People of Assam want radical change

Morung Express News
November 22

Dimapur: People of Assam want to bring about a radical change in the system which governs them. Members of the People’s Consultative Group (PCG) were set up by the ULFA to hold initial talks with the Centre and comprises of an 11 member team of prominent civil society members with well acclaimed Assamese writer Indira Goswami as their leader. A PCG member told The Morung Express today that their interactions with the people of Assam had made them come to a conclusion that to harbour in peace in the region, the “system needs a radical change.” Lachit Bordoloi, a member of the PCG who is also the advisor of MASS, an Assam based Human Rights organization was in Dimapur for a day to hold consultations with members of the NPMHR.

“Be it on the basis of sovereignty or another form of mutually acceptable agreement, the people of Assam desire a transformation from the present structure, be it on geographical terms, separate constitution or the right to self determination,” Bordoloi said.  

He reiterated that the people were “very much” positive that an outcome would be reached upon. 

Asked to comment on the recent Karbi Anglong clashes, the PCG member dismissed the notion of an ethnic conflict and commented that the killings were spurred by a cabal within the Assam government’s machinery. He was of the opinion that the name of the NSCN (IM) was dragged into the fracas by those who instigated the violence. He said a high level probe was needed so as to book those actually responsible and averred that the administration could have ‘by all means’ curbed the violence in the very first place.   

The next round of peace talks between the PCG and the Union Government will most probably be held during the later part of December after the Parliament session. 

ULFA had in the past insisted it would raise the issue of sovereignty for Assam and push for the release of 10 of its top leaders currently held in jails in India, Bangladesh and Bhutan.



Support The Morung Express.
Your Contributions Matter
Click Here