Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 09 2009:
Expressing shock at the treatment meted out to ULFA chairman Rajkhowa and other leaders of the armed outfit by the Bangladesh Govt, five insurgent groups operating in the North eastern region stated that such an attitude has deeply hurt sentiments of the peoples of the region.
Reacting to the arrest of Rajkhowa and other ULFA leaders recently, a joint statement of the Manipur People's Liberation Front, National Democratic Front of Bodoland, National Liberation Front of Tripura, Tripura People's Democratic Front and United Liberation Front of Asom pondered on the consequences and impact of the arrests.
Conveying solidarity with ULFA and the peoples of Assam in view of the recent arrest of Chairman Rajkhowa and other leaders of ULFA, the joint statement said, 'after several days of speculations and denials it is now confirmed that Chairman Rajkhowa and other leaders of ULFA were arrested in Bangladesh by security agencies of that country and subsequently handedover to India'.
Certainly, the arrest and handover of Chairman Rajkhowa and other leaders of ULFA by the Bangladesh government has deeply hurt the sentiments of the peoples of our Region who contributed in no small way to the liberation war effort of Bangladesh in 1971, the statement maintained while recounting that the Region (NE) served as the much needed a rear base of the Bangladesh liberation war.
"The peoples of Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura provided generous shelters to hundreds of thousands of Bangladesh freedom fighters.
And now our Region provides shelter for livelihood to hundreds of thousands of migrant Bangladeshis.
It is, therefore, only natural that the peoples of our Region now engaged in liberation struggles feel betrayed in their hour of need by this act of the Bangladesh government".
However, we of the national liberation forces know that such setbacks are attendant in any liberation struggle.
Therefore, we will give maximum effort to overcome such setbacks by our collective wisdom and strength.
However, we will not in any way react in sentimental vengeance.
We know that the spirit of freedom has always prevailed, even against the strongest power on earth.
And we believe that in the spirit of freedom the people of Bangladesh will have sympathy and support for our liberation struggle transcending their government's contrary policies, the UG groups observed.
Calling upon the insurgent groups to refrain from any such act that may be construed as open infringement against the sovereignty of Bangladesh and hurt the sentiments of the people concerned, it also cautioned that any sort of transgression that could strain people to people relationships owing to anti-liberation stance of the Government concerned is not warranted at the juncture.
Lastly, we appeal to all concerned not to be misled by mischievous misinformation propaganda of India, it added.