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07/20/2006: "Thenucho called for President’s Rule in Nagaland’Ex-Congress-I candidate wants Home Minister to step down The Morung Express"

‘Thenucho called for President’s Rule in Nagaland’Ex-Congress-I candidate wants Home Minister to step down The Morung Express
Dimapur July 19 (MExN): Congress has alleged that Nagaland Home Minister Thenucho “confessed” to the Central Government that the Nagaland Home Ministry can no longer contain the volatile law and order situation in the state and towards this, called for the intervention of the centre implied as for President’s Rule. The ‘confession’ was made during Nagaland government’s delegation to New Delhi that met the Centre mid-May, this year.
“When he along with his colleagues went to New Delhi in Mid-May 2006, Mr. Thenucho confessed to the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, the Union Home Minister Shivraj Patel, Defense Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Union Minister for Programme Implementation and Statistics, Oscar Fernandes (who is also the Congress’ in-charge for the North East and involved in the Naga peace talks), the Indian National Congress President Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, former Prime Minister AB Vajpayee, former Home Minister LK Advani and former Defense Minister George Fernandes, that the Nagaland Home Ministry was not able to contain the law and order situation in the state” according to V Lasuh, Ex-Congress I candidate of 17 Chizami A/C.
“He urged and put across to them with fervor that the Central Government must intervene. That was an invitation for a Presidential Rule As a reaffirmation of his fears and inefficiency, Mr. Thenucho in the meantime pleaded to churches to pray for the trouble-torn state of Nagaland, lest it reels under more law and order problems. He virtually surrendered his power as the Home Minister there and then.” Lasuh asserted.
Lasuh demanded that Thenucho step down from the post of Home Minister on moral grounds, “as a regularly self-professed good Christian” and if not, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio is ‘duty-bound’ to remove him. Failure to act on this would “embarrass” the government, the candidate asserted.
“It is the bounden duty of the Chief Minister to relieve Mr. Thenucho of his present portfolio. Such act may not be the most pleasant thing for the Chief Minister to do but it will be for the utmost good of the state. That will also ensure that the State Government be not embarrassed in the future by an unfit person occupying a most significant office in the state. Presently, Mr. Thenucho’s boots are too big for him” the Congress candidate lamented.
More charges of inefficiency were also leveled. “When in January 2006 the official entourage of the Chief Minister came under trouble because of the high-handed Security Forces near Zubza, Mr. Thenucho did not do anything as the Home Minister should do about the drama. His responsibility was to intervene with finality and even issue necessary clarifications through the media. But he was either not aware of the power of the Home Minister’s Office to do so or was scared if he knew” Lasuh maintained adding that there is no other reason to explain why Thenucho remained silent.
Protect Naga tradition if solution comes: Rio Karaiba Chawang Nsunyu (Tseminyu) | July 19 The Morung Express
Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio today said that the first task for the Nagas, if solution comes, is to work for the protection of tradition and culture, saying that the present Indian democratic system of election leads to disunity and encourages corruption of the Naga people.
Speaking at a mammoth gathering of the Rengma Community at Nsunyu village ground after the inauguration of the village gate, memorial park, community hall, cultural centre and water supply project, Rio said that by tradition Nagas do not elect their leaders, but select, basing on the unanimous decision of the elders.
Calling the people to keep the rich tradition of the Nagas, the Chief Minister also said that if the Village Development Board (VDB) and Village Council members, which is the traditional governing body are to be paid by the government, they will become government servants, and even if the Nagas get a solution, it will be self-defeating.
“The present Indian system of election will bring disunity and corruption in the Naga society if solution comes, therefore elders need to do lot of thinking on this”.
Factional feud amongst the different groups of the Naga national worker is a shame, said Rio. As a Christian, fratricidal killing among Nagas is not justified, he reminded.
The Chief Minister also said that other countries including India, have recognized the legitimacy of the Nagas’ political struggle, but the Nagas are refusing to recognize themselves, adding that Nagas are not united.
