Four more militant groups based in north-east India have joined hands with the United Liberation Front of Asom in calling for a boycott of celebrations on India's Independence Day in the region on August 15.
In a joint statement e-mailed to the media in Guwahati, Kamatapur Liberation Organisation based in north Bengal area, Manipur People's Liberation Front, National Liberation Front of Tripura, Tripura People's Democratic Front and ULFA gave a call not only to boycott, but also prevent celebrations of India's Independence Day in the region.
The joint statement said, "The revolutionary parties and groups as above call upon the entire patriotic peoples of our region to boycott and prevent the celebration, in any manner, of India's Independence Day in our region on August 15, 2006, as a mark of solidarity against Indian colonial occupation and repression. On this day, a general strike shall be observed from 1.00 hours to 17.30 hours throughout the region."
"Ever since the region came under Indian colonial occupation, the regional expansionist power has been trying to undermine the basic unity of our region so as to prolong their colonial hold on the region. To this end India has been using their 'democracy' as a convenient tool in creating antagonistic ethnic divisions. What is more pathetic is the conduct of local collaborators who have been exploiting to the hilt the ethnic divides of the region for selfish electoral gains in Indian colonial elections. However, we are emboldened by the history of national liberation struggles which have unmistakably proved that colonial and counter-revolutionary forces are ultimately defeated by patriotic revolutionary forces," the statement said.
The organisation criticising the carrot and stick policy of the government in tackling insurgency in the region stated, "Today we all know that the primary objective of the government is to suppress the national liberation struggles of the region by all means. To this end India has been giving emphasis on the military option while at the same time trying to rope in the liberation forces one by one to the 'dialogue process for a political solution' so that the relieved occupation forces could be redeployed in areas where armed struggle has become very active. So far, both the approaches have failed to give the desired result thereby pushing the Indian government to intensify the militarisation of the region as a whole. Compelled by the circumstances the government seems to have adapted a new tactic by offering 'to discuss core issues', not specifically mentioning the restoration of our sovereignty and independence, in order to somehow trap vulnerable organisations in the 'dialogue process'. This bait also has not found any takers among the liberation forces."
"On this day when India celebrates her Independence Day, we are urged to remind our entire peoples that the celebration of India's Independence Day on our soil when we ourselves remain under their colonial occupation would be tantamount to selling out our very existence as distinct peoples and nations. This is a matter of irreconcilable national principles. Therefore, we once again reaffirm our commitment to continue armed struggles till sovereignty and independence is restored. With this commitment we call upon the entire patriotic peoples of the region to get prepared for the hard struggle ahead that will finally overthrow Indian colonial occupation from our region," the militant groups said.
It has been a routine for several militant groups in the insurgency-hit region to call for boycott of on India's Independence Day. However, over the years the number of such militant groups has come down with many militant groups now engaged in peace negotiation with government.