TINSUKIA, June 29 � Two years back on June 24, two very important and powerful groups, i.e., A and C companies of 28th battalion of United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) under the leadership of commander Mrinal Hazarika and Jiten Dutta unilaterally declared ceasefire and took shelter in the designated camps by defying the rules and regulations of the organisation.
On the occasion of completion of two years, the ceasefire groups that have metamorphosed into pro-talk group of ULFA last year organised a public meeting at the designated camp at Kakopathar, in Tinsukia district on Thursday. The meeting was president over by the president of the pro-talk group, Mrinal Hazarika and attended by many of different militant groups of the State, including, Dilip Nunisa, chairman of DHD and other office bearers of the organisation, Jebra Mushahari, chairman, United People�s Federation of Assam (UPFA), JBS Khake of Adivasi Cobra Militant Group, Birshing Munda of Bircha Commando Force, Satradhikars of Kopahtoli, Modarkhat, and Simoluguri Satras, Dr Budhin Gogoi, Principal of Margherita College, Dr Utpal Chandra Sharma, Principal of Digboi Girls College, Dr Girin Phukan, former Head of the Political Science Department, Dibrugarh University, Punya Saikia, litterateur of Digboi and president of Sonowal Kachari Jatiya Parishad, Shantanu Das Borhajuar, office bearers of Tai Ahom Students� Union, Sonowal Kachari Students� Union and many other dignitaries, besides members of the pro-talk groups of all the three camps situated at Kakopathar, Moran and Nalbari.
Giving accounts on the activities of the last two years of the pro-talk groups, Jiten Dutta, general secretary stated that besides efforts to create an atmosphere for dialogue between the Central Government and the central committee of ULFA by meeting a cross-sections of people of Assam, the group has engaged itself in society by being involved self employment through, poultry, fishery, piggery and farming for which in organised training in these fields for the cadres as well as for the interested villagers.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Dutta said that it was immaterial whether the central committee would invite them for the talks with the government, but the group sincerely wanted that not only for peace, but also for overall development and other basic problems of the State dialogue must take place. The group hoped that the present efforts of the Jatiya Parishad under the leadership of Dr Hiren Gohain would be a fruitful to start talks between ULFA and the Government for finding out a reasonable and prestigious solution to the armed struggle since the last three decades. Other speakers at the meeting also opined that dialogue should be started between the Government and the outfit without any precondition and Government should create a congenial atmosphere for peace talks to take place.