing schemes,
besides providing one-time grant for capacity
building in KAATC for preparation of DPR
have also been proposed.
2010
January 1: Chief Minister
Tarun Gogoi says that the spontaneous participation
of the people in successive polls over the
years was a clear mandate against a sovereign
Assam. “Discussing sovereignty is
out of question, and the people have also
rejected the idea. We are ready to hold
talks on every other issue,” Gogoi
said at a press conference.
January 5: Top Bodo leaders strongly
condemn the killing of Leelavati Daimary,
a subject teacher of Horisinga Higher Secondary
School and elder sister of NDFB (anti-talk
faction) chairman Ranjan Daimary.
January 7: Bangladesh and India will
ink three key agreements, including a crucial
pact to combat terrorism, during Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina’s landmark three-day
tour from January 10, said Dipu Moni, the
Foreign Minister of Bangladesh. “Three
treaties will be signed during the visit
(and) these are agreement on mutual legal
assistance on criminal offences, agreement
on the transfer of sentenced persons and
agreement on combating international terrorism,
organised crime and illegal drug trafficking,”
Dipu Moni told reporters. She said the two
neighbours are also set to sign a memorandum
of understanding (MoU) on power swapping.
January 7: After 30 years of absence
from service NF Railway sacks ULFA C-in-C
Paresh Baruah by issuing a formal notification.
He was appointed in the sports quota but
he remained absent from duty since he joined
the ULFA in 1979, according the Railways.
January 7: The ULFA reiterates that it
would hold only political dialogue with
the Centre on the issue of ‘sovereignty’
of Assam. Stating that talks could not be
held so long as ULFA leaders were in chains,
the ULFA, in the latest edition of its mouthpiece
Swadhinata, criticized the ‘colonial’
government, Delhi for considering the ULFA’s
willingness for political negotiations on
‘sovereign Asom’ as an weakness
of the outfit and undermining the sentiments,
hopes and aspirations of people of Assam
through military action.
January 12: The State Cabinet constitutes
a Cabinet Committee to study the demand
for changing the nomenclature of the North
Cachar Hills district. According to official
sources, the Cabinet Committee comprising
Dinesh Prasad Goala, Himanta Biswa Sarma
and Khorsing Ingty has been directed to
submit its report within 30 days.
January 13: On the issue of handing over
top ULFA and NDFB leaders, Prime Minister
of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina says India
and Bangladesh are working on an Extradition
Treaty.
January 13: The Government of China is
yet to extend cooperation to India to prevent
militant groups of the Northeast region
from procuring weapons from that country,
while, reports of frequent visits of the
militant leaders to China has also become
a matter of serious concern. Highly placed
official sources told The Assam Tribune
that the Government of India has took up
the issue with the Chinese Government and
expressed its concern over the developments.
But so far, the Chinese Government has not
taken any step to prevent the menace. The
Government of China on the other hand has
denied the fact that the militant groups
are procuring weapons from that country.
January 13: The uncertainty surrounding
the peace talks with the United Peoples’
Democratic Solidarity (UPDS) is likely to
disappear by mid-February, the tentative
date fixed for holding the next round of
parleys with the Centre. According to a
top leadership of UPDS, staying at a designated
camp, it would not compromise on the four
revised parameters it had framed and placed
before the Government of India to facilitate
signing of an accord with the Government
aimed at ensuring permanent peace in Karbi
Anglong district. The four basic parameters
sent by the outfit are – 1. Granting self-rule
in the hill district 2. Putting in place
a mechanism to ensure direct funding from
the Centre without any involvement of the
State government 3. Control over the functioning
of officers and bureaucrats in the district
4. Protection of land and natural resources.
January 18: India turns its focus on
Myanmar to flush out the militants operating
from that country as the issue is on top
of the agenda of the three-day Home Secretary
level talks slated to take place in Nay
Pyi Taw from January 19. The two countries
would be also mulling sealing of the entire
370 km of the international border in Manipur
sector following pressure of the Congress-ruled
State Government. Currently only 10 km of
the international border in Moreh sector,
is proposed to be sealed.
January 18: The outlawed United Liberation
Front of Asom (ULFA) pledges that their
jailed leaders would not jump parole if
freed from prison to facilitate peace talks
with the government. “Let me assure the
government and the people of Assam that
if released on parole we shall never betray
the trust... we shall not flee,” jailed
ULFA vice chairman Pradeep Gogoi told journalists
while being taken to the Gauhati Medical
College and Hospital. Gogoi’s reaction follows
reports that the Assam Government was contemplating
granting parole to at least eight top jailed
ULFA leaders to facilitate peace talks,
but New Delhi is apprehensive that the rebel
leaders might jump parole and go underground.
January 19: In its mouthpiece Freedom
the ULFA states its opinion against autonomy
which, it feels, will only divide the State.
The outfit hit out at the State Government
for its failure to punish the “secret killers”.
The ULFA mouthpiece also states that the
outfit would continue to attack the BSF,
CRPF, ITBP, CISF, SSB, BRO and other security
forces.
January 24: At a three-day Home Secretary-level
talks between India and Myanmar which concluded
in Myanmar capital Nay Pay Taw on Thursday,
Myanmar assured that its ruling junta plans
to launch coordinated operations with India
to flush out Northeast militants from its
territories and has promised to help track
down elusive ULFA ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh
Baruah, reports PTI. “Security forces of
India and Myanmar will conduct coordinated
operations in their respective territories
in the next two-three months. The objective
of the operations is that no militant can
escape to the other side after facing heat
in one side,” a Home Ministry official said.
January 27: Under pressure of the State
Government, a reluctant Home Ministry is
mulling framing broad guidelines for negotiations
with the outlawed ULFA. According to sources,
the Home Ministry is likely to convene a
high-level meeting to prepare the modalities
for talks. Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi is
also likely to be consulted.
February 1: The ULFA’s general council
will discuss and take a decision on the
Centre’s offer of talks, arrested vice-chairman
of the banned group Pradip Gogoi said. “The
decision to hold talk can be taken only
by members of the ULFA’s general council,”
Gogoi told reporters.
February 1: Militants using the territory
of Myanmar for years may soon face serious
trouble as India and Myanmar have started
the process of working out modalities for
coordinated operations on both sides of
the international border to trap them. The
dates for launching of such operations are
yet to be finalized. Highly placed official
sources tells The Assam Tribune that during
the recent visit of the Union Home Secretary,
the Government of Myanmar agreed to launch
coordinated operations to flush out the
militants. However, launching of such operations
on both sides of the international border
would require detailed plans primarily because
of the terrain, while the exact location
of the camps and bases of the militants
would have to be identified. Moreover, as
the security forces of Myanmar have very
little presence in the areas where the militants
have managed to establish camps, security
build up would have to be carried out for
launching of such operations.
February 25: Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi
accompanied by the State DGP Shankar Barua
holds a half-an-hour-long meeting with Union
Home Minister P Chidambaram. The meeting
is attended by union Home Secretary G K
Pillai and Joint Secretary (North East)
Navin Verma. The meeting reviews the prevailing
situation in the State with the Centre and
the State Government exchanging notes on
the peace process with various militant
groups particularly ULFA. The Centre appraised
the State Government about the likely crackdown
in neighbouring Myanmar soon. After the
meeting, the Chief Minister told newsmen
that though they have received positive
indications from another group of ULFA men,
Paresh Barua’s group is yet to respond.
The idea is to involve a substantial number
of ULFA militants in the talk process,”
he said. The strategy is to wait for the
crackdown in Myanmar, ULFA’s last
remaining bastion abroad, after which the
Government would be in a better bargaining
position
March 4: The Centre clarifies that it
has not received any formal request for
peace dialogues so far at the organizational
level from the ULFA. Sources in the Home
Ministry has disclosed that at least one
round of meeting between top officials and
the ULFA leaders were held in the jail premises.
The ULFA leaders have been advised to draft
its charter of demands.
March 16: ULFA hoists a flag of the outfit
on the occasion of the ‘Military Day’
of the outfit unfurled their flag near the
Swahid Bedi at Mangaldai College. The flag
was reportedly fluttering till 8:45 am and
the police had no information on it prior
to the arrival of media persons in the college.
March 28: According to sources, India
along with Myanmar is planning a joint military
action against Northeast militants.
March 29: According to an official statement
made by the Forest Minister of Assam Rockybul
Hussain, out of the active militant groups,
the ULFA has a strength of 875 cadres, while
the anti-talk faction of the NDFB has 225
cadres, AANLA has 30 cadres, Kuki Revolutionary
Army (KRA) has 40 cadres, Hmar People's
Convention- Democracy (HPC-D) has 50 cadres,
MULTA has 110 cadres and Assam unit of the
Harkat-ul-Mujaheedin has 45 cadres. The
Minister said that two outfits, Bircha Commando
Force (BCF) and Adivasi Cobra Force (ACF),
are in suspension of operation with the
State Government and two others- BW and
KLNLF laid down arms to join the mainstream.
