GUWAHATI, Oct 8 - Talks between the Government of India and United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) remained suspended since March, but the leaders of the outfit are hopeful that the process would gather momentum after the signing of an accord with the rebel groups of Nagaland. Talking to The Assam Tribune, ULFA general secretary Anup Chetia said that the talks with the Government of India were �in final stage�. He, however, said that the term of the Centre�s interlocutor AB Mathur expired in March and he was not given an extension. Moreover, outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic also slowed down the process, he said.
Chetia said that they were given to understand that from now on, the Intelligence Bureau (IB) would carry forward the process of talks as the government is of the view that talking through an interlocutor slows down the process. He also expressed the hope that the process would gather momentum as soon as an agreement is signed with the rebel groups of Nagaland. The ULFA general secretary said that the cadres were frustrated because of the slow progress of talks.
�We are trying to pacify the cadres by telling them that such talks take time. The NSCN-(IM) has been talking since 1997,� he added. He said that the ULFA has around 1,400 cadres and only about 700 of them are getting the monthly stipend offered by the government.
Chetia said that the ULFA was also demanding constitutional protection for the indigenous people of Assam and as a committee formed by the government for suggesting measures to implement Clause 6 of the accord was studying the issue, they were waiting for its report, which also delayed the progress of talks. He said that the ULFA supported most of the points of the recommendations given by the committee, but they have difference of opinion on the quantum of reservation and the cut-off year.
The committee recommended 80 to 100 per cent reservation for �Assamese people� in Assembly, Parliament and local bodies.
The ULFA gave a proposal for 88 per cent reservation. The Committee suggested taking 1951 as the cut-off year for identification of �Assamese people� but the ULFA gave a different formula.
Replying to a question, Chetia said that no member of the ULFA would join any political party and if anyone wants to do so, he or she would have to resign from the organisation before doing so. However, after the signing of an accord, the ULFA would be disbanded and then the members would be free to do whatever they like.
The ULFA general secretary further said that they were not making any fresh effort to bring the ULFA(I) to the negotiation table. However, at the same time, he said that personally he would want the government to bring the outfit to the discussion table.
