GUWAHATI, July 4 � International pressure on the commander-in-chief of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), Paresh Baruah is mounting as the Government of Bangladesh has issued an order for seizure of his assets in that country. Meanwhile, Baruah is facing two Interpol Red Corner notices.
Highly placed official sources told The Assam Tribune that the Government of Bangladesh first issued a warrant of arrest against Baruah after he was charge sheeted in the 2004 arms haul case and recently an Interpol Red Corner notice has been issued by Bangladesh against the ULFA leader. Sources pointed out that this was the second Interpol Red Corner notice against Baruah as such a notice issued by the Government of India is already pending.
Sources revealed that according to information available with the security agencies, the ULFA leader, who is still adopting a tough stand on the issue of talks with the Government, is now in the Taga area of Myanmar along with his supporters. The bases of Baruah are located near the camps of the NSCN (K) and it is believed that SS Khaplang has been facilitating the stay of Baruah in that area by taking advantage of the fact that there is very little presence of the Myanmar Army in that area. Another hitch is that Myanmar is not an Interpol member country and the Government of India or Bangladesh would have to depend on improvement of bilateral ties with Myanmar to take action to evict the camps of the NE militant groups in that country.
Interestingly China is an Interpol member country and though according to security reports, Baruah visited Yunan province on several occasions in recent years.
Sources said that though the wife and children of Baruah are still in Bangladesh, it would not be possible for him to come to that country under the present circumstances. After the issue of warrant of arrest and Interpol notice against him, Baruah would not have a free run in Bangladesh even if there is a change of Government in the country.
On the order issued by the Government of Bangladesh for the seizure of the properties of Baruah, sources said that according to information available with the Government of India, the ULFA leader invested money in with a number of top businessmen of Bangladesh and most of those businessmen were close to the Khaleda Zia regime. It is believed that Baruah also invested money in the business of one of the sons of the former Prime Minister but that has not yet been proved. �However, India is still not aware whether the Government of Bangladesh managed to prepare details of the investments of the ULFA leaders in that country so that it can be seized,� sources admitted and pointed out that during its previous tenure, the Awami League Government in Bangladesh managed to freeze the accounts of the ULFA in the Sonali Bank.