March 31: The report of the National
Investigation Agency (NIA) that had probed
the alleged involvement of public servants
of NC Hills district in misappropriation
of government funds and their criminal misconduct,
is tabled at the State Assembly. In the
report, the NIA noted that the funds allocated
to several departments for the purpose of
providing safe drinking water, roads, and
social security schemes were defalcated
and transferred, retarding seriously the
development of NC Hills. The NIA report
mentioned that the ‘benefits’
given by contractor Jayanta Kumar Ghosh
to Mohit Hojai — the then chief executive
member (CEM) of the NC Hills Autonomous
Council (NCHAC) who was elected as CEM “on
the specific instructions of Niranjan Hojai,
the ‘c-in-c’ of DHD (J) in furtherance
to a criminal conspiracy to fulfil the illegal
demands of the terrorist outfit –
included Rs 15-20 lakh for a flat in Ganeshguri
(Guwahati) around a year back, about Rs
25-30 lakh at one time in 2009, and Rs 13
lakh for social welfare work. The ‘benefits’
to Prakanta Warisa by Ghosh included Rs
15-20 lakh in instalments of Rs 1-2 lakh,
and Rs 10 lakh for PHE work. The ‘benefits’
to Depolal Hojai, the predecessor of Mohit
Hojai, from Ghosh comprised a Ford Endeavour
vehicle (Rs 20-22 lakh) in May-July-2008,
a pistol in Kolkata (Rs 15 lakh) against
a receipt of only Rs 1.5 lakh or Rs 70,000,
a Goa-Mumbai trip before Puja 2008 and another
Kashmir trip before Puja-2008, necklace
etc., for Hojai’s wife, and Rs 40-50
lakh for PWD works in 2008. The report said
that government funds worth crores of rupees
of several departments such as PWD, PHE,
Social Welfare, DRDA, Agriculture and Soil
Conservation were misappropriated and pocketed
by council members, government servants
and contractors. “A large part of
the funds also reached the DHD (J) as part
of the criminal conspiracy.” The details
of the arrests made and the present status
in this connection are: Phojendra Hojai
(on bail), Babul Kemprai (on bail), Mohit
Hojai (in judicial custody), RH Khan (on
bail), Jewel Garlosa (judicial custody),
Ashringdao Waris (judicial custody), Samir
Ahmed (judicial custody), Vanlachhana (judicial
custody), Malaswmkimi (judicial custody),
George Lawmthang (judicial custody), Niranjan
Hojai (absconding), Jayanta Kumar Ghosh
(judicial custody), Debashis Bhattacharjee
(judicial custody), and Sandip Ghosh (judicial
custody). The report noted that the ASDC
party was elected to power in the council
in 2007 in alliance with the BJP. “The
ASDC had the tacit support of the DHD (J)
and Depolal Hojai became the CEM. Depolal
Hojai was not able to fulfil the illegal
demands of the DHD (J) regarding supply
of funds for procurement of arms and for
carrying out the terror activities which
was not liked by the DHD (J) leadership.
In furtherance to the criminal conspiracy,
on 26.11.08, Mohit Hojai was elected as
CEM on specific instructions of Niranjan
Hojai…”
April 2: According to an MHA statement,
Manipur continues to be the hotbed of insurgency
followed by Assam as 150 violent incidents
have been reported in the two States in
first three months of 2010, claiming 100
lives.
April 7: According to an official spokesman
of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Government
of India decides that it will not enter
into dialogue with splinter groups or any
other new outfits and breakaway factions
or accept their laying down of arms in a
public function. Such cadres can, however,
surrender as per the provisions of the Surrender-cum-Rehabilitation
Policy, it was stated.
April 7: In Guwahati Bangladesh High Commissioner
to India, Tariq Ahmed Karim said, "The
world has seen our resolve to fight terrorism
and India has acknowledged it at the highest
level. We shall not allow any terrorist
act against India to be carried out from
our territory."
April 8: The Union Government states that
it will not enter into any kind of dialogue
with splinter militant groups operating
in the Northeast nor accept their laying
down of arms in a public function.
April 9: According to the State election
commissioner, the overall estimated turnout
was 75 per cent and repolling was ordered
in 16 of the 2,685 polling stations in the
40 Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) seats.
April 11: A fresh effort to get ULFA and
the government to the talks table is publicly
launched with an 11-member group of “conscious
and concerned” citizens ready with
a set of “skeletal ideas” for
ratification by an-all Assam convention
at Guwahati on April 24. The objective of
the group is to disentangle certain contentious
issues through a broad consensus at the
convention, finalise the proposals and submit
the same to both parties to start talks
for restoration of normality by May.
April 11: Union Home Minister P Chidambaram
said: “Our efforts are on to bring
Paresh Baruah to the table for talks. However,
nothing can be said with certainty so long
as Paresh Baruah is at large.” Gogoi,
on the other hand, has engaged his close
confidante Himanta Biswa Sarma to do the
spadework for peace talks with the ULFA
leaders who are now in jail or on bail,
intelligence sources said. According to
intelligence sources, the Assam Government
has already asked ULFA chairman Arabinda
Rajkhowa and Vice-president Pradip Gogoi
to prepare a list of their demands that
are within the Constitution of India before
the initiation of peace talks.
April 12: According to official sources,
the Assam Government spends around INR 7.59
million a month for the 4,006 militant cadres
who have been staying in various designated
camps in the State.
April 19: ULFA 'commander-in-chief' Paresh
Barua rejects the peace initiative taken
by the newly formed Citizen's Forum. He
states that the outfit would never compromise
on its demand for sovereignty.
April 20: According to Dr Hiren Gohain,
President of the Preparatory Committee for
All Assam Convention for Revival of Talks
between Government and the ULFA, the ULFA
'commander in chief' should wait until conditions
are suitable for a meeting of the central
committee in a situation free from constraints
before rushing to the press.
April 20: The Assam Chief Minister Tarun
Gogoi in New Delhi says that the Government
will not wait "indefinitely" for
elusive ULFA military 'chief' Paresh Baruah
to come for talks but expects "some
good news" in the next few days.
April 21: In an e-mail to the newly floated
Citizen's Forum's leader Hiren Gohain, the
ULFA 'commander-in-chief' Paresh Barua says,
"There is no question of talks without
the issue of sovereignty on the agenda.
Agreeing to hold talks without the sovereignty
issue would be like surrendering to the
colonial forces".
April 21: According to Raju Barua, the
'deputy commander-in-chief' of the ULFA,
it was the central committee of the outfit
that was empowered to take a decision in
a free and fair atmosphere on holding peace
talks with the Government of India.
April 22: The Union Government clarifies
that no formal request for release of the
ULFA leaders from jail has been received
by Assam Government.
April 22: In an e-mail statement, Paresh
Barua criticizes some intellectuals of the
State for having failed to understand the
ULFA's ideology.
April 22: The Assam Public Works (APW)
criticizes Paresh Baruah for being a stumbling
block to the peace process in Assam.
April 30: Union Home Secretary GK Pillai
states that Centre is waiting for a nod
from Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi to start
dialogue with outlawed ULFA – with
or without Paresh Barua. The discussions
are on between the State Government and
Central Government. “We are waiting
for a response from the Chief Minister of
Assam. We would be initiating the talks
with or without Paresh Barua,” said
Pillai. Pillai’s response also confirms
that Centre has endorsed the Chief Minister’s
line on holding dialogue with ULFA.
May 4: The steering committee formed by
the April 24 Sanmilita Jatio Abhibartan
(United National Convention) says that the
ULFA central committee could only decide
whether or not the militant outfit would
sit with the Government of India for negotiation
without its commander-in-chief Paresh Barua.
Moreover, it is also up to the central committee
of the militant outfit to take a decision
on whether or not the issue of sovereignty
would be there on the agenda of the outfit’s
negotiation with the Union Government. He
clarified that it did not necessarily mean
that the issue of sovereignty should be
on the agenda of discussion. But, there
should not be any bar to bringing it up.
Dr Gohain also said that the steering committee
was not slapping any pre-condition for the
negotiation. It has raised the matter of
release of the arrested ULFA leaders being
guided by sanity. It should not be read
otherwise, he said. Besides, he said, the
steering committee or the April 24 convention
for that matter, had not asked for rescinding
the legal process against the arrested ULFA
leaders.
May 25: Union Home Minister P Chidambaram
says that Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi would
take decisions on peace talks with the ULFA
— when, with whom and how— and
that the Centre would extend all help towards
that end. He said that security offensive
would continue in full steam till the militant
outfits lay down arms and surrender. He
said this in Aizawl.
