Bodo group146;s ceasefire surprise

The NDFB said the ceasefire would be effective October 15 for a period of six months and was being made in response to an offer made earlier by Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi.

8216;8216;In response to the offer made by Chief Minister Gogoi, the NDFB has declared ceasefire with effect from October 15, 2004 for a period of six months to create a congenial atmosphere and initiate talks with the Government of India,8217;8217; the statement said.

It stated that all NDFB cadres were being asked to immediately suspend 8216;8216;hostility against India8217;8217;. Intelligence agencies believe that the NDFB has an armed cadre strength between 500 and 800. The outfit has been demanding creation of a sovereign Bodo state on the northern banks of the Brahmaputra. Meanwhile, the Centre is moving an infantry brigade to deal with the NDFB and another to tackle the People8217;s Liberation Army PLA in Manipur.

Government sources in New Delhi said the decision to send one brigade to Manipur was taken after a meeting of the Unified Command in Imphal and this had been cleared by the Ministry of Defence. Army headquarters has now asked the 73 Brigade of 57 Mountain Division to move from Masimpur near Silchar and redeploy itself at Loktak on the Palel road leading to Tamu on the Myanmar border. This deployment will beef the Army presence in the interiors of Manipur. It8217;s learnt that two BSF battalions have been sent to Manipur to reinforce the counter-insurgency grid which has a significant CRPF presence. Although the use of helicopters in counter-insurgency operations has been okayed by the Government, the Army has decided to use them for ferrying troops and not for targeting militants as it could result in collateral damage.