United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa on Thursday urged the Centre to ensure that senior leader of the outfit Anup Chetia, now jailed in Bangladesh, participates in the talk process.
Mr. Rajkhowa told reporters after his first interaction, since his release from jail, with Centre’s interlocutor P. C. Haldar at the Circuit House in Guwahati that this “was just a request and not a pre-condition“.
“Let there be no confusion. We have not made this a pre-condition but have only requested the Centre to facilitate the release of Chetia, the general secretary of the outfit so that he can participate in the talks,” he said.
Mr. Haldar also told reporters that the ULFA has agreed to come forward for “unconditional dialogue” and the issue of Mr. Chetia’s release was definitely not a pre-condition but “they have made a request in this regard”.
Mr. Rajkhowa said that today’s meeting was a step in taking the peace process a step further.
“We have discussed the next phase of the peace process. We have not made any formal announcement regarding the talks. Our meeting with Haldar was held to discuss the next phase,” Mr. Rajkhowa said, who was accompanied by the outfit’s ‘deputy commander—in—chief’ Raju Barua.
Avoiding a direct reply to whether they asked Mr. Haldar to ensure the participation of ULFA ‘commander—in—chief’ Paresh Barua, Mr. Rajkhowa said, “We will write to all members to participate in the Central Committee meeting which will be followed by the General Council meeting wherein we will take the decision on how to proceed”.
