ULFA rebels’ children gifted books to make them aware of local culture

GUWAHATI - A voluntary group in Assam distributed books to children of rebels to make them aware of the region’s culture.

The Assam Public Works (APW), distributed books on Assam’s culture -it’s language and traditions - to the children of United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) in Guwahati.

“The sad part is that those ULFA leaders who claim themselves as leaders of Assamese people and say that they work for Assam. Their children…they have not even taught their children about Assam, Assam’s language, and its culture. That’s why these children are unaware of Assam. Now that these people have come to Assam, so to welcome them and since 2010 is coming, we are giving them a gift…some books on Assam, it’s language, its tradition,” said Bittu Sharma, general secretary, APW.

They also said ULFA Chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa is making unrealistic demands, scuttling any chance of peace talks with the government.

“We all know he is tracked by ISI and DGFI (Director General of Field Intelligence, a Bangladesh-based intelligence agency) and he don’t want to sit on talks, so he is bringing useless demands of sovereignty which is not possible for the government also to talk or to give. The only way is he with his armed forces to give; defeating the Indian Army he can take his sovereignty. If not, then it is useless,” said Abhijit Sharma, director, of APW.

Earlier, Rajkhowa, who was underground for around two decades, was arrested in Bangladesh and brought to India.

In less than a month, the ULFA has been dealt a body blow with the arrest of the group’s top leaders including Rajkhowa Raju Baruah, Chitraban Hazarika, Sacha Chaudhary. Only the group’s military commander, Paresh Barua, who police believe to be in hiding somewhere along Myanmar-China border, still remains elusive.

The ULFA, which demands independence for the tea and oil-rich Assam, is biggest insurgent group, running a three-decade-old campaign that has killed some 30,000 people.

Though the ULFA’s military strength has waned, it still has capacity to organise attacks. At least six people were killed and 40 wounded in two bomb blasts in Assam last month. (ANI)