Stating that the some development is taking place in the state because of the ongoing peace arising out of the of the current ceasefire between the government of India and NSCNs, Rio further said if solution doesn’t come this time too it will affect the whole Nagas again, repeating its bloody history.
Rio also further said that he shifted his loyalty from former Chief Minister SC Jamir, when he was a Home Minister in the former ministry, because he had a political vision. “If I have no political vision I won’t leave Jamir. I am comfortable with him, I am the first man there, if I don’t have a political vision why did I leave him”, Rio said, while asking the people to have a political vision.
Rio mesmerized the large public turnout of the Rengma community with his well blended speech of peace process, development and work culture.
The Chief Minister urged the people not to go in for immediate gain, but to have vision, while asserting that years does not progress a community, but optimistic thinking would carry one’s community forward. He said that weaker society should strive more with bold attitude, and compete for good and not for bad.
Referring to Mon, Tuensang and other “backward areas”, Rio quipped: “their areas may be backward, but people are not backward. They are much more intelligent than us”.
Rio also asked the people to do a rethink on the random aforestation, and turn to agri-horti plantation, especially in the areas where it is close to the highway or motorable roads.
Today’s inauguration programme was almost a virtual election campaign for the incumbent Parliamentary Secretary, R Khing. Except for Home Minister, Thenucho, Health and Family Welfare Minister, Dr. TM Lotha, Planning Minister Dr Shurhozelie and Industries Minister Khekiho who were not seen today, all his other cabinet colleagues, besides almost all parliamentary secretaries and NPF MLAs formed the Chief Minister’s entourage.
Earlier, the entourage made whirlwind tour to the area inaugurating Nsunyu Village gate and Jubilee Memorial Park, and Nsunyu Community Hall cum Chunlikha Area Cultural Centre. Minister for PHE, P. Longon inaugurated the integrated Rural Drinking water supply of Nsunyu and Chunlukha villages.
CPO justifying Shillong Accord: NSCN-IM Nagaland Post July 20 2006
DIMAPUR, JULY 19 (NPN): The NSCN-IM has accused the Chakhesang Public Organization (CPO) of trying to justify the Shillong Accord and propagating the alleged "infallibility and legitimacy of NNC" by advocating that Nagas should unite in the line of NNC. The NSCN-IM said CPO, by issuing statements such as "the accord was signed by the representatives of the underground organizations, not by NNC" and "the Accord was signed under duress," was desperately attempting to justify the infamous Shillong Accord and defend the NNC.
Kedutsü Tsüzu, steering committee member NSCN-IM, in a press release said if the accord was really signed under duress, then they had reasons to disown or condemn it afterwards, but they had never done so, he said. "On the contrary, they not only spoke against those national leaders who condemned the Shillong Accord, but also incited and engineered the military coup of 1978 where about a hundred national workers who were loyal to the cause were killed," he added.
He also said the NNC accordists and FGN had tried to strengthen their position and effectively implement the Accord by forming an armed wing- People's Militia of Nagaland (PMN). Ridiculing the NNC for ceaselessly talking of plebiscite as the latter's principle, the NSCN-IM questioned as to whether the NNC know that the Shillong Accord is the anti-thesis of the plebiscite: "It is ridiculous that people who had bowed down to worship the statue of Indian constitution are now shouting for total sovereignty on the rooftop of transit camp," Tsüzu said.
The NSCN-IM leader further said that while NNC has already been de-recognized by the world community and even some Indian authorities claiming NNC has become one of them, some CPO leaders were proclaiming NNC as an "institution."
Reminding the CPO to strictly uphold its objective as a non-political organization, Tsüzu said CPO must understand that the Shillong Accord and NNC are two faces of the same coin.
"The CPO is a part of the Naga fourth consultative meeting held at Hebron sometime in 2005. They were also a party to the decision taken in support of peace process and the collective leadership of NSCN but they went back upon their word. Such act of double standard of CPO leadership has confused and misled the innocent people at the bottom", the release added.
The release further cautioned that since the CPO leaders have sown seed of dissension among the Chakhesangs, they would be held responsible for any untoward incident and event leading to fighting and killing in the region in future.
Church talks of victory without bloodshed Kuknalim.com
KOHIMA, July 19:: If things go the way the Church of Nagaland wants, complemented by a rising public aversion for violence, the Naga movement may soon shift gear to a non-violent rebellion. An all-important meeting of all the churches in Nagaland will be held with chief minister Neiphiu Rio on July 26 with peace on the agenda.

