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08/11/2005: "Manmohan calls for dialogue to end Naga grievances"

Manmohan calls for dialogue to end Naga grievances Indo-Asian News Service
New Delhi, Aug 11 (IANS) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Thursday welcomed the end of a 50-day highway blockade by Naga students that had triggered an acute shortage of food and medicines in Manipur, and appealed for dialogue. In a press statement, the prime minister appealed to all groups and parties to settle grievances -- perceived and real -- through dialogue and discussion, in a peaceful manner and "in a spirit of mutual understanding and accommodation".

Manmohan Singh lauded the All Naga Students Association of Manipur and other organisations for voluntarily lifting the blockade from Wednesday in view of the difficulties faced by citizens and the sentiments expressed by himself and Home Minister Shivraj Patil. The Nagas in Manipur want areas inhabited by them to be merged with Nagaland to create Greater Nagaland, a homeland being sought by the Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM), a rebel group that is engaged in peace talks with the central government. The Manipur government and the state's majority Metei community have rejected the Naga demand. --Indo-Asian News Service
India-Assam-Naga POL Angry Nagas end 50-day old blockade in northeastern India Islamic Republic News Agency
Guwahati, Aug 11 - Tribal Naga groups Wednesday decided to lift a 50-day old highway blockade that triggered acute shortage of food and medicines in the northeastern Indian state of Manipur. Several Naga student groups had called the highway blockade beginning June 20, preventing trucks carrying essentials from entering Manipur, reports IRNA correspondent. All vehicles from the rest of India have to pass through Nagaland and Assam to reach Manipur.
"We have decided to lift the blockade to facilitate talks with the Manipur government for meeting our demands," Naga Students Federation leader P. Aomi told IRNA by telephone at Nagaland's state capital Kohima. The blockade was enforced by an estimated 500,000 Nagas residing in Manipur, a state of 2.4 million people, which want tribal dominated areas in the state to be merged with `Greater Nagaland', a concept mooted by the Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN), a rebel group active in adjoining Nagaland state. The Manipur government and the majority Metei community in the state have rejected the demand by the Nagas. "We shall have talks with Manipur chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh on our main demand for integration. We shall resume the strike if the talks fail at a later stage," Aomi said.
Nagaland police crack down on Arunachal militant outfit Navhind Times
UNI Kohina Aug 10: The Kohima police have arrested the chairman of a newly-formed underground outfit from Arunachal Pradesh and recovered a huge cache of explosives and incriminating documents.
Official sources said acting on specific evidence about the existence of a clandestine outfit, the police in a search operation yesterday arrested one Gante Tugung, chairman of the earlier unknown outfit named the United Socialist Council of Arunachal. Tugung also known as Indica, alias Lokar, alias David Yanger alias Anini, is a resident of Gante Fai village of Kurung Kumey district of Arunachal and belongs to the Nyishi community.
Tugung was arrested from the High School Colony here yesterday along with a huge quantity of incriminating documents, including writing pads and seals, with USCA letterheads. Demand note booklets, receipts, demand letters addressed to MPs, ministers and MLAs of Arunachal Pradesh, with the amounts demanded ranging from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 25 lakh, nominal rolls of the outfit’s cadres, pamphlets on the principles and objectives of the outfit were also recovered from the spot.
Following Tugung’s arrest, the police carried out search operations in four other places in Chedema near Kohina and recovered huge quantity of explosives from the Keyakie colony residence of one Shikheye Sumi, a retired BSF jawan. The explosives included one two-inch mortar shell, 39 gelatin sticks, five grenade detonators, electronic detonator and four packets believed to be containing PK/PETN, high-powered explosive substance, 200 grams of gunpowder and about 2 kg of detonating cable wire. The police also recovered the official seals of some government officers belonging to the Kohina district administration and health department. During interrogation, the police found out that Shikheye was a close aide of Tugung. The police also seized a van belonging to Shikheye, which had no documents.
The sources said that Tugung was wanted by the Arunachal police in a number of cases of robbery and extortion and was reportedly involved in a PWD dacoity case involving Rs 28.5 lakh in Arunachal Pradesh. The Nagaland police first received information of the group’s operation from the Arunachal Pradesh police, who discovered the outfit’s existence about a month ago with the arrest of a half a dozen of its cadre and the police maintained secrecy with a hope of more findings.
