A look into Assam’s worst problem ever
The ULFA is been in much news of late. First a number of blasts across the Assam and then finally lifting ban they had imposed on the National Games (wonder who are they to ban). I thought this could be a time to talk about Assam’s worst ever problem. The why and whats.
Before talking about the ULFA we should know something about Assam. Assam lies on the northeastern part of India. It is a state known for its tea- approximately 55.5% of the total tea production of India is from Assam. It is also rich in oil and is lush green with Kaziranga National Park famous for its population of one-horned rhino -also a world heritage site, and the Manas sanctuary famous for its golden langur which not found anywhere else in the world, situated in this state. Assam was once a large and rich state but now remains a shadow if its former self after being divided into several sates. Right now its economy is down in the dumps with problems like terrorism, annual floods, and unemployment limiting its progress.
Terrorism in the state has left the devastated with organizations like ULFA, MULTA, NDBF, BLT eating into the economy. ULFA – The United Liberation Front Of Assam
was born on the 7th of April 1979 on the historic lawns of Ranghar has been fighting for the liberation of Assam ( a land of 78529 sq km) from the Indian republic. The organization says that Assam was never a part of the India territory.
In 1979 a group of college students got together and decided that an armed struggled was the only way to rinse the political system of the state. They first sent ripples around the state by dispensing bootleggers, corrupt officials and anti-social elements. Talked about the outsiders swamping the state and ruining the economy by denying jobs to the sons of the soil. They were concerned why Assam’s economy was so poor in spite of being rich in oil and tea. They also raised voice against the infiltration of Bangladeshis.
ULFA raised the concerns of the youth who termed them as revolutionaries. Elder citizens saw them as youngsters who were out to clean the dirty system. In 1987 they sent 200 boys to Myanmar for armed training. The NSCN had then shown doubts how they ULFA could fight India when they would crumble under little pressure form the Indian Army. But over the years the ULFA militants have not only learned to hold the gun but also use it in devastating ways. So much so that now ULFA is no more a revolutionary outfit but a bloodthirsty organization.
Its in interesting what the organization had started out as and what it is now. What ULFA proclaims it is and what it is now seen as is nothing less than an irony. According to ULFA - Assam was never a part of India at any point of time hence theirs is not a separatist movement. The fact is that India has occupied independent Assam along with other northeastern states and Kashmir. The people of Assam have defended the Moghul attacks as many as 17 times. Assam became a British colony after the Treaty of Yandabu
(1926). The people of launched movement against the British, which was later, united with the Indian freedom struggle. Hence after the departure of the British Assam should have been an independent country. The organization has also alleged that India encouraged the influx of Indian national to Assam because having an ethnic affinity with the Indian mainland would be good for the long-term security perspective. It also said that the partition of India at time of independence led to large influx of foreigners, which caused a serious threat to the demographic composition of Assam. The ULFA has also accused the Indian Government of adopting oppressive measures against the people of the state and has also suppressed the Assamese language and culture and has ensured that Assam remains poor. It therefore urges to all the Assamese to join in their endeavour. They have also in their website given what are the characters needed to become an ULFA member.
From a time when ULFA enjoyed widespread sympathy to a time. What caused the organization that had a meteoric rise in popularity thought of as an enemy as maximum people of the very state it meant to serve? One incident that cemented ULFA in this direction occurred on June 28 1990 when ULFA summoned 20 tea barons in Dibrugarh and asked them to pay a tax of Rs.1 per kilogram of tea. The barons protested against the huge demand. But ULFA murdered Surendra Paul a tea planter in Dibrugarh and brother of British labour peer Swaraj Paul. This sent a clear signal that either the tax be paid or risk their life. Extortion now is a major part of ULFA’s income. ULFA no longer talks about the Bangladeshi immigration which one of the most prominent problems of Assam now. Instead they have camps in Bangladesh and their Commander in Chief reportedly having financial interests in the country. The members have acquired a lot of money. Joining the ULFA has become a quick short cut to money for the mislead unemployed youths of the state.
Public sympathy has waned the years. Earlier when the police picked on a person with suspected links to the ULFA, villagers would surround the police station and get the person freed. If any ULFA cadre would die there would be long funeral processions. But
no more. There are public meetings held to discuss the menace of the organization. Many writers have flooded newspapers with their writings, protesting the bloodshed caused by the organization. There have been countless occasions when the militants have killed people in huge scale – including the recent killings of the Hindi- speaking people in the state. What probably turned the public opinion against the ULFA is the killing of Sanjoy Ghosh who was working towards empowering the people of Majuli- the largest river island in the World situated in the river Brahmaputra. The reason for killing Ghosh according to them was that he was working for the RAW. But there could well be other reasons. ULFA has also tried to eliminate all who has tried to unite the Assamese people against it. One such person was Mr. Rabha who after leaving the BSF decides to stand against the ULFA. He was turning to be success by uniting people but ULFA didn’t waste time and went straight on to finish him off. Rabha was awarded the Saurya Chakra posthumously- the only civilian to be honoured so.
The people’s opinion has changed. They want peace and no more violence. ULFA no longer gets the importance. It has clearly given the impression that its main ideology is to make money. They would do some good if they fight against the Bangladeshi threat and also they fundamentalist fire that the ISI is promoting in the state.
© Copyright Noyon Jyoti Parasara, 2007
posted by Noyon Jyoti Parasara @ 10:37 AM
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