Imphal, December 09 2009: Major militant organisations operating in the North-East India region have lambasted Bangladesh saying the neighbouring country has betrayed the people of the region.

These outfits have said in a joint press communique today that they have construed the captured of United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa and other leaders of the outfit and the subsequent hand-over of these leaders to India as a "betrayal" by Bangladesh.

Manipur People's Liberation Front (MPLF), National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT), Tripura People's Democratic Front (TPDF) and the ULFA said the incident had deeply hurt the sentiments of the North East people that served as the rear base of Bangladesh's liberation war.

"They (the people) contributed in no small way to the liberation war of Bangladesh in 1971," the statement said.

It reminded Bangladesh that at that point in time the people in Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura provided shelters to hundreds of thousands freedom fighters of that country.

"Even now our region provides shelter for livelihood to hundreds of thousands of migrant Bangladeshis.

It is, therefore, only natural that the people of our region engaged in liberation struggle feel betrayed in their hour of need by this act of the Bangladeshi Government," the joint communique stated.

Meanwhile, these militant organisations resolved to overcome the setback (arrest of the ULFA leaders) by their collective wisdom and strength but not by 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".

These North East militant groups emphasized that they would not commit any act that may be construed as open infringement upon the sovereignty of the neighbouring countries and hurt the sentiments of their people.

Mention may be made that Bangladesh had been a safe haven for the militants of the North-East, in particular the ULFA, till the latest crackdown by the neighbouring country.

Among others, the chief of Bodo extremist group NDFB Ranjan Daimary is believed to be still holed up in Bangladesh.

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