The sources said it was not immediately known if there were connections with other armed groups, but it was revealed that the USCA cadres received arms training from Bodo militant outfit National Democratic Front of Bodoland.
The group is suspected to have entered the state during the end of last year and investigations were on to arrest the other members of the USCA. Following the highway blockade, Manipur was reeling under severe food shortage with stocks of essentials drying up and patients at hospitals with serious ailments forced to suffer with medicines and other drugs running out of stock. New Delhi last week airlifted tons of food and medicine with the highway blockade leading to shortage of essentials in Manipur. The decision to call off the blockade comes in the wake of tribal Naga leaders holding a meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Monday in New Delhi. "Even the Prime Minister told us to resolve the crisis through negotiations," N. Krome, leader of the Naga Hoho, the apex body of 24 Naga tribes in Nagaland, said. The Manipur government welcomed the decision by the Nagas to lift the blockade. "Let us try and resolve the crisis amicably," a Manipur government spokesman said.

SCA chairman taken into custody Kuknalim.com
KOHIMA, Aug 10: A team of Arunachal Pradesh police, led by Superintendent of Police, today arrived here to arrest chairman of banned outfit United Socialist Council of Arunachal (USCA) official sources said here today. The sources said interrogation of the self-styled chairman of the USCA Gangte Tugung revealed that the USCA was formed in 2004 with 17 active members.
At present it was at the receiving end following the arrest of almost all its members. He also denied receipt of any money from any ministers, MPs or MLAs of Arunachal Pradesh so far, although Nagaland police recovered some demand notes from his possessiom demanding money from the VIPs ranging from Rs 10 to Rs 25 lakhs. He informed that he had come to Kohima in January this year and since then had been operating from there. He disclosed that they had links with the bodo outfit NDFB. It has no link with any other underground faction of the region.
Police was able to arrest him after thorough monitoring for the last over last fortnight after Arunachal Pradesh police announced Rs 50,000 for information leading to arrest of the USCA chairman. Now police is likely to handover Gangte to Arunachal Police for further investigation.
Gangte was arrested on Monday last from High School junction of the capital town along with several documents from his possession which followed the arrest the retired BSF personnel one Shikheye Sumi from whose house police recovered one two inch mortar shell, .39 numbers of gelatin sticks, five 38 grenade detonators, electronic detenators, four packets of PK/PETN highly explosive materials, 200 grams of gun powder and two kgs of detonating cablewire.

Four NE groups call I-day boycott The Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL, Aug 10: The Manipur People’s Liberation Front, MPLF, in association with three other underground groups of the region, have given a call to boycott and prevent the celebration in any manner of Independence Day on August 15 next as a mark of solidarity against Indian colonial occupation. The four groups, including the Kamatapur Liberation Organisation, Tripura Peoples Democratic Front and the United Liberation Front of Asom, apart from the MPLF, have also called a region wide general strike, to be observed from 1 am to 5:30 pm on August 15. The four organisations, in a joint statement issued in this connection, took a clear stance against the ideology of ethnicisation, and made an earnest appeal to the entire peoples of the region not to play up emotional ethnic issues that create negative divisions among them.
Such divisions will only prolong the sufferings of all our peoples under “ruthless Indian colonial occupation”, the statement said, maintaining that their future can be secured only when the colonial rule is overthrown to restore their sovereignty and independence. The statement, in this context, also observed that the limitations of ethnic-exclusive armed struggles seeking isolated sovereignty and independence have been fully exposed in the context of the region’s reality of interdependence.
Fifty years of armed struggle has shown that such struggles cannot achieve the promised goal, it said, adding that the dynamics of liberation have also proved beyond doubt that sovereignty and independence cannot be achieved through dialogue with the Indian government by a few leaders, however powerful. The process has also established that the life-span of ethnic-exclusive struggles terminates in a compromise within the Indian union. This is inevitable given the inherent ideological limitations of such struggles, it said. While observing that these struggles have succeeded more in dividing the liberation forces on narrow ethnic lines rather than uniting them for a common goal, the statement acknowledged that the ideology of ethnicisation has weakened the inner strength of the region’s national liberation struggle. Therefore, the historical responsibility of the national liberation struggles in the region is to consolidate the unity of their respective people, while sincerely taking into consideration the emotional aspects of genuine ethnic aspirations, it said.The statement however maintained that the basic strength of the national liberation struggle has been firmly consolidated in Assam, Manipur, Kamotapur and Tripura, noting that India has directed all its resources to militarily suppress the struggles in these states.