Aptly timed, the meeting will come out with its resolutions two days before the vital round of talks between the Centre and the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) is held on July 28. The nine-year-old ceasefire agreement with the outfit is due for extension on July 31

Zhabu Terhuja of the Nagaland Baptist Churches Council and Nagaland Christian Forum said the Church has not been in favour of violent struggle though it recognises the right of the Nagas to self-determination. “We are also coming out with a draft paper on the Church’s approach on how to deal with the problem. We cannot say anything about the end objective but can comment on the methods,” said Terhuja.

The government, too, seems inclined towards a non-violent approach even as Rio will witness the churning of ideas so that his government’s claim to have peace and development is achieved.

Rio said rebel factions should immediately stop fighting and that his government wants peace to prevail. His commitment to attend the meeting and statement saying he has a solution in mind implies that Rio may favour a non-violent methodology. However, leading the militant groups towards non-violence is no mean task.
Rebel factions are unlikely to accept the point of view to surrender arms and continue with a non-violent struggle. Despite ceasefire agreements with the Centre, the NSCN (I-M) and rival Khaplang faction are perpetually fighting with each other and tension, if not clashes, prevails.

There will be opposition from NGOs who have lost trust in the Centre’s methods in handling past pacts and truce agreements.
“We started out with non-violence from the 1950s but the Nagas were hunted down and the NSCN had to go underground to continue the movement,” said a senior Naga Hoho leader. He said a non-violent movement might not have the required results, as the Centre “will take advantage of the situation”. (The Telegraph)
Nagas yet to know their uniqueness’ Kuknalim.com
TSEMINYU (Kohima), July 19:: Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has said that although the British and India have recognised the uniqueness of the Naga people...

the Nagas themselves are yet to recognise this uniqueness in them.

Welcoming any political settlement that uplifts the status of the Nagas, he insisted that it should not be at the expense of the rich cultures and traditions of the Nagas. He advised the people of Nagaland to have political vision and to decide their future for themselves.

Rio made this statement while inaugurating two of the biggest villages in Rengma region, Nsunyu and Chunlikha – Nsunyu Community Hall-cum-Chunlikha Area Cultural Centre, Nsunyu Village Gate & Jubilee Memorial Park and Integrated Rural Water Supply of Nsunyu and Chunlikha Villages by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio. (NNN)
Militants bomb AR post in Moreh, AR man hurt in another IED attack The Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL, July 19: A bomb attack on Post no. 4 of 24 Assam Rifles located at Chavangphai under Moreh police station near the international border left at least four civilians including two women with splinter injuries today. In another attack, an IED explosion at Water Point, Kalapathar a personnel of the Assam Rifles suffered injury. The attack on the AR post at Chavangphai was carried out by suspected militants at around 12.30 am last night while the IED explosion occurred at around 9.20 am this morning at a spot some 2 km away towards Imphal from Moreh along the National highway-39. Many unexploded lethod and 2 inch mortar bombs were also reportedly detected from inside and nearby the AR post. Of them, the AR disposed of at least three at around 4.30 to 5 pm this evening.
On hearing the sounds of the explosions, people at Moreh dispersed leaving their work. In a short while, the town wore a deserted look with the civilian populace fleeing away. Among the four injured civilians two have been evacuated to a hospital at Imphal due to seriousness of their condition. The other two sustained minor injuries and have been admitted at the Moreh community Health Centre. A late report said the two admitted at Moreh CHC have been discharged. In the other incident, the AR personnel identified as Pramesh Kumar, 35, hailing from Uttar Pradesh, who sustained injuries in the IED blast triggered by unidentified miscreants at Moreh Water Point, has been evacuated to the Leimakhong army hospital, Imphal by an army chopper. His condition is stated to be serious as his left leg received serious injuries in the explosion. His rifleman no. is 240376.