June 3: The All Bodo Students’ Union
(ABSU) revives the demand for the creation
of a separate state of Bodoland and submits
a memorandum to the Union Home Minister,
P Chidambaram in this regard. The ABSU also
demand intervention of the Government of
India for protection of life and property
of the common people of the Bodoland Territorial
Council (BTC) area.
June 4: The Government is awaiting a
response from the banned ULFA after which
the dialogue process with it may evolve,
according to Union Home Secretary GK Pillai.
“I understand that the governing council
of the ULFA was held inside jail a few days
back. They are discussing. We are awaiting
a response and as the response comes the
dialogue process will evolve”. “The
people of Assam want a dialogue to resolve
the issue. If leaders outside indulging
in violence listen to the voice of Assam,
they will come forward for talks,”
Pillai said in an apparent indication that
the government was not averse to dialogue
without the group’s ‘c-in-c’
Paresh Barua.
June 5: Home Secretary GK Pillai says
there was evidence of Maoists establishing
links with insurgents in the Northeastern
region. Thuingaleng Muivah, leader of the
Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist
Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM), has admitted
that the Maoists had approached him. Intelligence
sources said that powerful Naga separatist
group helped the Maoists in arms-smuggling
through Myanmar and Bangladesh. The Maoists
also established links with the banned United
Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and the
Manipur-based People’s Liberation
Army militant outfit.
June 6: Union Home Secretary GK Pillai
says a number of top commanders and leaders
of the outlawed United Liberation Front
of Asom (ULFA) based in Bangladesh and Myanmar
are expected to surrender shortly and join
the peace process. "Paresh Baruah would
be marginalized if he remains adamant and
fails to respect the voices of the people
of Assam," the home secretary said.
June 30: Union Home Minister P Chidambaram
asserts that the detained ULFA leaders could
talk with the government from the prison.
“People in jail can also talk if they
want to,” said the Union Home Minister
in reply to a question about his recent
meeting with the delegation of Sanmilita
Jatiya Abhibartan (SJA) led by Dr Hiren
Gohain.
July 1: The Centre extends the Suspension
of Operation (SoO) Agreement with Dima Halam
Daogah (Nunisa) (DHD-N) faction for a further
period of six months till December 31. The
Suspension of Operation Agreement between
the Centre and the outfit expired on June
30.
August 3: The ceasefire pact among the
Centre, State Government and militant outfit
United People’s Democratic Solidarity
(UPDS) is extended for six months till December
31. Tripartite talks on the demands of UPDS
are continuing. The Centre appoints former
Intelligence Bureau chief P C Haldar as
its interlocutor for talks with UPDS.
August 6: The Court of the Special Judge
NIA, Assam, remands the 12 accused in the
NC Hills Autonomous Council scam to judicial
custody till August 19. According to advocate
Ashim Talukdar (who is representing Niranjan
Hojai, Jewel Garlosa and Samir Ahmed in
the court), 12 of the accused include his
clients RH Khan, Mohit Hojai, and Thoujendra
Hojai. George Langthang, Jayanta Kumar Ghosh,
Sandeep Ghosh, Devasish Bhattacharjee, Maltha
Kimi, are produced before the court by the
authorities and Babul Kemprai who is on
bail, appear before the court himself, while
Samir Ahmed was not produced as he was reportedly
sick. While Jewel Garlosa is lodged in the
Kahilipara Special Jail (quarter no-11),
the rest except Babul Kemprai are detained
in the Guwahati Central Jail.
August 17: The pro-talk DHD (Dima Halam
Daoga) faction is contemplating return to
the life in jungle, says supremo of the
outfit Dilip Nunisa. Talking over telephone,
Nunisa said 1000 plus cadres are now busy
practising martial arts, sword fighting
in the four designated camps where they
were housed for the last seven years. “At
any moment we will pull out ourselves from
the so-called peace process”, warned
Nunisa.
August 17: Leaders of insurgent outfit
KLNLF, now on ceasefire, meets UPA chairperson
Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi and submits a
memorandum demanding autonomy and development
of the twin districts of Karbi Anglong and
NC Hills. Talking to PTI over phone, Karbi
Longri National Liberation Front general
secretary Thong Teron described the meeting
as “positive and an important political
development for the two districts bringing
the hope for self-rule”.
August 18: A KLNLF delegation meets Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh.
August 25: Union Home Minister, P Chidambaram,
calls on the groups – or factions
of groups – that have stayed away
from talks to give up violence and accept
the offer of the Governments to hold talks.
August 25: The growing links between
the CPI-Maoist and some of the militant
outfits of the Northeast region is discussed
in detail in the conference of the DGPs
and IGPs of all the States held in New Delhi.
According to reports, the CPI-Maoist has
openly supported all the "nationality struggles"
including the struggle of the ULFA. Maoists
have started issuing statements supporting
the cause of the ULFA and CPI-Maoist leader
Koteshwar Rao alias Kishenji recently openly
extended support to the ULFA in an interview.
August 26: A team of pro-talk ULFA visits
Charaipung of Sivasagar district. Mrinal
Hazarika, leader of pro-talk ULFA criticizes
the State Government for its failure to
protect the geographical boundary of the
State.
August 27: Assam and Arunachal Pradesh
governments decide that the bunkers erected
by the Arunachal Police in the area between
Charaipung and the Teok river would be removed
immediately. However, both the Assam Police
and Arunachal Police will jointly patrol
the area. The Arunachal Police can have
a patrol party in the Wanchu villages to
instill confidence among the villagers and
similarly, the Assam Police can have patrol
party in the small tea garden areas for
bringing confidence among the small tea
growers, the meeting said in its resolution
on the issue.
August 28: The Assam Government takes
up with the Government of India the issue
of involvement of militants belonging to
the National Socialist Council of Nagalim
(I-M) in creating disturbance in Assam.
Assam Government Spokesman and Health Minister
Himanta Biswa Sarma told The Assam Tribune
that as the NSCN (I-M) is under cease-fire
agreement with the Government of India,
and that the ceasefire agreement with the
NSCN is applicable only in Nagaland and
if any member of the outfit is found to
be indulging in any illegal activity, he
would be treated as any other militant.
August 30: Civil society organizations
of Dima Hasao District organized a massive
rally in Haflong town demanding immediate
steps by the Union Government to resolve
the crisis in consultation with Dilip Nunisa
faction of DHD which has been in truce since
January 2003.
August 30: Members of the All Assam Ex-ULFA
Coordination Committee threatens to take
up arms in protest against the alleged Government’s
failure to implement the proposed rehabilitation
package for the former militants.
August 31: Highly placed security sources
states The Assam Tribune that the security
agencies recently came across information
that ULFA c-in-c Raresh Barua received a
visa to visit China in January 2010 for
a period of six months and the visa was
stamped on the Bangladeshi passport used
by him in the name of Kamrul Zaman.
September 4: DNDF, a new militant outfit,
is formed in the Dima Hasao district to
protect the Dimasa community from the attacks
of the non-Dimasa tribes.
September 12: The personnel of the Rapid
Action Battalion pick up one ULFA member
Tinku Sonowal and roughed him up during
questioning. Security sources as well as
sources close to the ULFA leaders reveal
that the Rapid Action Battalion of Bangladesh
launched a massive crackdown on the militants
in recent times and even took action against
those who provided shelter to the militants.
The ULFA members, who were under pressure
following the arrests of senior leaders
including their chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa
came under tremendous pressure following
the crackdown launched by the Rapid Action
Battalion and decided to return to the State
as their security was at stake.
September 24: At a meeting of the coordination
committee of former ULFA cadres is held
at Nagaon in which representatives of 18
district committees participate, the former
ultras states that altogether 7,642 ULFA
cadres surrendered between 1997 to 2005.
At the time of surrender, the Government
promised to withdraw pending cases against
them and give them employment opportunities,
but nothing has come out of it. The peeved
pro-talk ULFA cadres submitted a memorandum
to the Governor in August. They demand was
withdrawal of the pending cases, appointment
in government jobs according to their qualifications
and by considering their age or a grant
of Rs 3 lakh to start new ventures for earning
their livelihood.
September 26: According to official sources
of The Assam Tribune, the Centre has not
opposed the idea of granting safe passage
to the ULFA members who want to come for
talks. But the State government is yet to
send any formal proposal to the Centre in
this regard.
September 26: One anti-talk KLNLF cadre
is killed at Napaghat under Dokmoka PS in
encounter with 5th Rajputna Rifles.
September 26: Hari Barman, a hardcore
ULFA cadre is arrested by the police at
Tengaigaon under Bongaigaon PS.
September 27: The commander in chief of
the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA),
Paresh Barua admits that there are differences
of opinion among the members of the outfit
on the issue of talks with the Government.
Amidst reports of division in the ranks
of the ULFA on the issue of talks, Paresh
Barua today sent an email to the media claiming
that there is no division in the outfit.
