GUWAHATI: The after chooses over the sudden resumption of an Army operation against the ULFA and its subsequent suspension have revealed the brittle nature of peace in Assam.

The Army which had caught the state government unawares by renewing. Its operations in different parts of the state on Thursday night suspended the onslaught on Friday morning when it realized it had misinterpreted the governments signal for an alert

During the short spell of operations, the Army even picked up a top rung ULFA leader, Mr Monin Nobis who was subsequently released by the state government. Many other arrested cadres are also being released.

The publicity secretary of the LULFAs Sonit pur district, Mr Lahi Saikia who was injured in an exchange of fire with the troops at Jorabari during the renewed operations later died

While an embarrassed government attributed the fiasco to a communication gap” between the civil and military authorities, the ULFA described the Army actor as “unfortunate” because it came at a time when preparations were on for the proposed talks with the government,

A four-member delegation of the ULFA led by the vice-chairman, Mr Pradip Gogoi, left for New Delhi on Friday to hold discussions With central agencies on the proposed talks.

The delegations is learnt to have been authorized by the ULFAs general council which met somewhere in Nagoan district last week was reported to give by and large, expressed support for   with the government but had failed to reach any conclusive decision because it was yet to receive the consent of its commander-in chief Mr Paresh Barua. There has also been some difference of opinion surrendering on arms.

“The confusion over the Army disadvantage seems to have stemmed from the Centers announcement on Thursday ruling out withdrawal of the Anny from Assam, Besides, there had been considerable speculation about a renewed Arm operation after the expire of the February 29 deadline set by the government for the ULFA to express its willingness for negotiations.

The Army operations, which had been suspend on January 14 continue to remain suspended, official sources have clarified. The operations had been suspended after a group of ULGA leaders had met the Prime Minister, Mr P.V. Narasimha Rao, in mid-January and given him an assurance that the outfit would abide by the constitution, abjure violence and surrender arms.

The Assam chief minister, Mr. Hiteswar Saikia is confident about the proposed talks between the government and the ULFA being held as planned.

Article extracted from this publication >> March 13, 1992