Guwahati: An ULFA leader on Sunday appealed to the banned outfit's jailed leadership including Chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa not to give up the demand for sovereignty.
The jailed ULFA leaders should not give up the demand with the sole aim to become free, the outfit's media in charge Anu Buragohain said in a signed release, referring to the ongoing peace process.
Arguing there was "no alternative to sovereignty", the release said if the outfit drops this demand it will tantamount to surrendering to the 'enemy'.
More than 12,000 youths have given their lives fighting for sovereignty and their deaths should not go in vain, Buragohain, the self-styled lieutnant of the outfit, said in the release.
The statement came in the wake of Centre's peace interlocutor P C Haldar having met some jailed ULFA leaders including Rajkhowa in the Guwahati central jail.
Haldar had expressed optimism about the prospects for peace talks.
IANS
First Published: Thursday, July 29, 2010, 11:10