Two out of the four injured civilians in the militant attack at Assam Rifles post no. 4 identified have been as Vahneiching Simte, 23, daughter of Alet Jamang of Churchandpur, presently residing at Chavangphai, who received splinter injury at the right side of the neck and Lenminlun Mate, 13, son of Mangchinpao of Chavangvai, who received injury at the right thigh were brought to JN hospital in Imphal in a vehicle provided by minister DK Korungthang. They were later referred to the RIMS hospital for further treatment this afternoon. The other two who were discharged after medical treatment at Moreh CHC were identified as Onmang Mate, 46, son of late Songkholen Mate and Ninghoi Haokip, 30, daughter of Seilet Haokip. Both hail from S Moljon village located mear the AR post.

"Last midnight cadres of the UNLF fired at Assam Rifles post no. 4 with lethod and 2 inch mortar bombs from the Myanmar side", said the PRO, PIB defence wing when contacted by the IFP. He added four civilians including two young women of the village located adjacent to the AR post sustained injuries when a lethod bomb fired by the UNLF exploded in the civilian inhabited area.
Reports said the AR personnel also retaliated the heavy shower of explosives on their post and the exchange lasted for around 30 minutes. There were no reports of any casualty on both sides.

Vahneiching and Lenminlen sustained injuries when a bomb fired by the attackers fell on the roof of a house belonging to Khuplenthang Mate of Chavangphai. The roof of the house was also damaged by the explosion. Onmang and Ninghoi on the other hand suffered injuries in the explosion of another bomb on the roof a house belonging to Janpao Haokip. A third bomb exploded on the house of one Ngamkholet Haokip of S Moljon village. No one in the house sustained injury but the roof was badly damaged. In another incident, an AR jawan sustained injury when an IED which was planted by an suspected separatist group exploded at Moreh Water Point, Kalapathar under Moreh police station at around 9.20 am today.

The IED exploded when a water tanker along with some personnel of 24 battalion AR were fetching water there, reports said. This is the second time militants have attacked AR troops fetching water there in the past two months. In the early part of June this year, they were attacked with an IED at the same spot. Taking stock of the developing situation, the Moreh police has imposed total restriction on the crossing of the border after 8 pm.

In the meantime, the Kuki Students` organization (KSO) Moreh block has strongly condemned the attack on the Assam Rifles post. A release of the organization stated that repeated attacks on the security post located adjacent to the civilian populated area seems to be causing harm more to the civilians rather than the security personnel.
It also stated that indiscriminate firing in the thickly populated civilian area inspite of repeated appeals made earlier clearly shows the indifferent attitude and the lack of consideration for loss of innocent lives on the part of the armed militant groups perpetrating the act.
The organization once again fervently appealed to all the concerned armed groups not to resort to such acts in future considering the loss of precious lives and peace and tranquility in Moreh town.

It also appealed to the state government authorities to strengthen security establishment in and around Moreh town so that unlawful armed nilitants do not have a free hand in the town. In the meantime, admitting that the 24 Assam Rifles post at Moreh was attacked by underground elements, a PIB defence wing statement said the attack was UNLF`s obvious attempt to vent their frustration after the arrest of five of their cadres on the night of July 15/16.
The PIB statement said the underground group carried out stand off fire at the Assam Rifles post near Gate No 4, Moreh and Ward No 7, a civil area in the vicinity of this post at about 0030 hrs on July 19 from across the international border. No act can be more cowardly than firing at a civilian area from across the international border, the statement said adding a total of 13 lethod bombs, mortars and large quantity of small arms were fired by the UNLF towards the Assam Rifles post and on civilian areas around. Four lethod bombs and large quantity of small arms fire landed in the Chavangphai and S Molgol area, the Army statement said adding four persons including two women and a boy sustained serious splinter injuries. It is clearly evident from the incident that the undergrounds have no concern for the safety of civil population and are prepared to cause indiscriminate casualties to innocents. It has shown the ugly side of UNLF and further strengthens the belief of local people that UNLF is only a bunch of inhuman terrorists, it said. D Korangthang, minister of health and family welfare personally interacted with the affected villagers and condemned the incident, the PIB statement added.

Westoxification of Nagas: By: R S Mayori Kangla on line
Today's fast paced world, hardly enables students and youths to sit together under one platform and discuss issues that holds weightage to their own lives and people are turning more and more into techno and cyber savvy. It comes in with many tag of “fast” like fast food, fast car, fast life and fast people.

