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Journalism of Courage
The United Liberation Front of Asoms decision to begin talks with the Union government on February 10 without preconditions is the clearest sign so far of Assams sanguinary history of militancy nearing its end. While a full end is still in the domain of hope,Ulfa has appeared to be edging nearer to the democratic mainstream for a while. According to the statement read out to the press by the Ulfa spokesperson,the organisation has come round to unconditional talks because it believes that continuing to seek a military solution would be suicidal,given the current political situation in
Assam. It is significant that Ulfa has dropped the core issue of sovereignty and its insistence that talks be held in a third country in the presence of a UN observer.
But there is an equally important strand in the Ulfa story. It tells us of the possibilities that open up when relations with neighbours are substantively addressed. The Centre may not have been in a position to sit with Ulfa for unconditional talks without Bangladeshs cooperation in catching,imprisoning and handing over Ulfa leaders. It is important that these gains are not frittered away in an Indian states internal politics. The focus of the talks and the governments priorities should therefore seek to both normalise Assam and further strengthen partnership across the Indo-Bangladesh border.