Barua alleged that the Government of India
was trying to create division in the ranks
of the ULFA. The Government of India has
been making such efforts since 1991 and
the efforts are still continuing. According
to him, having difference of opinion is
nothing unusual but such differences can
be settled through timely action by the
chairman of the ULFA and other members of
the outfit.
September 27: The Central Government’s
interlocutor for talks with the militant
groups of Assam, PC Haldar meets Chief Minister
Tarun Gogoi at his residence to discuss
various issues relating to the talks with
the militants.
September 28: Central Government’s interlocutor
PC Haldar meets the jailed leaders of the
United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) in
the Central jail in Guwahati for a detailed
discussion on the possibility of initiating
the process of talks. Three more members
of the militant outfit return from Bangladesh
last night bringing the number of those
who came back to the State within this week
to 31.
October 3: The National Democratic Front
of Boroland (NDFB-P) observes the 24th foundation
day of the outfit at Serfanguri designated
camp. The foundation day was also observed
simultaneously at Borbori designated camp
in Baksa district and in Udalguri.
October 6: Senior leaders of the ULFA
start filing bail petitions. Among the jailed
central committee members of the ULFA, two
are already out on bail and if the process
to initiate talks with the outfit progresses
as per expected lines, the other senior
leaders may be bailed out in the days to
come. Official sources pointed out that
the Government cannot directly release the
jailed leaders of the ULFA, but it can facilitate
their release on bail by not opposing the
bail petitions. According to reports, the
deputy commander in chief of the ULFA, Raju
Baruah as well as ULFA adviser Bhimkanta
Buragohain alias Mama have already applied
for bail, while, the cultural secretary
of the outfit, Pranati Deka is likely to
file bail petition.
October 12: Though the Assam Government
is yet to receive any formal communication
from the Centre on the issue of release
of the jailed leaders of the United Liberation
Front of Asom (ULFA), the State Government,
on its own, decides to facilitate the release
of the jailed central committee members
of the ULFA in phased manner by not opposing
their bail petitions. According to official
sources, the Assam Government has already
paved the way for release of three central
committee members of the ULFA—adviser Bhimkanta
Buragohain, deputy commander-in-chief Raju
Baruah and cultural secretary Pranati Deka
by not opposing their bail petitions.
October 19: The National Investigation
Agency (NIA) files the charge sheet in connection
with its case number 02/09 registered u/s
120-B, 121, 121A IPC and u/s 16, 17, 18
and 20 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention)
Act relating to alleged diversion of public
funds for terrorist activities in NC Hills
district. The NIA had taken over the investigation
corresponding to case number 03/09 U/S 120(B)/121/121A
IPC registered with Diyungmukh Police Station
in NC Hills. The charge sheet that was filed
with the Special Court of NIA, Guwahati
named 16 persons as accused, including all
the 13 persons named as accused in the investigation
agency’s earlier charge sheet filed in connection
with NIA case number 01/09, the trial of
which is pending. The names of the 16 accused
include Jibangsu Paul, Golon Daulagupu,
Karuna Saikia, Mohet Hojai, Md Redaul Hussain
Khan, Jewel Garlosa, Ashhringdaw Warisa,
Samir Ahmed, Joseph Mezo, Malsawmkimi, George
Lam Thang, Niranjan Hojai, Jayanta Kumar
Ghosh, Debasish Bhattacharjee, Sandip Kumar
Ghosh and Phojendra Hojai. Jibangsu Paul,
Karuna Saikia and Golon Daulagupu, who are
only three new names have meanwhile been
issued summons to appear before the Court
on November 3,” informed advocate Akhil
Talukdar who appeared on behalf of the accused.
Moreover, the name of Babul Kemprai, one
of the accused in the first NIA case has
been excluded from both the charge sheets.
October 19: According to Chief Minister
Tarun Gogoi, both the Centre and the State
Government are ready for peace talks with
the ULFA in December, initially with the
outfit’s chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa as the
government cannot wait for the ‘commander-in-chief’
of the outfit, Paresh Baruah, indefinitely.
Mr Tarun Gogoi said this in Guwahati after
meeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and
Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on the
peace process with the ULFA.
October 19: In a meeting held at Amola
Bhavan in Kokrajhar, the NDFB (Progressive)
seeks support from the Koch Rajbongshi United
Forum (KRUF), a forum of 11 different organizations
of the Rajbonghsi community, for the creation
of a separate state of Bodoland at a meeting
in Kokrajhar. The meeting was the first
of its kind between the NDFB (P) and KRUF
in which a new route of cooperation and
understanding between the people of the
two communities was discussed.
October 30: A huge cache of arms and ammunition
of the outlawed United Liberation Front
of Asom (ULFA) is recovered from the Shillong
Higher Secondary School in Shillong. From
the seized documents, district police chief
Mawthoh said, it is evidently clear that
the arms and ammunition were hidden as "reserve
weapons" by the ULFA militants. The weapons
have been hidden by Drishti Rajkhowa, the
'second lieutenant' of ULFA, he said.
November
1: Union Home Minister, P Chidambaram backs
Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi stating that
the latter has the liberty to decide on
the timing of the talks.
November
1: The Deputy Chief of the Bodoland Territorial
Council (BTC), Khampa Borgoyari meets the
chairman of the anti-talk faction of the
National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB),
Ranjan Daimary, in Nagaon jail in an attempt
to reduce the differences among different
Bodo groups. Senior leaders of different
other Bodo organizations including vice-president
of the Bodo Sahitya Sabha Bisheswar Basumatary,
president of the Bodo Samaj Rajen Boro,
vice-president of the UDPF Pradeep Daimary
and president of the Bodo People’s Forum
for Peace Initiative Dr Bijoy Daimary were
also present during the hour-long meeting.
The BTC deputy chief spoke to the NDFB chief
after more than a decade as the last meeting
between the NDFB and BLT was held in Shillong
in 1999.
November
2: ULFA commander-in-chief, Paresh Barua
is trying to launch a fresh recruitment
drive to increase the strength of ULFA.
Highly placed police sources said that the
outfit has been able to start the recruitment
drive in the upper Assam districts. However,
sources said that the ULFA has not been
able to recruit large number of youths as
was the case before.
November
3: The Assam Government informs the Ministry
of Home Affairs (MHA) about the involvement
of members of National Socialist Council
of Nagalim (I-M) in illegal activities like
extortion in the State. The matter has also
been reported to the cease-fire monitoring
committee involving representatives of the
Central Government and the militant outfit.
November
4: According to Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi,
the stage is set for signing of a peace
accord with the UPDS.
November
6: The 28th battalion of the ULFA is on
a recruitment drive in Jorhat, Sivasagar,
Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts. According
to intelligence sources, ‘sergeant major’
Rupantar Kakoti is overseeing the recruitment
drive. Sources have also revealed that the
‘area commander’ of the outfit’s Sivasagar
division, Bidyut Baruah, is on an extortion
spree.
November
7: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi states
that peace with the United Liberation Front
of Asom (ULFA) may not start in December.
“We have only expressed our hope to start
the peace process in December. Before the
initiation of peace talks, all jailed ULFA
leaders have to be released on bail, which
we can’t. Though the State Government isn’t
against the release of the jailed ULFA leaders
on bail, it depends on the court.”
November
11: The outlawed ULFA and the embassy of
a South Asian country are said to have paid
Rs 450 crore to higher-ups of the BNP-led
four-party alliance government and intelligence
agencies for safe transshipment of 10 truckloads
of arms seized in Chittagong in 2004. According
to media reports in Bangladesh, detained
former Home Minister Lutfozzaman Babar,
who is on a five-day remand, gave the information
during interrogation at the Malibagh head
office of the Criminal Investigation Department
(CID).
November
11: The Centre decides to launch a massive
crackdown against the anti-talk faction
of NDFB. Joint operations against the Bodo
militant outfit are likely to be started
shortly. The decision was taken at a high-level
meeting chaired by Union Home Secretary
GK Pillai.
2009
January 1: Differences within the National Democratic Front
of Boroland (NDFB)
widened with the outfit expelling former Chief
RanjanDaimary alias DR Nabla
and his “associates”. In a release,
president of the NDFB, B Sungthagra
said that the outfit would have no link with
Nabla and his accomplices.
He pointed out that the recent arrest of one
AjaiBasumatary and
his confessional statements proved that the
former NDFB chairman was involved in the serial
blasts on October 30. He said that the killings
were acts of terrorism and could never be
parts of revolutionary struggle.
January 2: According to reports, the pro-talks group of
the ULFA gives up the demand for sovereignty.
In a press conference held at the designated
camp at Kakopathar,
the pro-talks group leader MrinalHazarika says they would now sit for talks with
the Government within the framework of Indian
Constitution.
