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Assamese seek relief from insurgency

People of Assam have started expressing their desire to break free from the tentacles of violence. Rallies and public demonstration against the separatist outfit -- the United Liberation Front Asom (ULFA) -- is an indication of the changing mood in the state.

Guwahati: People of Assam have started expressing their desire to break free from the tentacles of violence. Rallies and public demonstration against the separatist outfit -- the United Liberation Front Asom (ULFA) -- is an indication of the changing mood in the state.The top ULFA leaders -- Paresh Baruah and Arvind Rajkhowa – who once inspired awe among Assamese, are no longer popular. The public burning of the effigies of the two ULFA leaders demonstrates this.
People feel that the separatist outfits have a personal interest in continuing the violence. Basanta Deka, a lecturer with the K K Handique College, Guwahati, feels that the killing of innocent people could not be part of any struggle. “The situation is certainly serious and it cannot be part of any meaningful struggle,” said Deka. Scenes of hundreds of people coming down on the streets from all walks of life cutting across party and ideological lines to condemn the insurgent activities have become common. Dhirendra Nath Chakraborty, the Editor of the Dainik Asom, said: “This is the beginning of a mass upsurge against the ULFA”. Nirupama Borgohain, eminent writer and columnist, said: “For the last 35 years, ULFA has been killing its own people. They are destroying entire Assam in different ways. They have been spreading terror and creating panic amongst the people”. Assamese seek a solution to the problem. A majority of them feel that dialogue is the only way out. Indra Bhattaacharya, the Principal of Cotton College in Guwahati, said: “Talks should be a continuous process and both (the Government and the ULFA) should go for it. It cannot be one sided and talk is a must without this peace cannot come to Assam”. Some Assamese feel that the talks should be unconditional. Basanta Deka, lecturer with the K K Handique College, said: “Talks should start without any condition. When Naga peace talks started there was no condition, there was no condition from either side. So the same model can be adopted here. Talks should start from both sides without any precondition”. Bureau Report