The objective of the Indian campaign is to compel the liberation forces to submit to the Indian agenda for dialogue, of compromise within India, it said, and reiterated the firm determination of the four groups to continue their struggles till sovereignty and independence is restored. However, we would welcome positive initiatives intended to bring about a satisfactory resolution of the politico-military conflict through peaceful means, the statement said.
Campaign launched against NSF interference By Our Staff Reporter Sangai,
Aug 10: All Manipur Students’ Union (AMSU) and National Identity Protection Committee (NIPCO) has launch- ed mass campaign against the support of the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) to the ANSAM-sponsored economic blockade in Manipur at different parts of Upper Assam and Jiribam.
The volunteers of AMSU and NIPCO travelled through Imphal- Jiribam Road to reach Upper Assam for launching the campaign. Informing about the outcome of the campaign, the team of AMSU and NIPCO volunteers who have arrived at Imphal told media-persons at AMSU head office today that a strong counter campaign would be launched with the help of the people of Upper Assam area against NSF if it continued to extend its support to ANSAM.
It is very unfortunate on the part of NSF to give undue interference in the internal affairs of Manipur and extending its support to the economic blockade of ANSAM. ANSAM is imposing the economic blockade to air its grievances against the State Government just like an individual sometime protested against their parents in a family to put forward their demands. So an outsider like NSF should not interfere in the internal affairs of a family, they said.
The campaign team against the sinister design of NSF comprised of members. The two campaigners are AMSU representative and NIPCO general secretary K Gunil and NIPCO vice president Y Nabachandra. Gunil and Nabachandra made it clear that although the campaign was targeted against the action of NSF, the main motive behind launching the campaign was to spread the message of harmony and peaceful co-existence among Mani-puri people and other communities living in Jiribam and Upper Assam area. The campaign was conducted in 10 districts of Assam namely Cachar, Hailakand, Nagaon, Diphu. North Cachar district, Golaghat, Jorhat, Shivasagar, Dibrugarh and Tinsukia. Apart from these Assam districts, similar campaign was also launched at Jiribam sub-divisions of Imphal East district of Manipur, they informed.
The people of Assam and Jiribam strongly denounced the action of NSF and resolved to take up counter measures if the NSF continues to support to imposition of economic blockade by ANSAM which is becoming like committing a serious crime against the people of Manipur in cutting off their main supply line for almost two months by now, the campaigners said.
Cachar border put on high alert From our Correspondent Sentinel
SILCHAR, Aug 10: "All the police stations and outposts on the border with Bangladesh in Cachar have been alerted to foil any attempt by the Manipur-based ultras to sneak into Bangladesh," Satyendra Narayan Singh, SP of Cachar, told The Sentinel here. According to Intelligence sources, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), the People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (Prepak), the United National Liberation Front (UNLF), the Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP) and the Konglei Yawai Kamba Lum (KYKL) are in tight corner with contingents of the CRPF, the Assam Rifles, the Indian Reserve Battalion and the Rashtriya Rifles on hot chase of the militant groups to clear the insurgency infested NH-53 between Jiribam and Imphal. These militant outfits which have their safest hideouts in the upper reaches of Cachar-Manipur border have been encircled. The rough and hilly terrain, however, provide them enough room to escape, the sources added.
The economic blockade of NH-39 via Dimapur since June 20 by All Naga Students’ Association of Manipur (ANSAM) in support of their various demands including integration of Naga inhabited areas has created extremely strangulating situation for Manipur with scarcity of essential consumer items. This has necessitated airlifting of food and fuel to the State. In order to wriggle out of the situation on the SOS of Ibobi Government, the Centre directed the BRTF to repair NH-53 via Silchar closed since 1997 as it had virtually come under the control of the militant groups. "The Meitei ultras have also come under pressure of the NSCN(IM) and the NSCN(K) who are backing the ANSAM," the sources further said. The Meitei extremists finding it difficult to retreat to the interior Imphal Valley and beyond are moving towards NC Hills to take the Barail-Cachar route to escape to Bangladesh. This infamous route had often hogged the limelight in the past. The legendary Naga National Council supremo Phizo used this corridor down Meghalaya Hills for cross border movement between Nagaland and the then East Pakistan. In 1998, 150 extremists belonging to different groups had crossed over from Bangladesh in broad daylight and had used the route through Cachar-NC Hills corridor. The Meitei groups have their camps spread over at Kullora, Sylhet, Sherpur, Barlekha, Chunarughat, Kamalganj, Moulvibazar across Cachar-Karimganj border. In the meantime, 9 Para Regiment based at Jiribam in East Imphal, on a tip off, laid siege of a house at Ban Tarapur, 20 kms from here, and recovered arms and ammunition which included one Russian made pistol, 4 detonators, 35 rounds of cartridges, 3 magazines and wireless set. The house-owner Nilmoni Singh, who was nabbed, admitted that these arms were kept at his house by ‘group commander’ of UNLF and his three cadres who were on the run.
