Assam updates (July 2, 2010)

Rupesh, how bad is the background now? Thanks.

Three items from Assam:
1) Six of the 27 dead CRPF personnel are from Assam state. The State Government has announced Rs 2 lakh each for the next of kin of the six CRPF jawans.

2)
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The Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram said in New Delhi that the detained United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) leaders could talk with the Government from the prison, reports Assam Tribune. Further, Chidambaram maintained that the ULFA leaders were in judicial custody and utive cannot release anybody who is in judicial custody. His response on June 30 was same as the reply he gave to a Sanmilita Jatiya Abhibartan (SJA) delegation last week. Virtually ruling out the possibility of releasing the ULFA leaders, the Union Home Minister had cited serious legal charges pending against them.
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Comments: This is a very important news. For long, I had been suspicious that the GoI under pressure from some of these civil society groups -- the earlier version of which was the ULFA-nominated PCPA, would bend down and release the ULFA thugs. Already Pradeep Gogoi, "vice-chairman" and Mithinga Daimary, the "publicity secretary" are out on bail from Feb 19 and Feb 23, respectively. The ULFA wants everyone released, so that they can "consult" on what is next. But fact is:
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The sources also said Arindam Saharia alias Bijoy Kalita - who was arrested in Siliguri of West Bengal, along with former commanding officer of the outfit's '28 battalion' Mrinal Hazarika and later granted bail rejoined the outfit and had been leading the cadres to re-establish bases in Upper Assam, particularly in Tinsukia District.
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This must have been uppermost in the minds of folks, if not directly, at least tangentially. Further,
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SATP:
June 9: Assam Tribune quoting sources revealed that the 'council headquarters' of the ULFA in Myanmar is headed by senior leader Jiban Moran, while, another camp is headed by Prakash Baruah, while, the headquarter of the '28th battalion' located near the NSCN-K camp is headed by Bijoy Das alias Bijoy Chinese, reports Assam Tribune. The total strength of the ULFA cadres in Myanmar would be around 100 or so. A number of hardcore militants belonging to the ULFA have sent feelers to the Police and Security Forces to express their desire to come over ground following the arrests of the top leaders of the outfit.
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The biggest folks left out are the '709th battalion' commander headed by Hira Sarania, Paresh Borua himself, Anup Chetia (locked in Bangladesh), among other kingpins. Six of the twelve central committee members are in jail. A detailed whine profile of the ULFA will follow sometime soon.

3) The case of DH (NC) ADC which witnessed pandemonium yesterday due to Samarjeet Haflongbar's ouster is seemingly back to normal now.
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Elected members of the Dima Hasao (formerly North Cachar Hills) Autonomous District Council today nominated former BJP leader and present Congress member Debajeet Thausan as the new chief executive member. Samarjeet Haflongbar, the former chief executive member who lost the no-confidence motion in the council yesterday, signed as the first proposer in Thausan’s nomination paper. Thausan, accompanied by more than 15 party supporters, moved the district autonomous council secretariat in Haflong town around 11.15 this morning and submitted his nomination to council legislative secretary, L.T. Hmar.

“People of this interior district have faith in me as well as in my leadership. I am going to solve major problems,” Thausan said on his way to the council office. Earlier, all elected party members gathered at Haflong circuit house, where, in the presence of former chief executive member Haflongbar, Thausan’s name was proposed. “The matter is related to the greater interest of the party. He is, after all, a party member and I think I have been wise in choosing him as the new chief executive as I am the party boss in the district level and we are in power in the council,” Haflongbar said.

Only 10 of the 25 members present in yesterday’s session voted in favour of Haflongbar, who left the council office yesterday. Haflongbar later said he would move Gauhati High Court for justice. In the 29-member house — Congress has 26, while the BJP has one elected member. One Congress member died when former chief executive member Mohit Hojai was in jail. BJP member Kulendra Daulogupu was absent yesterday, while council chairman Depulal Hojai did not vote.

A team of elected council members led by Mayanan Kemprai moved Assam governor on June 22 and submitted a no-confidence proposal which was signed by 15 council members. The governor approved of it and asked the chairman to call a council session on June 30. “We hope the council will soon be stable and people here see the ray of development,” said Prakanta Warisa, who was last ASDC elected member to join the Congress.

The next council session is scheduled for tomorrow when Thausan will be announced as the new chief executive member. The state cabinet was to take a decision on Dima Hasao, a source said. There are three options before the government — allow election of a new chief executive member, keep the council in suspended animation or dissolve it for a fresh election, they added. No decision, however, has been taken in this regard.
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