GUWAHATI, May 18: Fresh trouble seems to be on the cards along the sensitive Assam-Nagaland border with two major outlawed organisations of the region, the NSCN(IM) and ULFA crossing swords over the territorial domination of the two groups.While the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isac Muivah, which is currently holding negotiations with the Government of India to solve the Naga question, has last week reiterated its original demand for an independent state comprising, among other areas, the Naga-inhabited parts of Assam too, the United Liberation Front of Assam has retorted back by saying that it will fight for stopping any move to give away Assam areas.The NSCN(IM) claims incidentally were carried by The Indian Express last week through an interview by its commander-in-Chief V S Atem, where he said that the outfit would not settle for even an inch less than what it has been fighting for.This has sent signals to the ULFA that the NSCN(IM), during the peace talks with the governmentwould definitely press for inclusion of large tracts in Assam's Sibsagar, Golaghat, Jorhat, Karbi Anglong and North Cachar hill district, some of which are already under dispute between the governments of Assam and Nagaland.Replying to this claim of the NSCN(IM), Arabinda Rajkhowa, the ULFA chairman has said that the Naga outfit was engaged in unauthorised entry into Assam territory as also in collection ``taxes'' and killing people, ``which the ULFA cannot tolerate.''The ULFA incidentally does not have good relations with the Isac Muivah faction of the NSCN and is only close to the other NSCN Khaplang faction.While the Assam government has kept mum on the new angle to the ULFA-NSCN feud, intelligence agencies have already stepped up vigil on the Assam-Nagaland border areas as also on the disputed areas, especially Golaghat. The sensitive Assam-Nagaland border incidentally has been by and large peaceful for about two years now. The last reported incident of attack on Assam villages occurring in May,1996, soon after the AGP-led alliance took over in Assam.The ULFA chairman's reaction also referred to the recent killing of one Jon Hazarika, an Assamese businessman at Haflong in the North Cachar hill district on May five allegedly by the Muivah cadre.
