Guwahati: Globally acclaimed spiritual leader Sri Ravi Shankar, the founder of Art of Living, has stated that he has been in touch with the leader of the anti-talks faction of the banned United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), Paresh Barua as well as with leaders of the Naga rebel group NSCN-K to bring the groups to negotiation for establishment of peace in Assam and the region.
“I am in touch with ULFA leader Paresh Barua and hope he comes forward soon to end the 35-year-old conflict in Assam,” he said here while interacting with the media on Thursday.
He further said that he had been working for some time to bring the rebel groups to peace negotiation so that peace could be restored. “Once the peace is restored and guns become silent other problems could be addressed effectively. Peace is not possible with the guns around,” the spiritual leader said.
It may be mentioned that though a sizeable faction of the ULFA led by its ‘chairman’ Arabinda Rajkhowa has come forward for dialogue with the Government of India, the hawks of the outfit led by fugitive Paresh Barua have remained at large.
The anti-talks faction of the ULFA has been operating from its base in Myanmar in close coordination with the Naga rebel group NSCN-K and few other rebel outfits from the region.
The spiritual leader Ravi Shankar was here to address a conference of North East indigenous people titled ‘Strength in Diversity’ here on Thursday. The conference was organised by many like-minded and prominent individuals and groups of the region.
The event brought together leaders from all walks of life including leaders who had once taken up arms, on a common platform to debate, discuss and bridge the gap among various stakeholders in the peace processes and reduce the trust deficits that exist. Several former underground leaders led by ‘General Secretary’ of pro-talks faction of ULFA, Anup Chetia are among the conveners of the event. Other prominent names include former leader of armed Tripura National Volunteers (TNV) Bijoy Kumar Hrangkhawl and Dilip Nunisa of Dima Halam Daogah (DHD), the Assam-based militant outfit that laid down arms in 2013