Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Friday said that like all other insurgent groups in truce with the government, the banned United Liberation Front of Assam too would have to enter into a formal agreement for suspension of operation and surrender weapons before starting dialogue with the government of India.
Gogoi said the peace process with ULFA, led by its chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa, was progressing on the right track and the outfit had informed the centre's interlocutor, P C Haldar, that they would soon take a formal decision to sit for a dialogue with the government.
"Once they have decided to hold formal talks, they will have to surrender and enter into an agreement of suspension of operation with the government. But suspension of operation agreement has to be in place before beginning the formal dialogue," Gogoi said.
Gogoi's comments come in the backdrop of some militant groups claiming that ULFA was being given special treatment by the government, as they were being allowed to hold onto to their weapons even after the initiation of the peace process, while other outfits had been made to surrender their weapons.
Gogoi further said that though insurgency in the state was on the decline, with so many outfits coming forward to hold dialogue, the problem continued to linger given that some faction like anti-talks group of ULFA, led by Paresh Barua (commander in chief), anti-talks faction of National Democratic Front of Bodoland, newly-formed Karbi People's Liberation Tiger were still at large.
The chief minister admitted that militant groups were still recruiting youngsters from different parts of the state and extortion too had not completely stopped.
"We have identified the areas where such recruitment are taking place and are taking steps to check it," Gogoi said announcing that his government was willing to go the extra mile to initiate a dialogue with militant factions/groups.
Meanwhile, the anti-talks faction of the outlawed National Democratic Front of Bodoland, headed by Ranjan Daimary (now in jail following his arrest in Bangladesh), has shown interest to hold dialogue with the government.
Gogoi informed that the faction of the NDFB had conveyed through the Bodoland People's Convention emissaries, who were accompanied by two members of legislative assembly from Bodoland People's Front, that the outfit was interested in meeting him this month.
Gogoi said that he was also interested to meet the representatives of the NDFB faction led by Ranjan Daimary, as it might help in starting a dialogue with the outfit in the near future.
The government forces have already suspended operation against the other faction of the NDFB, which is led by Govinda Basumatary, and cadres of this faction are now lodged in designated camps.
Identifying the growing rate of unemployment and economic backwardness as the root cause behind insurgency, Gogoi said his government would focus on uplifting the rural economy by promoting the cottage industry, handloom and handicraft sector, agriculture and allied industries, which have maximum potential to generate employment.
He also said he would ask for special financial assistance from the centre to promote this sector.