We have witness that Nagas strives dauntlessly to generate awareness of the indigenous peoples’ right to cultural development and advancement based on the international human rights and humanitarian laws, through the institution they try to set up to provide a platform where Nagas can learn to be Nagas ourselves again.

The Nagas’ way of life has been transformed to a great extent through the walk of life in history from the coming of Christianity to the Indian military crackdown on the Nagas resulting in innumerable violation of human rights, huge loss of innocent lives and most of all the veiled attempt to de-establish the complete identity and integrity of the Nagas’ by sheer military might.

Our narratives have been interrupted by Colonialism till today and our ancestral and past linkages have been broken and lost. Our culture, our stories are getting lost and are fading away at a high rate. The erosion of our identity, culture and values system is making most of the youth confused. The alienation of the traditional education system and breaking of oral culture is posing a great danger to the whole society Nagas as a whole.
Myriad of confusion among the youths and some vested interested people adding up again to the already confused society. The infiltration of western culture and it toxin starts off from the moment the white people appears into our life which is multiplied by Indian toxin.
The westoxification of Nagas is clearly visible even within the so-called learned and religious people of the Nagas. The corruption level has not spared the religious leader. One of the instances is the case which has been going on for more then five years. The Reverend versus Reverend and Doctors in Indian court filed for robbing of innocent people’s money in a broad day light of Tangkhul areas. The United Team Leadership Ministry (UTLM’s) fund Ukhrul Area Development Project’s Money (UADP) amounting to Rupees 40 lakh was robbed off and the signatory of the people who have drawn the money from behind the curtain are Rev. As Realson and Ms Chonchon Luithui on dt. 23/12/95.
If given a little more efforts by scholar and do research on all this cases 90% of the cases that is hanging on the thread have got to do with money and power. Nagas need to re-define themselves with the pair that need to go together a long way. The two terminologies which spin up the pair are Nagas and money. Another westoxifiaction that is penetrating in our society is breaking down of our social traditional structures.
Jacob Shaiza wrote on 15/07/06 “Tussle for hegemony in Ukhrul “ Nagaland Post “Taking cue from Th. Muivah, they shared the emotional meeting they had with him who told them that the blood, tears, and sweat they had undergone for the all these years are all because of the unique custom of the Nagas that define the true meaning of the unique history of the Nagas. The present Indo-Naga talk is given importance based on this undeniable fact.”
We have to keep alive our culture and traditions and cannot imposed alien culture claiming ourselves to be educated. We cannot go back to the past but we have to move forward so we have to reclaim our culture and history. Educated and civilized doesn’t mean copycatting other’s value and system which is not applicable to the Nagas. We need to re-affirm ourselves as a Naga again and again when Nagas are in mist of Chaos and turmoil created by the Government of India.
The Naga nation consists of around 47 tribes, each with its own language and culture and yet they are united by their shared history against foreign domination and the dream of living as one people, one nation. The Nagas are the original settlers on their homeland and their territory has been well demarcated from time immemorial.

The uniqueness of the Naga people lies in the fact that they have continued to live as a united people despite the fact that its lands have been illegally divided by the British by an international boundary between India and Myanmar. Nagalim was never a part of India by consent or conquest. The uniqueness lies in the fact that we still own our land as community and we follow our customary laws unlike other tribal of India.

The Nagas have continued to evolve modern political institutions and organisations in consonance with the democratic principles of Nagas society. Naga polity is based on equal representation for each tribe, large or small. It is the same principle on which the United Nations functions: one nation, one vote. Thus the Naga Students Federation is an apex body of our students and it has two representatives of each of the Naga tribes so does the Naga Hoho. Some tribes are very large with more than 300 villages; each has an equal representation from each tribe.

Within each tribe also the same democratic principle is followed. And the polity is based on consensus and not election which promotes conflicts and power struggles to the detriment of the people. Almost all the Naga organisations functions on this democratic principle of equal representation of all our people without allowing the politically and economically powerful tribes to dominant decision making.

The set up of Nagas, from people to village level, from village to community, from community to the nation. Nagas never had a culture of Panchayat system which is introduce by the Indian so does the Chairman and secretary system is the twin of Panchayati Raj. The introduction and encouragement of this clone of Panchayati raj is the first step and a strong agent to the destruction of the Naganised value based system.

