Paresh Barua dances to a Bihu tune with other Ulfa cadres. File picture

Guwahati, Oct. 31: Ulfa believes that the Assam-India political conflict would not be solved unless discussion was held on sovereignty issue. But the outfit’s commander-in-chief Paresh Barua said he would be happy if proved wrong.

Barua’s stand has come after a six-member team of Ulfa’s Arabinda Rajkhowa faction held its first round of formal talks on the outfit’s charter of demands with the Centre in New Delhi on Tuesday.

“Permanent solution of the Assam-India conflict will not be found unless discussion is held on sovereignty of Assam, the main objective behind Ulfa’s formation,” Barua said in a statement issued to media houses today.

While Arabinda Rajkhowa and other Ulfa leaders are going ahead with a 12-point charter of demands to end their armed struggle and expressed hope that Barua would join the talks someday, the stand of the commander-in-chief of the outfit is still far from softening.

“Unless colonial India recognises the right of freedom of Assam and the people of so-called Northeast, the promises of establishing permanent peace in the region is nothing but a fanciful slogan,” he said.

There are reports that Barua has been frantically trying to increase his cadre strength, recruiting youths mostly from Upper Assam, after the Rajkhowa faction prepared its roadmap for discussion with the Centre.

His cadres even gunned down Tileswar Mohan at Moran in Dibrugarh district a few days ago for his alleged involvement in anti-Ulfa activities.

Barua expressed doubt on the sincerity of the ongoing Ulfa-Centre talks. He said the NSCN-Centre years-long talks reflect how the Union government uses these measures to disintegrate the people and weaken the rebel organisations.

“Thuingaleng Muivah has continued the peace process for 14 years. But during this time the Centre has disintegrated and weakened the Nagas. If Muivah signed any agreement compromising the sovereignty issue of the Nagas the generations will never accept it,” he said.

“The Indian diplomats are not naive to allow a group of militant leaders, set free on bail, to speak about sovereignty,” Barua said.

The Ulfa commander-in-chief refused to buy the argument of many people that arms struggle in Assam has become irrelevant. Instead, he said making such a comment just reflects lack of self-confidence.

“If somebody said that arms struggle has no relevance in Assam these days it only reflects lack of his self-confidence. Success of an arms struggle of people depend on farsightedness, mental strength, patience and selflessness of their leaders,” Barua said.