Blockade to be lifted today, temporary respite for Manipur Assam Tribune From Sobhapati Samom
IMPHAL, Aug 10 – The economic blockade impasse between the All Naga Students Association, Manipur (ANSAM) and the state government which entered into its 51st day today will be temporarily lifted at midday tomorrow “in view of the suffering of the people”. The message was conveyed by ANSAM spokesperson Ngachonmi Chamroy to this correspondent over the telephone from Senapati district headquarters this afternoon. “Seeing the hardships and the suffering faced by the common people we have decided to lift the blockade temporarily from midday tomorrow,” the student leader said. In the meantime, both ANSAM and the government will try their best to create a conducive atmosphere and talk for an early settlement to the issue, he added. A joint meeting of ANSAM and Naga Students Federation (NSF) leaders was also held at Kohima in this regard.
ANSAM had launched its non-cooperation movement and indefinite economic blockade on the two national highways passing through Manipur over the declaration of June 18 as a state holiday as “Integrity Day” in the memory of 18 persons who were killed in retaliatory police firing in the June 2001 mass uprising sparked off by the extension of the ceasefire between the NSCN-IM and the GoI “beyond territorial limits”.
The imbroglio stretched despite repeated invitations by Ibobi as ANSAM insisted on Senapati or any of the hill districts as the venue for the talks. However, preliminary talks was held between the students’ body and a four-member ministerial delegation led by state Industries Minister N Mangi on August 3 last at Senapati district headquarters, a hilly station 60 km north of state capital.
Centre urged to expedite peace talks By A Staff Reporter Assam Tribune
GUWAHATI, Aug 10 – The Opposition members of the Assam Assembly today stalled the Question Hour on the issue of law and order of the State, even as the House requested the Government of India to expedite the process to bring the ultras to the negotiation table for a political solution to the problem. The House also called upon the ultras to stop acts of violence. As soon as the House assembled for the day, Brindaban Goswami (AGP) demanded that the Question Hour should be suspended to discuss the law and order situation in the State as the ultras are still triggering off a series of blasts all over the State. He said that they were not satisfied with the statement given by the Government yesterday on the situation. Bimalangshu Roy (BJP) supported the demand. He further demanded that the Barak valley of the State remained cut off from the rest of the State for days due to disturbance in Meghalaya and this issue should also be discussed by the House.
Dilip Kumar Saikia (AGP) asked whether the Speaker would allow the Question Hour to continue if a blast takes place in the Assembly premises. He also asked whether the Barak valley is a part of the State or not. He also alleged that there was no justice in the House. The Speaker, Prithibi Majhi disallowed the demands and the opposition members rushed to the well of the House to disrupt the proceedings, forcing the Speaker to adjourn the House for ten minutes. As soon as the House reassembled, the Opposition members raised the same demand. Zoii Nath Sarma (AGP) said that there was no point of sitting of the House if the volatile situation of the State is not discussed. Hitendra nath Goswami (AGP) said that the law and order situation in the State is presently the most important issue facing Assam and this should be discussed. He pointed out that the Speaker has the discretionary power to suspend the Question Hour to allow discussion on the situation. However, the Speaker said that the notice given by the AGP in this regard was defective and refused to suspend the Question Hour. The Opposition members again rushed to the well of the House and some of then even squatted on the well. Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said that the Government was ready to discuss the issue but at the same time, he alleged that the Opposition members were trying to gain political mileage out of the issue. As the opposition members continued to stall the proceedings of the House, the Speaker adjourned the House for 25 minutes. The second adjournment meant that the Question Hour was totally lost. As the House reassembled for the second time at 10 am, the Opposition members once again demanded a discussion and the members of the AGP and BJP staged a walk out. Interestingly, Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, who has been expelled from the AGP recently, remained in his seat when the members of the AGP and BJP staged the walk out.
