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Rediff.com  » News » Indian Army failed to contain us, says ULFA

Indian Army failed to contain us, says ULFA

By K Anurag in Guwahati
Last updated on: June 02, 2008 18:32 IST
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Even as the Indian Army wants the imposition of tougher laws in support of the counter-insurgency operations against the banned United Liberation Front of Asom, the insurgent group has termed the move, 'a reflection of the failure of the Army' in demoralising and neutralising ULFA members despite its prolonged operations in Assam.

The ULFA in the latest issue of its mouthpiece Freedom, a soft copy of which has been circulated among the media in Guwahati, said, 'The demand of the General-Officer Commanding of the 4 Corps of the Indian Army for stringent laws to facilitate longer jail terms for apprehended ULFA members, has only exposed the utter failure of the Indian forces to contain ULFA's struggle for restoration of sovereignty of Assam.'

The GOC, Lieutenant General B S Jaswal during an interaction with the media at Tezpur Army base in North Assam on May 28 asked for more stringent laws that would ensure longer jail terms for arrested ULFA members so that 'recycling' of jailed members to the ranks of the ULFA could be checked in the interests of effective neutralisation of the insurgent group.

The Army officer claimed to have neutralised a total of 2030 ULFA militants during the year 2007 and 2168 ultras till May this year. This includes killing of 136 ULFA ultras in the year 2007 and 53 more till May this year. The rest of the neutralised ultras included those who have surrendered or apprehended during the period.

The ULFA further said that the 'colonial Indian forces' were getting frustrated as they have failed to create any rift in the outfit by demoralising its senior leaders who have been kept behind bars for years after years.

In view of the Army's demand for stringent laws to deal with apprehended ULFA members, the militant group made light of the Indian Army's 'often much trumpeted claim to have broken the back bone of the ULFA'. 'Why is the Government of India keeping such a huge force of its troops in Assam for counter-insurgency operation if the Army has really broken the back bone of the ULFA?' the militant group wondered.

The ULFA said the clamour for imposition of tougher laws against its members was in no way going to help find a political solution to 'the Assam-India conflict' through dialogue. The insurgent group said if the use of force could have solved the conflict, Indian Army could have already tasted grand success in its fight against the ULFA.

The proscribed militant group has blamed the 'conspiracy of Indian colonial rulers' for the present ethnic unrest and growing conflicts among different ethnic groups in Assam and other parts of the region.

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K Anurag in Guwahati