Centre likely to accept ULFA autonomy plea
Constitutional amendments in line
Source: The Sangai Express / Agencies

Guwahati, April 04 2012: The Centre has given clear indications to Ulfa's pro-talks faction that it is ready to accept all its demands, which includes constitutional amendments and giving more powers to Assam on the lines of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 .

The pro-talks leadership, however, is skeptic about Parliament giving the nod to the desired amendment.

Led by Arabinda Rajkhowa, the faction, in its central executive meeting held here on Sunday last, had expressed doubts how the constitutional amendment would be viewed by Parliament when the government moves the amendment Bill.

"As of now, there is no problem or differences between us and the government.

Our executive committee members will go to New Delhi for talks with the government on April 9," said a top leader of the group.

He added, "We had several rounds of informal talks here with interlocutor PC Haldar and other government representatives and the indications are clear and strong about the government agreeing in principle to accept all our demands, including constitutional amendment to solve our problems" .

Rajkhowa, along with vice-chairman Pradeep Gogoi, deputy commander-inchief Raju Baruah, foreign secretary Sasadhar Choudhury, finance secretary Chitrabon Hazarika, publicity secretary Mithinga Daimary and cultural secretary Pranati Deka will meet Centre's representatives on April 9 in New Delhi to formalize all discussions held with Haldar here.

The Ulfa group's "framework for discussions", submitted to home minister P Chidambaram on August 5 last year, broadly states, "The people of Assam today feel insecure in their own traditional homeland and have been left far behind.

To achieve such objectives, Ulfa proposes that negotiations be initiated between India and the people of Assam to bring in measures, Constitutional and otherwise of wide scope, and that certain urgent political, economic, social and cultural arrangements be undertaken and completed within a reasonable timeframe by the Government of India to ensure a peaceful democratic solution of the historical IndoAssam question" .

The Centre agreed to start dialogue with Rajkhowa after the group dropped its primary demand for sovereignty.

After the ground was laid, the group submitted its "framework for discussions" to Chidambaram.

The Centre and the group have already signed the suspension of operation last year.

The group has further demanded constitutional and political arrangements, protection of the identity and material resources of the local indigenous population of the state besides financial and economic arrangements such as settlement of all royalties on mines, minerals, including oil, on a retrospective compensatory basis and rights of independent use for a sustainable economic development in future.

These apart, the group has also demanded discussions on illegal migration, its effect, impact and required remedies, including sealing of international borders, river patrolling, development of a native force to man the borders and ethnic issues.

The group has also demanded a status report on missing Ulfa leaders and cadres.

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