Thus even though the Nagas have been divided by artificial boundaries we continue to live together by evolving modern political institutions along the principles of our ancient way of life. This is the way we have not allowed our society to fossilise and we have developed, evolved and changed our customary laws and traditional practices. Changing and improving doesn’t mean imposing of alien culture and practices that we have learned from Indian education system. This evolving and developing our system has allowed the Naga people as a whole to keep alive their dream of living together under one roof. This gives the Nagas nation a unique history

The relationship of Nagas with their homeland is symbiotic with their lands, forest and hills. We are a people whose culture, society, polity and economy are defined by the relationship between the people and their land.

The people’s relationship within themselves in the social structure of the society has made us come all the way where GOI has re-coganised our uniqueness officially. Nagas should not put all this achievement in peril for a few vested interested people.
Moreh's cup of woes Sangai Express
The cup of woes for the residents of Moreh is running over. Caught between the armed militants and the security force, the residents of this border town have no one else to turn to for their safety and security and the events that have unfolded in the past few days have more than shown that no one cares about the fate of the local people. The genesis of the present turmoil may be traced to the gunning down of a JCO at Moreh on July 13, which was later claimed by the UNLF as its handiwork. As was expected and in line with the set precedents, the Assam Rifles personnel stationed at Moreh launched a series of search operations and in the follow up action five suspects were picked up on charges of being members of the UNLF. Things did not stop here and on July 15, the reports of how civilians were beaten up indiscriminately near Moreh Gate number 2 by Assam Rifles men and the forcible closure of shops and business establishments hit the headlines of all the newspapers in the State. Moreover there was also the unpleasant stand off between Moreh based correspondents and the Assam Rifles personnel with charges and counter charges doing the round. We leave it to the judgement of the people to decide which side of the story is more credible, the story of the correspondents that the AR men used abusive languages and prevented them from covering the story and the stand of the AR authority that no such thing happened and the only thing said to the correspondents was the keep their distance as they were intruding into their line of duty. Not taking things lying down, women folk of Moreh under the All Moreh Meira Paibi Apunba Lup imposed an indefinite bandh at the border town and it was only on July 18 that the stand off was resolved after the personal intervention of the MLA of Chandel AC, DK Korungthang and MLA K Bijoy.
However as things stand today, not everything is going to be fine at Moreh in the immediate future. The bomb attack launched from across the border, allegedly by the UNLF has already sent ripples of fear and apprehension across the town besides inflicting injuries on some civilians. If the fighting does not stop, there may be more civilian casualty and it is this that we find extremely disturbing. The first phase of the turmoil in Moreh was about the charges and counter charges between the AR personnel and the Moreh based correspondents and again between the women folk of Moreh and the Assam Rifles. The second phase may now be a contest of charges and counter charges between the militant outfit which launched the bomb attack and the Assam Rifles authority. Such charges and counter charges are not new in Manipur and while such types of exercise will continue, the disturbing point is the utter lack of concern shown for the civilian population. If the past is any indication, civilian casualty is always used as a tool of propaganda by both sides in their battle to gain public support or in their effort to alienate the other from the general population. If there is any trace of genuine concern for the general public, then no one should open fire at public places or launch bomb attacks that may lead to civilian casualties. On the other hand, it is also equally true that no retributive action should be launched in which the innocent civilians are targeted. Tragically this is what has been happening at Moreh during the last few days.

Talks with ULFA hit roadblock Assam Tribune
GUWAHATI, July 19 – Proposed peace talks between the ULFA and the Centre appear to have a hit a roadblock with the government insisting the banned group establish direct contact before its demands can be considered, a move that negotiators nominated by the outfit have described as “unfortunate”, reports PTI. The ULFA must communicate its demands, including the release of jailed leaders, directly to the Centre for the peace process to proceed, Union Home Secretary V K Duggal said today.

He conveyed this to noted author Mamoni Raisom Goswami who was instrumental in the dialogue between the ULFA-nominated Peoples’ Consultative Group (PCG) and the Centre.
Goswami told PTI over phone from New Delhi that Duggal had informed her this morning that ULFA “must make direct contact with the government and then the process of negotiation of their demands can take place”.

