No talks with handcuffs on: ULFA to Centre

The banned Assam-based militant outfit ULFA on Wednesday rejected Union Home Minister P Chidambaram's offer for peace talks echoing their chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa's stand "no peace talks with ULFA leaders in jail".

"The ULFA leaders cannot sit for peace talks from jail with handcuffs," jailed ULFA ideologue Bhimkanta Buragohain told reporters in Tezpur where he was produced before a fast track court.

The leaders have to be free for convening meetings of the ULFA's highest decision making committee to decide on peace talks, he said.

Buragohain, whose real name is Bishnujyoti Buragohain, and is addressed as 'Mama' by ULFA cadres, accused Chidambaram of not perceiving the sentiments of the local people.

"Chidambaram is not sensitive to the sentiments of the people here. He is not fully aware about Assam's situation, including its economic problems and geographical set up," he said.

Buragohain also accused some intellectuals of the state of acting as "brokers of the government for negotiating talks between ULFA and government for their own interest".

Burogohain "rejected" the claim of arrested surrendered ULFA (SULFA) cadre Kamal Nath's claim last week at the Tezpur Sessions Judge Court that 11 ULFA leaders, handed over to the Indian army during Operation All Clear in Bhutan against ULFA
in 2003, were killed in Shillong.

He suspected that the 11 were still in the custody of army as they along with him and six others were together till they were handed over to Indian Army on December 25 that year by the Royal Bhutan Army.

Meanwhile, jailed ULFA publicity secretary Mithinga Daimary, who was being taken to the Regional Dental Hospital at Guwahati for medical care told reporters, "No letter will be sent from jail to the Centre offering ULFA's willingness for talks. If we are set free, we will talk. No talks with handcuffs."

Yesterday ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa said his outfit cannot think of talks when the leaders were inside jail and not free.