Meanwhile, later in the day, Pabindra Deka (Ind) requested the Chief Minister to give a statement on the progress of talks with the ULFA and in response, Chief Minister admitted that the State Government is not directly involved in the process. He said that the State Government has requested the Centre to expedite the process to bring the militants to the negotiation table. He said that the militants are not willing to involve the State Government in the process and letters are exchanged directly between the Central Government and the ULFA. He also said that the Centre sometimes expressed doubts on the sincerity of the ULFA on the issue of talks because of the involvement of the outfit in acts of violence. He further expressed the view that the ULFA should stop attacking innocent people and the House should also appeal to the militants to stop killing innocents. Pabindra Deka also said that the House should request the Centre to expedite the process to bring the ultras to the negotiation table. Premadhar Bora (TGP) also said that the House should appeal the militants to stop violence and the Centre to expedite process to bring the militants to the negotiation table. The House later requested the Centre to bring the militants to the negotiation table and called upon the militants to stop acts of violence.

The last 52 days Sangai editorial
After 52 days of crippling economic blockade the All Naga Students' Association, Manipur has finally decided to call off its agitation, ostensibly after the Centre intervened. The last 52 days have opened our eyes to many hitherto unstated characteristics of the people of Manipur. The resilience demonstrated by the people was something note worthy and it will make an interesting topic for research students to conduct a sociologicl study on this point. What are the factors that have made the people of Manipur so resilient that they managed to cope with the situation without kicking up a storm. Is it the outcome of the culture of taking everything quietly without registering any complaint or is it dictated by the political and social need of the time ? Or is it because the people of Manipur are today immune to such inconveniences as they have experienced years of bandhs, blockades and general strikes or is it because the need of the people are minimal that the blockade failed to hit them where it hurts ? Or is it because the people of Manipur have been hardened by the years of Governmental neglect which translates into erratic power supply, no provisions of drinking water, bad roads, bad communications, in fact nothing to suggest that there is a Govt in place ? The probable factors are many, but we will not be going too far if we say that the real victor in the face off between the Government and ANSAM has been the people. It is not ANSAM which has won the battle nor the Government nor the Chief Minister but the people who showed to all those who matter that it will take much more than an economic blockade to cripple their spirit and it is this that all should acknowledge.
One face of the Government also appeared during the 52 days economic blockade and that is significant progress can be made if the Government and its official babus are sincere enough about doing a job. The manner in which the Irang bridge was opened to traffic after a few days it was dismantled on NH-53 goes to prove that if the Government is sincere and shows its willingness to do something, it can do it. The manner in which NH-53 was opened to traffic after 7/8 years of Government neglect is another standing example of what the Government can do if it really sets its eyes on doing something. Looking back, all those talks of problems faced to develop this route now appear like some juvenile lies to cover up the failings of the Government to do the needful. The character of New Delhi also became that much more clearer during the last 52 days. The air lifting of essential goods by Indian Air Force planes was a classic example of the propaganda stunt adopted by the Centre to show to the world that it is doing something for the beleaguered people of Manipur. Forty tonnes for 24 lakh people was something like a poor joke played on the people. Now that ANSAM has called off or suspended its economic blockade, the Government and the people need to look to the future. One lesson that should not be forgotten from the economic blockade is the plain fact that Manipur can no longer rely on only one route to connect with the rest of the world. Continue the developmental work along NH-53, blockade or no blockade. The Chief Minister and his Ministerial colleagues should not relax and confine NH-53 to history but ensure that the developmental works are taken up on a war footing without any hitch.
ULFA LAUNCHES “OPERATION RED LIST” Kills tea garden manager NET News Network Guwahati, Aug 10: ULFA’s “Operation Red List” has put the security agencies in great confusion as the outfit has divided itself into groups of 3-4 and penetrated into different parts of the state including Guwahati. An intelligence source informed that before dividing into smaller groups the outfit sneaked into the state through Meghalaya’s Tura area in a big group subsequently getting divided into three groups and slowly spreading into different parts of the state in smaller groups. The source further added that one of the smaller groups is presently stationed in Garoghuli area in Assam-Meghalaya border under the leadership of dreaded woman ULFA cadre Mamoni Chetia. Mamoni’s five-member team is reportedly equipped with two bomb experts and three sharpshooters.