January 6: The Centre extends the ceasefire agreement with
the National Democratic Front of Boroland
(NDFB) for a period of six months. However,
the leadership of the NDFB is clearly told
that the Government would be forced to withdraw
it if any of NDFB members is found to be involved
in violation of the ground rules of the ceasefire
agreement.
January 10: The Assam Legislative Assembly passes the Assam
Preventive Detention (Amendment) Act, 2009,
increasing the detention period of any person
hindering the security of the State from
six months to two years. The amendment changed
section 13 of the existing Assam Preventive
Detention Act, 1980. The amendment stated
that a State Government officer, not below
the rank of secretary or district magistrate,
if satisfied, could order detention of any
person with a view to prevent him from acting
in any manner prejudicial to the security
of the state, maintenance of law and order
and also maintenance of supplies and services
essential to the community.
January 12: The Assam Government states in the Legislative
Assembly that eight militant groups, including
the ULFA, KLNLF, Black Widow, AANLA, KRA,
HuM, MULTA and
HPC-D, are active in the State.
January 12: The Justice P.C. Phukan
Commission of Inquiry, probing the ethnic
clashes between Hmars and Dimasas in
the North Cachar
Hills and Cachar Districts in 2003, tables its report in
the State Legislative Assembly. Over 50
people had lost their lives in the conflict.
January 18: The Government of India approves setting up
of 20 anti-terror schools in the country,
of which four will be set up in the State.
Director General of Bureau of Police Research
and Development (BPR&D) K Kaushik
told newsmen here that the Central Government,
apart from providing financial support for
the schools, would also arrange for specialised
training which would be provided by trainers
from CRPF and commando training institutes.
Jan 21: The pro-talk faction of ULFA suffers a setback after
the desertion of a cadre on January 20.
One UdayanBharali escaped
from the designated camp at Kakopathar
with an AK 56 rifle to rejoin ULFA.
January 23: The unlawful activities (Prevention) Tribunal
serves notice to National Democratic Front
of Bodoland (NDFB)
to show cause as to why it should not be
declared as an unlawful association and
why order should not be made confirming
the declaration, said an official press
release.
February 3: The UPDS rejects the new cease-fire ground
rules of the Union Government objecting
to the new clause that its members must
surrender their arms before signing the
cease-fire. The organization decides to
move the Centre for its modification.
February 20: The United Liberation Front of Asom doves, the pro-talks faction of the ULFA,
demands full autonomy for Assam within the framework
of the Constitution. MrinalHazarika, president of the ULFA doves, submits
an 18-point charter of demand to Assam Chief Minister
TarunGogoi, to resolve
the insurgency problem in the state.
February 20: The pro-talk faction of the ULFA asserts
that full autonomy alone is the answer to
the growing ethnic strife and militancy.
Leaders of the pro-talk faction, Mrinal
Hazarika, Jiten Dutta and Prabal Neog, who
submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister,
underscored the need for a change in mindset
of New Delhi, saying that it needed to replace
its policy of ‘coercion, intimidation and
centralization’ with ‘brotherhood, coexistence
and decentralization.’ Acknowledging that
attaining an ‘independent Assam’ is an impossible
proposition notwithstanding its ‘historical
justification’, Hazarika said that the realization
induced the pro-talk faction to strive for
a ‘lasting political solution’ to the vexed
ULFA issue within the ambit of the Constitution
of India. The leaders are in favour of a
federal arrangement in the country, under
which the Centre would control four areas,
i.e., defence, external affairs, finance
and communication. “The rest are to be entrusted
with the States,” they said. The pro-talk
leaders sought to make it clear that apart
from the indigenous populace, all those
who migrated to Assam from different areas
over the centuries and accepted Assam as
their motherland were to be equal partners
in the State’s development process. The
major demands of the pro-talk group included
reserving 70 per cent Assembly seats for
the indigenous, forming a representative
upper chamber in the Assembly, foolproof
security along the Bangladesh border for
thwarting infiltration, deportation of illegal
Bangladeshis on the basis of the Assam Accord,
updating the voters list on the basis of
the citizenship register of 1951, introduction
of inter-State ‘passport’ in Assam, resolving
the inter-state boundary disputes, checking
the perennial floods, reopening of the historic
Stillwel Road and connecting Assam with
South East Asia, facilitating peace talks
with all militant outfits, release of the
four jailed central leaders of the ULFA,
raising a special task force comprising
members of indigenous people for vigilance
among the Bangladesh border, among others.
The pro-talk faction also submitted a memorandum
to the Prime Minister, highlighting the
issues raised by it.
February 21: Ashok Saikia,
senior vice-president of IOT Infrastructure
and Energy Services Limited and son of former
Chief Minister the late Hiteswar Saikia
says that he is ready to act as a mediator
to facilitate a ceasefire and subsequently
a dialogue between the DHD (J) and the Government.
This follows the outfit’s ‘role’
in the release of the four employees of
a sub-contractor of the company kidnapped
by a little-known ultra group, DNLF, from
NC Hills on February 5. According to Saikia,
the DHD (J) intervened in the matter following
an appeal by him, and freed the kidnapped
employees after an ‘encounter’
with the DNLF on February 19. For this ‘help’,
the DHD had set four conditions, i.e., facilitating
a ceasefire, amending Article 244 (A) of
the Indian Constitution for creating a State
within a State in NC Hills, changing the
name of NC Hills to Dima Hasao Raji, and
release of its arrested leader Fiphrong
Dimasa.
March 20: National Democratic Front of
Bodoland (NDFB) appeals to the Centre to lift
the ban on it. “Since we entered into
negotiations in 2005, we have adhered to
the ceasefire ground rules. But negotiations
and ban cannot go together. The ban has
been extended every two years since 1992”,
said NDFB General Secretary GobindaBasumatary.
March 22: The pro-talk group
of the United Liberation Front of Asom
(ULFA) calls upon the people of the State
to vote for the parties which can assure
positive steps for the solution of the burning
problems of Assam.
The group makes it clear that it would not
play any direct role in the ensuing LokSabha polls.
April 7: Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram
rules outpossibility of negotiations with
ULFA. “There will be no quarter taken
or no quarter given. ULFA will be faught.
Yes, there will be setbacks but we will
fight ULFA”, he says reacting to the
blasts on April 6.
April 9: Assam
Chief Minister TarunGogoi says that
some opposition parties are having link
with the proscribed ULFA and the rebel group
is helping them in the current election.
April 28: Accprding
to intelligence sources, 27-28 well trained
Bangladesh Rifles men (mutineers) are imparting
training to ULFA cadres along the Indo-Myanmar
border.
April 30: Union Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta holds meeting in New
Delhi to discuss the security
situation in Assam
and specially the NC Hills district. The
meeting finds that a new Naga group has been operating in NC Hills. The Centre
is also keeping an eye on the Naga
Protection Forum.
May 3: In context of the spurt in violence
in in NC Hills
and Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) areas, the pro-talk
faction of the ULFA, DHD (Nunisa),
Birsa Commando Force and Adivasi
Cobra Militant, in a joint statement, urge
all concerned to desist from fratricidal
violence in the greater interest of the
State and its people. “In the last
30 years the demographic pattern of Assam
changed completely due to the presence of
a large number of foreign nationals, threatening
the identity and existence of the indigenous
people. It is unfortunate that when the
illegal immigrants are exercising their
dominance in the elections, the indigenous
groups are involved in fratricidal wars,
ignoring the fact that they are on the verge
of becoming minority in their own State,”
the organizations stated.
May 5: Centre seeks clarification from
the Assam Government on whether holding
of discussions with the pro-talk faction
of the United Liberation Front of Asom
(ULFA) would lead to solution of the problem.
Again the pro-talk faction of the ULFA warns
that the failure of the Government to carry
forward the peace process would strengthen
the hands of the anti-talk faction of the
outfit. According to The Assam Tribune the
issue of holding talks with the pro-talk
faction of the ULFA was thoroughly discussed
in a meeting convened by the Ministry of
Home Affairs (MHA) in New
Delhi recently to discuss the
law and order situation in Assam,
particularly in North Cachar
Hills. The State Government was of the view
that the Government of India should hold
talks with the pro-talk faction on the basis
of the memorandum submitted by the group,
while, the Centre is yet to take any decision
in this regard. The Army is of the view
that the members of the pro-talk faction
should be treated as surrendered militants
and they should be rehabilitated under the
provisions of the policy formulated by the
Government for the rehabilitation of the
surrendered militants.
May 12: Security sources inform
The Assam Tribune that the NSCN
played a key role in the formation of the
National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB),
while the outfit also maintained links with
Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI)
since the early 1990s. Some vital facts
regarding the NDFB’s links with other
outfits came out during questioning of Daimary
by different agencies in the last few days.
