Meghalaya launches operation to rescue abducted official, traders; Assam CM announces peace pact with the Karbi-Anglong based United People’s Democratic Solidarity (UPDS); Centre confirms presence of North East ultra camps in Myanmar; Anti-talk ULFA facti
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    • According to reports, security forces have launched an operation in western Meghalaya to rescue a state government official and two Assam-based traders abducted by Garo rebels. Heavily armed GNLA rebels had abducted the Block Development Officer (BDO) posted at Dadenggre and two traders from two areas of Meghalaya's West Garo Hills district. Combat Battalion for Resolute Action (COBRA) and Meghalaya's Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) commandos have been pressed in to service to rescue the hostages.1

    Meanwhile, reports noted that Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said that the Karbi Anglong-based UPDS would sign a peace pact with the Centre on November 25. Gogoi pointed out that it is a good sign even though the other Karbi Anglong-based outfit, KLNLF, has not yet come forward.2

    Reports noted that the Centre has formally confirmed that several separatists’ outfits of North-East including outlawed ULFA, NDFB, and both factions of NSCN have camps in Sagaing Province, Chin and Kachin State of Myanmar. The use of Myanmar’s territory by Indian insurgent groups for carrying out violence in North Eastern States has regularly been taken up at various levels.3

    In another development, the hard line faction of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) announced its new 16 member central committee headed by Dr Abhijit Barman, who will be the acting chairman, while, the commander in chief Paresh Baruah will also be the acting vice chairman of the outfit. The hard line faction, in a release issued to the media announced the list of new central committee members but it refrained from divulging the identity of the new acting chairman. Paresh Baruah has got the additional responsibility and his rank in the outfit has been upgraded from "colonel" to "Major General". The outfit also revealed that the new committee was formed in the mobile military headquarter.4

    However, according to reports, the Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) received a setback after the police swooped down on three of its cadres, who were trying to strike an arms deal here for the outfit. Among those arrested were Jackuish A Sangma, a top aide of GNLA’s self-styled Commander-in-Chief Sohan D Shira, and two others – Bappun A Sangma and Harding M Marak. After interrogation, the police learnt that all the three were in the city to strike an arms deal with dealers from Nagaland. Based on the information, police managed to arrest three arms dealers.5

    Reports noted that Karbi militant outfit United People’s Democratic Solidarity (UPDS) sealed an accord with the Centre and Assam Government, paving the way for restoration of peace in the troubled hill district. The Centre declared a package worth over Rs 2000 crore, while the new set-up would be rechristened as ‘Karbi Anglong Autonomous Territorial Council’. The outfit had flown in representatives of at least 50 organisations from Karbi Anglong. The tripartite Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) was signed in presence of Union Home Minister P Chidambaram and Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi. UPDS chairman Longsodar Senar, general secretary Haren Singh Bey and two joint secretaries, Kanjan Terang and Surya Rongphar, and self-styled C-in-C Anil Teron signed the accord, while State Home Secretary Jishnu Barua and Joint Secretary (NE) Shambhu Singh signed it on behalf of the State Government and the Centre respectively.6

    According to reports, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh is likely to visit the blockade- hit Manipur on December 3. Dr Manmohan’s visit to Manipur for the third time after he became the Prime Minister comes close on the heels of Union Home Minister P Chidambaram’s fire-fighting mission to Manipur on November 2. The official reason of PM’s visit to the trouble-torn north- eastern border State is to inaugurate a City Convention Centre, Inter State Bus Terminus, the Assembly complex, a High Court building as part of the Capitol Project and National Institute of Technology followed by a public rally at Kangla fort complex in the afternoon of December 3.7

    In other developments, Lakhimpur police busted a terror outfit at its nascent stage with several arrests and haul of arms and ammunition. The budding terror module named Assam Tribal Commando was busted in Chawul Dhowa Ghat area of eastern Lakhimpur district following intelligence report in a joint operation by Chawul Dhowa Ghat Police out Post and Bogeenadi Police Station. The yet-to-be-surfaced Assam Tribal Commando planned to strengthen its organizational base by extortion from different districts of the State. The arrested persons of the outfit admitted buying weapons from arms market in Dimapur.8

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