She said, “Duggal said ULFA must give a letter highlighting their demands to the union government directly, instead of sending messages through intermediaries and only then can their demands be considered.”
The PCG has reacted strongly to Duggal’s communication, saying it is “unfortunate, lacks sincerity and made to create complications in the talks process”.

PCG member Lachit Bordoloi said Duggal’s latest communication went against the discussions the PCG had with Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil on June 22. The PCG, which has held three rounds of talks with the Centre since October 2005, was disappointed that the government had now chosen to ignore the body of intellectuals nominated by ULFA to take the peace process forward.
“The Centre cannot ignore the PCG’s existence and if they do not consider the ULFA-appointed body reliable, then why did they hold three rounds of talks with us? It should have then held talks with the ULFA right from the beginning,” Bordoloi said. “ULFA made it clear right from the beginning that the PCG is an important part of the peace process and what it conveys on behalf of the outfit happens to be the last word,” he said.

Duggal told Goswami that “the Centre hopes for direct communication with ULFA and as soon they receive the letter, the talks process can move forward”. He said the ULFA was always welcome to approach the Centre directly instead of giving “speculative statements in the media”.
Goswami urged Duggal to ensure the release of five jailed ULFA leaders, a key demand of the group for taking part in talks. He, however, said “just not this demand, but other demands will be also be considered once they (ULFA) come forward directly for talks.” Goswami said she has urged the ULFA to directly communicate with the Centre to restore peace in Assam.

Establish direct contact: Centre tells ULFA By a Staff Reporter Sentinel
GUWAHATI, July 19: After three rounds of talks with the ULFA-nominated People’s Consultative Group (PCG), New Delhi has asked the banned outfit to establish direct contact with the government without which, it said, there was no scope for the peace process to move forward.
“The ULFA must communicate their demands, including release of jailed leaders, in black and white directly to the Centre for the peace process to proceed further,” Union Home Secretary VK Duggal is learnt to have told interlocutor Dr Mamaoni Raisom Goswami today.
Speaking to The Sentinel over phone from New Delhi, Goswami said that the Union Home Secretary had informed her this morning that ULFA “must make direct contact with the government and place their demands instead of communicating through intermediaries. Only then can their demands be considered”.
Duggal told Goswami that the ULFA was always welcome to approach the Centre directly instead of giving “speculative” statements in the media.
Goswami said that she had urged the ULFA to directly communicate with the Centre so that peace got a chance in Asom.
Earlier, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi had also urged the ULFA to establish direct contact with the Centre for talks and offered ceasefire in the event of direct communication, but the banned outfit had rejected it.
The peace process had already run into rough weather following the recent killing of six ULFA cadres by the Army.
Few weeks back, ULFA ‘c-in-c’ Paresh Barua had made it clear that the PCG was authorized by the outfit to communicate its demands to the government, and the group was an important part of the peace process.
NESO slams Centre on radicals’ threat By a Staff Reporter Sentinel
GUWAHATI, July 19: Concerned over the threat posed to the indigenous people in the wake of the growing network of fundamentalist outfits in the region, the North East Students’ Organization (NESO) today said the porous Indo-Bangladesh border was abetting cross-border terrorism.
“The pernicious predicaments are foretelling serious eventualities in near future. Increasing activities of jihadi rebels in the region has posed a threat to the entity of the indigenous communities,” NESO chairman Samujjal Kumar Bhattacharyya and secretary NSN Lotha told a press conference here.
Slamming the “indifferent attitude” of the Centre despite alarming intelligence reports indicating the presence of jihadi rebels in the region, the student leaders said the problem was no longer confined to the region, but has assumed national significance.
Even though the State Government had sent reports on the alarming plight of the region, New Delhi is still to come up with stringent measures to combat the designs of the jihadi outfits, the premier students’ organization said.
Given the gravity of the situation, political parties, instead of politicizing the issue, should unite to salvage the nation from the clutches of fundamentalist powers, the student leaders said.
“If necessary, we will take steps on our own,” AASU president Shankar Prasad Rai said. The annual conference of the NESO slated for September 27-30 in Tripura is likely to chalk out a strategy to deal with the situation.