Sources said that Daimary first joined the
Bodo National Front in 1983 and later in
1984, he, along with other persons including
Govinda Basumatary, decided to form the
Boro Security Force and wrote to the leaders
of the NSCN seeking their help. The Boro
Security Force, which was later renamed
as the NDFB, first started a training camp
in the jungles north of Rangapara in Sonitpur
district in 1988 and the NSCN provided them
with some weapons and trainers. In the next
year, the NDFB managed to snatch away some
weapons from the forest guards and police
personnel to increase its strength and the
second batch was trained up in 1992. Ranjan
Daimary met NSCN ((I-M) chairman Issac Swu
for the first time in Kathmandu in 1993
and was sent to Bangladesh to contact some
persons for procurement of sophisticated
weapons. In 1996, the NDFB established contacts
with a clandestine arms dealer of China
and paid an amount of Rs 2 crore in advance
for procuring around 2,000 sophisticated
weapons. However, the security forces of
Bangladesh managed to intercept two of the
fishing trawlers and the NDFB received only
around 400 weapons. These weapons were brought
to Assam from Bangladesh through different
routes through Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram.
Sources said that the NDFB had also procured
weapons from the ULFA. Sources revealed
that Daimary also stayed in the bases of
the NSCN in Thailand for quite some time
and established contacts with some agents
of the ISI in 1993. The ISI provided the
NDFB with some communication equipment,
explosives and timer devices. Daimary even
met a few senior persons of the Pakistan
High Commission in Dhaka in 2004 and he
knew some officials of the DGFI, the intelligence
agency of Bangladesh. The CBI, which probed
into the serial blasts and named Daimary
as the prime accused in the charge sheet,
would seek his custody to question him.
CBI sources said that 19 persons including
Daimary were named in the charge sheet and
seven are already in jail, while, one John
is now in charge of the NDFB camp in Myanmar.
May 13: Sergeant Major B Barbai of Boroland Army
(RanajanDaimary group) in
a release issued to the press at Udalguri
says, “The National Democratic Front
of Boroland (NDFB)
has been fighting for the liberation of
Boroland and Boro
people for the last 22 years. The NDFB will
continue to fight for the liberation of
Boroland for the
right to national self-determination and
independence of the Boro people till it achieves the goal. No surrender,
no retreat.”
May 13: In a meeting convened by the
district administration at Haflong
Circuit house, people from all section and
community unanimously decide to raise their
voice against the bloodshed. According to
the Deputy Commissioner the district administration
has initiated confidence building measures
through organizing peace meets and consultative
meetings with the representatives of all
the communities to restore peace and normalcy
in the violence hit hills district.
May 13: The Greater GuwahatiDimasaKachari Association, Dimasa
Students’ Community (Guwahati),
All Dimasa Students’ Union and Dimasa People’s Council jointly organize a sit-in
demonstration at Dispur
Last Gate against the recent violence in
NC Hills district. The organisations call upon Chief Minister TarunGogoi to take the
necessary steps to bring back peace and
normalcy in the hills district.
May 23: Voluntary organisationMajuli Island
Protection and Development Council (MIPADC)
opposes the proposed move of the State Government
to develop the Majuli
sub-divisional jail into a special jail
for the militants of the State. The State
Government has reportedly proposed to transform
the sub-divisional jail at Garamur in the river island into a special one in
line with the United State-run prison at
Guantamo Bay in
Cuba, alleged the voluntary organisation.
May 25: Union Home Minister, P Chidambaram
issues a stern warning to the DHD (J) militants,
stating that the challenge thrown at the
State would be met. “The DHD (J) has
thrown a challenge to the State, the state
with a big S. “We will respond to
the challenge,” he said.
May 25: The Central Bureau of Investigation
(CBI) files chargesheet
in connection with the October 30 serial
blasts in Assam in the Court of Special
Judicial Magistrate (CBI). According to
The Assam Tribune sources, as many as 19
accused have been named in the chargesheet against six cases filed under different
police stations of the State. Out of
those who are charge sheeted, five have
been detained and 14 are absconding. NDFB
Chief Ranjan Daimary's name also appears
among the list of absconding.
May 26: A high level Central team headed by the Special
Secretary (Internal security) of the MHA
arrives Assam
to review the situation in NC Hills district.
May 27: A high level Central team holds discussions
with the Government of Assam to ensure best
possible use of the available forces to
ensure smooth running of trains in the NC
Hills. About 67 companies of forces are
now operating in the North Cachar Hills district.
May 31:Crackdown
against terrorists in the North
Cachar hills district of Assam begins
and the government is adopting a twin strategy
to block the sources of funds to the ultras
and annihilate them. The Assam government suspends
the North Cachar
Hills Autonomous Council (NCHAC) after the
arrest of the council’s chief executive
member (CEM) MohetHojai for alleged
links with separatist outfits. The District
Council was suspended and the administration
had been brought under the control of Assam
Governor ShivCharanMathur,
which was ‘’equivalent’’
to the President’s rule in the Autonomous
District Council. Army and Para-Military
forces have fanned out to the interior areas
to liquidate the terrorists.
June 4: Senior DHD(J) leader Niranjan Hojai would
be the next chairman of the outlawed militant
outfit, according to sources of The
Sentinel. NiranjanHojai is a nephew
of arrested NC Hills Autonomous Council
CEM MohitHojai.
June 6: DGP Assam Police GM Srivastava discloses
that the DHD (J) is trying to shift its
base to Bangladesh and its self-styled foreign
secretary Frankey Dimasa, who was killed
in the city recently, went to Bangladesh
and met NDFB chief Ranjan Daimary, who promised
to provide camping facilities for around
30 DHD (J) leaders.
July 20: More than 12,000 people displaced by the
ethnic clashes in North Cachar Hills district
are still living in relief camps and the
violence claimed 63 lives since March this
year. This is disclosed by Forest Minister
Rockybul Hussain in response to a zero hour
question by Dr Aditya Langthasa (AUDF) in
the State Assembly.
July 22: Union Minister of State for Home Affairs,
M. Ramachandran says in Rajya Sabha that
commander-in-chief of ULFA, Paresh Baruah
may have moved out of Bangladesh for some
time.
July 22: Union Home Minister, P Chidambaram says
in the Lok Sabha that the DHD(J) may soon
lay down arms to come forward for talks
with the Government.
July 29: Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi says that the
DHD(J) has expressed its desire to come
forward for talks but the Government will
take the final decision in this regard with
consultation with the centre.
Aug 2: KLNLF publicity secretary Rezek Bera says
that the outfit has set September deadline
for the Centre to hold peace talks with
it, failing which, the rebel group will
attack government officials and hindi-speaking
people from October.
August 9: Official sources say that DHD(J) is likely
to come forward for talks with the Government
by August 15 by following the preconditions
set by the Central and State Government.
The militant outfit is in touch with the
Government and has already submitted a list
of its weapons.
August 10: In an article published in the new edition
of the website of the China International
Institute for Strategic Studies (CIISS),
a Chinese strategist contends that Beijing
should break up India into 20-30 independent
states with the help of “friendly countries”
like Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan.
In particular, the article asks Beijing
to support the United Liberation Front of
Assam (ULFA) for it to achieve independence
for Assam from India.
August 11: The Suspension of Operation agreement
between the UPDS and the Centre is extended
for another six months period up to January
31, 2010 at a tripartite meeting among representatives
of the militant outfit, Centre and the Assam
government held at New Delhi.
August 17: In the Conference of Chief Ministers
on internal security, held at New Delhi,
the Prime Minister says that Assam and Manipur
account for most of the violent incidents
reported from the Northeast, with Manipur’s
share being 30 per cent. He also describes
the situation in Assam, Manipur and Nagaland
as worrisome.
August 17: In the Conference of Chief Ministers
on internal security, held at New Delhi,
the Prime Minister says that in Assam, the
Centre had sanctioned Rs.750 crore for development
of the bodo areas but the utilization of
these funds have been unsatisfactory.
August 17: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi says
at the Conference of Chief Ministers on
internal security, held at New Delhi, that
at present Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and
Myanmar have posed as a challenge to the
internal security of the state. He also
says that the unholy nexus that exists between
ULFA, NDFB and the fundamentalists elements
of Bangladesh who have their common mentor
in a foreign intelligence agency, is adding
a new dimension to the internal security
scenario of the State. He says that the
States which share international border
with Myanmar — Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland,
Manipur and Mizoram — are used by the ULFA
and the DHD(J) for their movement as well
as arms transhipment into the State.
August 17: The Central and the state government
are not willing to go ahead with talks with
the DHD(J) unless the entire leadership
of the outfit is present.
August 19: Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi says that
Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba
(LeT) may target the state.
August 20: Highly placed police sources say that
Guwahati city has become a favoured destination
of the members of the Northeast militant
groups and the militant groups of the state
always aim to target the city to gain maximum
mileage.
