Guwahati, 18th July, 2008

“We need the public support to maintain and prevail the peace in the region”, announced 28 Bt. Commander of United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), Mrinal Hazarika in a public gathering at the Omeo Kumer Das Social Institute in Guwahati today. After the ULFA’s largest battalion prepared to go through the cease fire, the leaders of the 28 Bt are now struggling hard to make their voices public through various gatherings everyday in the nooks and corners of the state.

The schedule gathering organised by the institute was held between the ULFA’s pro- peace process leaders like Mrinal Hazarika and Jiten Dutta with the many news persons and intellectuals of the state to reach a better prospective of the on going peace process by the Battalion’s intiative. Speaking to the mass Former hardcore militant Mrinal Hazarika and his followers today asked for the public support to gain the ultimate result of peace in the region.”ULFA and public are now gone a major distance though the outfit was prepared to served the people’s interest, people losing the hopes on the group and the anti social elements of the groups are needed to be cleaned and to proceed to a better solution”, Hazarika said while adding that their Bt. has revolt against the constitutional norms of the outfit and they except the circumstances that can be aroused for this because of the greater interest of Assamese community.

The meeting was to built a bridge between the pro- peace militants and the intellectuals where freedom fighters like Padmashree Hem Bharali, Writer Wasbir Hussain, Senior Journalist Raj Guru and many others were present for the conversation. “We anticipated a major ideological clash between the ULFA members and now Hazarika has leaded a good sign to become pro- peace talks, which is needed to be applauded but where gone the other leaders?” was the common question of the mass asked, Hem Bharali. Replying to it Jiten Dutta, senior ULFA said that one part of the militants have finally been able to see things rationally and now they are trying to bring the same ideology to the others which will lead to future understanding and for which this pro- peace party is ready to face hardships. In the hour long discussion the ULFA members were keen to listen to the views of the public which they think the ULFA has not been listening for a long time though claim to be a public outfit.

The conversation of the intellectuals and the ULFA leaders concludes to the point that ULFA and Public are lacking the major thread of common goals and for which the system and the outfit will be working hand in hand, when Mrinal Hazarika said that Pro-peace movement in the banned outfit is a outcome of the public interest and these cadres will do all the hard work to reach the goal of Peace by a discussion with both the parties, the GOI and the ULFA senior leaders like Paresh Baruah, CNC of ULFA.