“ These smaller groups are creating lots of confusion as there are reports of movements of 2-3 member groups in city areas like Basistha, Birubari and Sonapur also,” informed the intelligence source. Meanwhile, suspected ULFA militants shot dead Suresh Limbo, manager of Rongmola Tea Estate in Brahmajan under Pengeri police station in Tinsukia district at around 7 this evening. In another incident, militants lobbed grenade at Sonari police station in Sibsagar district at around 8:30 pm injuring two constables. The injured have been identified as Dipak Tungkhungia and Jibanjit Mili. The militants fled from the site firing in the air. Earlier on Tuesday night militants exploded a bomb on railway tracks between Tihu and Kaithlakuchi stations in Nalbari. The railway track was damaged but there was no report of any casualty as no train was scheduled to pass through the area during that time. Trains along the line were stopped at several places and repair of the track began immediately, the sources added.
Expedite peace bid with ULFA: House to Centre ‘Stop violence in State’ Police inspecting splinters and wires after the blast near the Railway track at Bonda on the outskirts of the city on Wednesday. A Sentinel photo. By a Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, Aug 10: The Assam Legislative Assembly has taken a major decision today, albeit in absence of the AGP and the BJP, to adopt a resolution urging the Centre to expedite its peace overture with the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and all concerned to stop violence in the State. The important decision was reached when Independent legislator Pabindra Deka drew attention of Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on the Government’s peace process with the ULFA. Deka wanted to know as to what was the actual development in the peace process with the outfit which is currently on a killing spree in the State. He said that it would be impossible on the part of the administration to stop the current violence in the State till peace talks were initiated with the ULFA.
In his reply, the Chief Minister said that the State Government was not a party in the peace bid with the ULFA which wanted direct talks with the Centre. "We can only appeal to the Centre to have talks with the ULFA, and we are doing that with sincerity," he said, adding that violence activities like blasts etc., by the ULFA made the State Government to face questions from the Centre regarding the sincerity of the rebel group in the peace process. The Chief Minister’s reply prompted Deka to propose the Chair to adopt a resolution urging the Centre to expedite its peace overture with the ULFA and all the parties concerned to stop violence immediately for the greater interest of the State. Taking the consent of all the members the Chair took the decision to adopt a resolution towards that end.
Rebels attack rail tracks, northeast cut off (LEADS By Syed Zarir Hussain, Indo-Asian News Service Guwahati, Aug 10 (IANS) Separatist rebels Wednesday blew up two railway tracks in restive Assam, cutting rail links between the northeastern region and the rest of India, police said. Police and railway officials said militants damaged two 'vital sections of railway tracks' in separate incidents early Wednesday. One of the explosions took place on the rail track near Bonda on the outskirts of Assam's main city of Guwahati and another near Tihu, 70 km west of here. This disrupted train services between the rest of India and the northeast, a railway spokesman said. 'Repairs have begun but the complete restoration of the tracks is expected to take at least 24 hours,' he said.
'Several long distance trains have either been rescheduled or postponed. Efforts are on to divert train services using an alternative route.' Rebels also blew up a gas pipeline and attacked three power facilities overnight, a police spokesman said on Wednesday.
Police have blamed all the explosions and attacks on the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), a rebel group fighting for an independent Assamese homeland since 1979.
The ULFA had claimed responsibility for blowing up gas and oil pipelines and other installations but denied its role in a market blast Sunday that killed four people and injured nine more. The militants routinely step up attacks before India's Independence Day, Aug 15. This year there had been about two dozen attacks since the weekend. Four rebel groups in the northeast have also called for a 17-hour general strike to boycott Independence Day. These include the ULFA, the Kamtapur Liberation Organisation, the Tripura People's Democratic Front and the Manipur People's Liberation Front. On Tuesday two policemen were seriously injured when suspected militants attacked a road patrol outside the Nalbari police station in the west of the state. Militants also blew up a state-owned Oil India Limited gas pipeline in eastern Tinsukia district and damaged three power transformers in separate attacks, police said. 'There was a massive fire soon after the blast and since it was located in a remote area it took some time for fire fighters to reach the spot,' said an official from the police control in Tinsukia who wished not to be identified. The blaze was brought under control after about two hours. 'There have been about two-dozen explosions targeting innocent civilians, vital installations, and security forces since Saturday,' Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said.
'The militants want to create panic but people are coming forward in our fight against militancy.'