August 20: The pro-talk faction of ULFA urges for
immediate talks with Dispur to move forward
with the peace process, as the cadres are
getting restless waiting for more than a
year for the talks to begin.
August 22: Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi says that
proper utilization of funds in all government
projects in the state will be evaluated
by non-governmental agencies apart from
the government agencies.
August 23: According to police sources, KLNLF is
ready to deposit arms before the Assam police
in order to enter into a ceasefire with
the government.
August 25: According to a Home department source,
Centre has decided to invite the pro-talk
ULFA faction for talks.
August 25: Bhutan assures India that it would not
allow the militant groups like ULFA and
NDFB to re-establish their bases in their
country.
August 28: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi holds
a meeting of the Unified Command Structure
at Dispur on N.C.Hills situation.
August 29: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi reviews
the situation in the N.C.Hills district
at a meeting with top officials of the district,
army and the CRPF at Haflong. In a recent
press meet in Guwahati, Assam Chief Minister
Tarun Gogoi had set four preconditions for
the DHD-J for ceasefire with the Government.
The preconditions are the outfit should
deposit its arms, give up extortion drives,
its leaders and cadres should stay in the
designated camps and the top leaders of
the outfit should take part in any peace
talks with the Government. The DHD-J is
yet to make its decision public on the preconditions
set by the Chief Minister.
August 30: The Centre asks the State Government
to prepare a roadmap to ensure restoration
of peace in North Cachar Hills district
and the same will be discussed in a meeting
to be chaired by the Union Home Minister
P Chidambaram in New Delhi on September
1.
August 31: The National Investigation Agency (NIA),
probing terror-related cases involving DHD-J,
traces links of dealers supplying arms to
the insurgent outfits to countries like
Myanmar and Malaysia.
September 1: Centre gives DHD-J ultimatum till September
15 to formally surrender after fulfilling
all the pre-conditions. The pre-conditions
are surrendering all their weapons, shifting
to designated camps, putting a halt to all
extortion drives and sending their top leaders
for talks. This is decided in a meeting
held in New Delhi, chaired by Union Home
Minister P.Chidambaram and attended by Assam
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, Chief of the
Army Staff General Deepak Kapoor, National
Security Advisor M.K.Narayanan, Union Home
Secretary G.K.Pillai, Assam Chief Secretary
P.C.Sarma, DGP Assam Police Shankar Barua
and DGPs of Para-military forces.
September 11: The United People’s Democratic Solidarity
(UPDS) agree to deposit all its arms. This
is decided in a joint monitoring group meeting
held at the Special Branch headquarters
in Kahilipara in Guwahati. UPDS is in a
ceasefire with the government since 2002.
September 12: Bangladesh says that ULFA leader Anup
Chetia, living in prison in Bangladesh,
cannot be extradited to India as the proposed
bilateral deal with India for exchange of
prisoners cover only those who are serving
jail terms. Anup Chetia has already completed
his jail term, though he is still held in
the prisons by the authorities.
September 16: Centre decides to hold a separate
conference of DGPs of the North eastern
region in Shillong on October 26, 2009.
The decision to this effect is taken at
the 3-day meet of DGPs and IGPs held in
New Delhi from 14-16 September.
September 20: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA)
decides to establish a fully computerized
regional coordination mechanism with its
hub in Guwahati to improve coordination
between police and security forces to deal
with the problem of militancy.
September 24: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi says
in a press meet in Guwahati that the surrender
of DHD-J is a positive sign for the state
and NC Hills in particular. He also says
that the state government would release
a special development package for NC Hills
and Karbi Anglong, the worst-effected districts
due to militant activities. He also assured
recruitment of the surrendered DHD-J militants
to two battalions through a special recruitment
drive.
September 30: Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram
says that he is unaware of the charter of
demands of the ‘A’ and ‘C’ Companies of
the 28th Battalion of the ULFA. He also
clarified that the Centre is going to talk
only with the entire group and not hold
dialogues with separate factions.
October 1: Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi says that
ULFA is trying to regroup and the anti-talk
faction of the NDFB is still a threat to
the state.
October 7: Home Secretaries and inspector-generals
of police (Intelligence) of the Northeastern
states will meet in Guwahati on October
9 to review the threat from insurgents and
firm up an adequate response.
October 13: The strategy group of the Unified Command
decides to intensify operations against
militants belonging to the anti-talk faction
of the National Democratic Front of Boroland
(NDFB) following the recent killing of 12
innocent persons by the members of the outfit
in Bhimajuli area of Sonitpur district.
October 14: Bangladesh says it has directed its
law enforcement agencies to keep a vigil
to resist any kind of ‘subversive’ activities
by ULFA in that country. According to State
Minister for Home Shamsul Haq Tuku, the
recent activities by the ULFA were part
of conspiracy against the country and the
Government will uproot them.
October 14: According to Union Home Secretary GK
Pillai, there is nothing new about militant
leaders visiting China or other countries.
Anyone can visit China as a tourist by procuring
a visa. Such visits do not pose a threat
to India.
October 14: Union Home Minister P. Chdambaram says
that amendment to the Armed Forces (special
Powers) Act is finalized. “We have made
it clear that insurgent groups in the Northeast
have to give up the demand for secessionism
and lay down their arms and then only we
will talk to them”, he said.
October 18: The Assam Government constitutes a high
level committee headed by the Additional
Director General of Police (Special Branch)
to examine the credentials of the militants
who want to surrender. This move is aimed
at checking the menace of “fake surrenders”,
highly placed official sources said. The
screening committee is comprised of the
Joint Director of the SIB as well as representatives
from the Army, Central Reserve Police Force
(CRPF) and the Border Security Force (BSF).
Oct 20: After a period of 16 long months, the North
Frontier (NF) Railway resumes operation
of the Barak Valley Express and Cachar Express,
regular trains running between Silchar and
Lumding. Both the express trains were cancelled
following regular attacks by Dimasa militants.
October 22: The People’s Committee for Peace Initiatives,
Assam decides to revive the ULFA-Centre
peace process with the help of AICC general
secretary Rahul Gandhi. The committee will
send a delegation to Delhi in November 2009,
according to Birinchi Neog, PCPIA Coordinator.
October 29: The Central government initiates the
first round of formal talks with the pro-talk
faction of the outlawed United Liberation
Front of Asom (ULFA). Leaders of the pro-talk
ULFA faction held nearly an hour-long meeting
with Assistant Director of Intelligence
Bureau RN Ravi at a secret location in Guwahati.
Three leaders of the pro-talk faction -
Mrinal Hazarika, Prabal Neog and Jiten Dutta
- participated in the meet.
October 30: Government of India appoints former
intelligence Bureau (IB) director P.C. Haldar
as interlocutor for talks with three Northeast
militant outfits - Dima Halam Daogah (Jewel),
United People’s Democratic Solidarity and
the pro-talks faction of National Democratic
Front of Boroland.
November 2: Dima Halam Daugh (DHD) leader Dilip
Nunisa tells media that tripartite talks
held in New Delhi October 22, 2009 including
DHD (N), Assam and Central government ended
with promising result, where the government
and DHD (N) on principle agreed to meet
the demands of the organization within the
ambit of the Indian constitution.
November 9: The dawn-to-dusk Assam bandh called
by the banned United Liberation Front of
Asom (ULFA) passes of peacefully, evoking
mixed response. The outfit called the bandh
in 'protest' against the arrest of two of
its top leaders, Sasha Choudhury and Chitraban
Hazarika.
November 17: The National Investigation Agency submits
a chargesheet against 14 persons, including
a woman, in the case involving diversion
of public money to an insurgent outfit in
NC Hills. Those named in the chargesheet
are Phajendra Hojai, Babul Kemprai, Mohit
Hojai, RH Khan, Jewel Garlosa, Ashringdaw
Warissa, Samir Ahmed, Vanlal Chhana, Malsawmkima,
George Lawmthang, Niranjan Hojai, Jayanta
Ghosh, Debasish Bhattacharya and Sandip
Ghosh.
November 19: Former Intelligence Bureau chief P.C.
Haldar, appointed by the central government
as interlocutor for advancing talks with
separatist groups, arrives Guwahati to hold
discussion with the State government.
November 21: The Central Government assures safe
passage for ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa
and C-in-C Paresh Baruah if the top leaders
of the outfit come forward for talks without
any preconditions. The National Security
Adviser (NSA) MK Narayanan discussed the
issue of ULFA talks with noted writer Mamoni
Raisom Goswami on October 2009. He had made
it clear that though the Indian Government
was willing for talks with the ULFA, there
couldn't be any preconditions. The sources
said that the Government is of the view
that the ULFA leaders and cadres based in
India are willing to negotiate, however,
the outfit's leaders based in Bangladesh
are being manipulated by external forces
to avoid talks.
