Seven days after the Bhutanese flush-out operations caught it by surprise, the ULFA today declared Bhutan ‘‘an enemy of the people of Assam’’ and said it would soon target Bhutanese nationals in the North-East.The ULFA announcement came in the form of a press note sent by e-mail to newspaper offices here by chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa who, according to intelligence officials, is currently in Bangkok.‘‘The Bhutanese, who have now become our enemy’s friends, are the enemy of the Assamese, Bodos and Kamatapuris.the operations have destroyed the age-old ties that existed between the people of the North-East and Bhutan,’’ Rajkhowa said in his statement.The outfit, he threatened, would soon start serving quit notices to all Bhutanese nationals who are either working or are running businesses in the North-East.Talking to NDTV 24 X 7, ULFA’s top leader Paresh Barua also threatened to avenge the military operations against its cadres in Bhutan. ‘‘Wherever we get chance, we will take revenge,’’ Barua said, accusing India and Bhutan of playing political games.Bhutan incidentally is heavily dependent on the North-East and North Bengal for its trade. Most of its horticulture and other exports are transported through these areas, while its main supply routes also pass through the region. Bhutanese nationals in the southern districts also prefer medical facilities in Assam, which is closer for them, than the country’s capital Thimpu.Rajkhowa further appealed to the people of Assam and north Bengal to sever ties with Bhutan till it did not suspend the operations. Those having businesses with Bhutanese counterparts have been asked to shut shop till the Royal Bhutan Army calls off its operations. Rajkhowa dismissed Bhutanese claims that the Indian Army was not involved and said several Indian personnel had even sustained injuries inside Bhutanese territory. ‘‘Bhutan has virtually ceded its sovereignty to India by allowing India to conduct joint operations,’’ the ULFA chairman reasoned.Rajkhowa refuted reports attributed to the Bhutanese authorities that over 500 ULFA cadres had surrendered, and said if this was true then the militants should be produced before the media. ‘‘The Bhutanese authorities, at the behest of India, are trying to weaken our morale by carrying out a simultaneous propaganda war,’’ he added.Meanwhile, a 48-hour Assam bandh called by the ULFA, NDFB and KLO against the Bhutan operations targeting the three outfits received a mixed response on the second day too, though other insurgent groups like the NSCN factions also extended support to it. Private vehicles plied on the roads, while Sunday bazaars and weekly village haats too functioned normally. Today being a Sunday, offices, educational institutions and banks were anyway closed.
