Peace process with ULFA on right track: Gogoi

GUWAHATI - Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi Sunday dismissed speculation that there was a stalemate over the peace process with the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), saying it was “on the right track”.

“There is no stalemate and the peace process is definitely on the right track,” he told journalists.

Gogoi said efforts were on to rope in more ULFA leaders who were outside India.

“We are trying to get other ULFA leaders based in Bangladesh and Myanmar to come and join the peace process,” he said.

Barring ULFA’s elusive commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah, the entire top brass of the outfit is in jail. The imprisoned leaders include chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa, deputy commander-in-chief Raju Baruah, self-styled foreign secretary Sasha Choudhury, finance secretary Chitrabon Hazarika, cultural secretary Pranati Deka, and ULFA political ideologue Bhimkanta Buragohain.

Two other leaders - ULFA vice chairman Pradip Gogoi and publicity chief Mithinga Daimary, are out on bail and engaged in drumming up public support for opening peace talks.

Most of the jailed leaders have expressed their willingness to open peace talks with the government.

“We want Paresh Baruah to come and join the peace talks, but at the same time we cannot indefinitely wait for him. But one thing is for sure… peace talks would start,” the chief minister said.

The newly floated Citizens Forum, a group of civil society leaders, is engaged in brokering peace between the ULFA and the government.

“We are taking the initiative from our side and we want both the ULFA and the government to be sincere in their approach,” a Forum leader said.