GUWAHATI: The outlawed United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), pro-talks faction on Thursday stated that the ‘chief of staff’ of the outfit Paresh Barua, who heads the ‘minority’ anti-talks faction of the outfit had no right and power to reject the unilateral truce declared by the ‘chairman’ Arabinda Rajkhowa with government of India forces to facilitate political negotiation.
In a statement issued by the central publicity secretary of the ULFA (pro-talks) Mithinga Daimary has said that Wednesday’s statement issued by Paresh Barua rejecting the truce declared by Arabinda Rajkhowa has no validity in the light of provision of the outfit’s ‘constitution’ that empowers only the ‘chairman’ to make announcement on behalf of the outfit based on decisions taken by majority members of the outfit.
The pro-talks faction pointed out that a military wing (armed with led by Paresh ) of a rebel groups did not enjoy any authority to indulge in any armed action or declare truce on its own.
The statement further stated that the truce declared by the ‘chairman Rajkhowa’ was not his personal decision, but a decision f over two-third members of the outfit who have agreed to pursue a peace process with the government of India in response to the call of ’99 per cent’ people of Assam who expressed their opinions in the favour of a political and negotiated settlement of ‘Assam-India’ (ULFA insurgency) conflict.
The statement further maintained that the announcement of ‘truce’ by chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa was cent percent legal an correct in the light of the constitution of the ULFA and no one (even Paresh Barua) could term it illegal and reject because the one did not agree with the collective decision of majority members of the outfit.
The anti-talks faction leader Pareh Barua yesterday rejected the truce declared by ‘chairman’ Arabida Rajkhowa to facilitate talks with government of India.