November 23: United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA)
chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa condemns the
blasts in Nalbari town and says that the
blasts are aimed at derailing the peace
process. In a statement sent to the media,
the ULFA chairman said that the blasts were
triggered off by the enemies of the indigenous
people of Assam. He called upon all concerned
including the militant outfits to desist
from killing innocent people and asked the
authorities concerned to pay adequate compensation
to the families of those killed. He also
demanded that the authorities concerned
should provide treatment to those injured
in the blasts.
November 23: Former DGP, Assam GM Srivastava says
that the ULFA is using ‘trap twin blasts’
tactic in recent Nalbari blast, a tactic
used frequently by the militants in Jammu
and Kashmir, while, the Maoist groups also
use the tactic quite often to target security
forces.
November 24: Union Home Minister P Chidambaram expresses
in Rajya Sabha that the Centre is doubtful
about the top ULFA leaders’ willingness
for negotiations. This is based on intelligence
inputs, recent statements made by top leaders
and incidents of violence indulged by the
outfits. The Centre is willing to look into
the demands if the insurgents give up violence,
arms and demand for sovereignty, he says
clearing the Centre’s position. The Centre
will continue to maintain sustained pressure
to ensure that they give up violence. Chidambaram
also confirms that the Nalbari blast on
November 22 was the handiwork of ULFA.
November 24: The Home Minister says that the Centre
is working with the Government of Assam
to see if the A and C companies of ULFA
could be brought to negotiations. The stand
is markedly different from his earlier statement
when he had insisted that the Government
of India was not interested in talking with
separate factions of the same outfit. Stating
that the Government of India was currently
engaged in talks with the pro-talk faction
of the NDFB, he says the Centre was also
willing to look into the demands of the
anti-talk faction if they give up violence
and arms.
November 25: The Central government confirms reports
of insurgents in North-east procuring Chinese
weapons through smugglers located in South
East Asia and in Yunnan province of China.
Minister of State for Home Affairs M Ramachandran’s
statement in Rajya Sabha in reply to a question
by Prakash Javadekar is confirmation of
reports that top ULFA leadership, besides
the NSCN, being involved in gunrunning racket.
December 1: Bangladesh and India finalize the drafts
of three major agreements to enhance formal
bilateral collaboration against law-breakers
of either country. GK Pillai and Abdus Sobhan
Sikder finalized the drafts of agreements
on Mutual Legal Assistance on Criminal Matters,
Transfer of Sentenced Persons and Combating
International Terrorism, Organized Crime
and Illicit Drug Trafficking.
December 2: Union Home Minister P Chidambaram states
in the Rajya Sabha that the Government of
India is expecting the outlawed ULFA to
make a political statement on the issue
of holding talks in the next few days. Barring
Commander-in-Chief Paresh Baruah and Jibon
Moran, India has managed to lay its hands
on all other central committee members.
December 2: Union Home Minister P Chidambaram states
in the Rajya Sabha that he would respond
within 72 hours if the United Liberation
Front of Asom (ULFA) decides to hold talks
with the government.
December 3: Central executive members of the ULFA
including Pradeep Gogoi and Mithinga Daimary
rule out any possibility of peace talks
without Paresh Baruah.
December 3: Chances of United Liberation Front of
Asom (ULFA) commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah
coming for talks by accepting the pre-conditions
laid down by the Government seems remote
as the militant leader calls up Hiranya
Saikia, a member of the People’s Consultative
Group (PCG) to assert that the struggle
for sovereignty of Assam would continue.
Saikia confirmed the phone call and said
that the ULFA C -in-C was very assertive.
“He said that if any member of the outfit
gives up the demand for sovereignty and
come for talks with the Government they
are free to do so. He also asserted that
he would not give up the demand and ideology
of the outfit and is ready to continue the
struggle for which more than 11,000 youths
laid down their lives”.
December 11: The Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) raise
demand for a separate Bodoland State in
the State Assembly. Chief Minister Tarun
Gogoi, rejected the demand outright. The
stand of the State Government was also supported
by the AGP.
December 11: A large number of Ulfa cadres, mostly
supporters of the outfit’s chairman, Arabinda
Rajkhowa, desert their camps in Myanmar
and start moving towards Assam. “A few cadres
have already got in touch our sources, if
not directly with us,” a senior police official
said, adding that the development took place
after the arrest of Arabinda Rajkhowa. It
was because of such a development that a
“fight” broke out between two groups of
Ulfa cadres in a camp along the Indo-Myanmar
border on Monday. A senior cadre of the
outfit, Seema Bora, died while another woman
member, Satyama Bailung, was injured after
a militant fired at them. Seema was from
Ujani Konwar village, the ancestral village
of Rajkhowa, in Sivasagar district.
December 13: The United Liberation Front of Asom
(ULFA) tendered a public apology and sought
forgiveness for triggering an explosion
at the Independence Day parade ground in
Dhemaji in 2004 that killed 14 people, mostly
children and women. “We have now realized
that our statement of disowning the blast
(in 2004) was not true, and hence we seek
an apology from the people of Assam. The
Dhemaji explosion is a dark chapter in our
freedom struggle and till today we are deeply
anguished,” ULFA ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh
Baruah said in a statement e-mailed to The
Sentinel today. The rebel leader admitted
that the ULFA leadership was being misled
by some of their cadres and junior leaders
about the blast. “At that time, those who
triggered the blast told our leadership
that it was a handiwork of government forces.
We believed them and issued a statement
saying the ULFA was not involved in that
bomb blast,” the rebel leader’s statement
said.
December 16: The North Cachar Hill Autonomous Council
(NCHAC) is disqualified by the State Government
on the ground that the Council had been
formed on December 15 without any approval
from the State Chief Secretary. The NCHAC
was formed with Samarjit Haflongbar as Chief
Executive Member (CEM).
December 17: Bhutan says it has no information about
ULFA running any camp in the country but
would take “positive steps” only if India
communicated to it on this issue.
December 30: The People’s Committee for Peace Initiatives
in Assam (PCPIA), an umbrella body of 28
different organizations of Assam, decides
to hold citizens’ meets in all the district
headquarters of Assam to mobilize public
opinion in favour of political dialogues
for solution of the issues raised by the
United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA).
The chief coordinator of the PCPIA, Dilip
Patgiri said that the process of holding
of citizens’ meets is likely to be completed
by January, which will be followed by a
state level convention.
2008
January 31: A six-member delegation of the DHD led by its Chairman DilipNunisa held parleys
with Union Home Minister ShivrajPatil to end the
stalemate in the ongoing peace talks. Nunisa
renewed the demand for carving out a Dimaraji
state out of North Cachar
Hills and KarbiAnglong districts
of Assam
and Dimapur district
in Nagaland.
February 22: Central Government extends the ceasefire with
Assam's KarbiAnglong-based
militant outfit United People's Democratic
Solidarity (UPDS) for another six months till
July 31, 2008.
March 5: In order to bring insurgency and violence under
control in Bodoland
area, HagramaMohilary, chief
of BTC appealed to RanjanDaimary, chief of NDFB to come for talks with
him in the greater interest of peace in the
region.
March 24: The Black Widow declared a unilateral cease-fire
for a period of three months.
March 29: The Sentinel reported that a new militant outfit,
identified as Bodoland
Royal Tigers Force, has been formed in the
Bodoland area.
March 31: The chief of the Bodoland
Territorial Council (BTC), HagramaMohilary, withdrew his talks offer to RanjanDaimary, ‘chief’
of the NDFB.
April 2: Justice (Retd) R K Manisana Singh Commission of Inquiry into the
November 24, 2007 Beltola
incident has said in its report that there
was a prima facie case of conspiracy amongst
some of the Adivasis
at the instigation of the AANLA (All Adivasi
National Liberation Army) behind that incident.
The State Government tabled the report of
the Commission before the State Assembly.
April 5: The DimaHalamDaogah (DHD)
called upon the Central and State Governments
to expedite the peace process and to come
out with a proposal for the political solution
of the problems as soon as possible. As reported
in The Assam Tribune, the chairman of the
DHD, DilipNunisa
said that the cadres of the outfit are frustrated
over the delay in solution of the problems
through peaceful means. He pointed out that
a series of talks were held between the Government
and the DHD since 2003, but till date, no
solution is in sight.
April 7: The United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) reiterated the demand for a plebiscite
on the issue of sovereignty of Assam and said that both
the Government of India and the ULFA should
be ready to accept the result of the same.
In a statement released to the media through
e-mail on the occasion of the foundation day
of the ULFA, the Chairman of the outfit, ArabindaRajkhowa said that
there are two ways of resolving the conflict
and one of those is a plebiscite and the second
is holding of political dialogues on the issue
of sovereignty of Assam.
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