P
olitical movements, which do not have strong ideological base, have a limited life span. These movements in the nascent stage make strong inroads in the psyche of the populance by appealing to their sentiments. However, in the absence of any strong ideology, the support base of these organisations withers away, as the true and hollow nature of these organisations becomes clear with the passage of time. This happened in Tamilnadu in the late sixties, Punjab in eighties and started happening in Assam in late nineties.
Today, ULFA is facing resistance from inside the organisation as well as from outside and it may not take too long for it to completely break down. In the second week of February 2000, some of the cadres holding vital posts deserted the organisation. The reason behind these desertions is said to be the frustration of the cadres with the way of functioning of the organisation. At present, no activity is going on except extortion in the name of the organisation. Extortions have been going on from poor village cultivators and general public. The cadres who had joined ULFA in the hope of serving the people are finding themselves engaged in looting, extortions and kidnapping their own people. The cadres are mentally upset and are increasingly getting addicted to liquor. The people, who used to support them and give them shelter, have backed out. They are no longer willing to be a party to the violent acts of ULFA terrorism.
The last part of 1999 saw a revolutionary change in the attitude of people of Assam towards ULFA. With the arrest of four ISI agents working for ULFA, the ULFA-ISI nexus was confirmed, which triggered the process of ULFA losing mass support. Before this revelation, the sympathisers of ULFA were not aware that in the guise of a social reformist organisation, the group had established contacts with the Pakistani intelligence agency. ISI, in fact, has been supporting majority of the militant organisations in the North-Eastern region including the dreaded NSCN-IM. After its failure in Kargil; ISI has plans of cutting the entire north-east from the rest of the country. It has intensified its operations in the narrow sector between Srirampur in Assam and New Jalpaiguri in West Bengal, which is also called 'chicken's neck' and is the only road link between entire north-eastern region and the rest of India. ISI has been extending training to ULFA cadres apart from helping them in procuring arms from Bangladesh.
Another factor, which counts in the eroding base of ULFA, is the discovery of mass graves at Ghogabeel, in November 1999. The reaction of the people was intense. The people of Kalitapukhri, Goghabeel have long been suspecting something foul going on at the deserted area, from where, they have been recovering unclaimed human objects and hearing human screams. The operation of uncovering of mass graves, which was joined by thousand residents of Bistupur, Dihjani, Barghopa, Sagakuchi and Katakuchi brought forth the inhuman and barbaric tendencies of ULFA and shattered the myth of ULFA as an organisation working for the people. The process has been continuos.
The murders of Sanjoy Ghosh and Ratneswar Sharma , noted scholar, expose the ideologies of ULFA, which is interested in killing people, who are opposed to its ideas. The insurgent outfit even killed its own cadres, who questioned its proximity to ISI. In January 2000,134 ULFA and BLT militants surrendered before the common people in Assam. There was nothing official about it. Neither was there any Central dignitary present nor the Governor, Chief Minister or somebody from Army top brass. The surrendered cadres said that they had realised that their path was wrong. Binoy Rava, Commander of ULFA's Western command, who was among them, admitted that he had been awarded death penalty by the ULFA because of his opposition to some of their activities. The feelings of these cadres reflect the change in attitude of these boys towards the organisation and may result in more surrenders in near future.
olitical movements, which do not have strong ideological base, have a limited life span. These movements in the nascent stage make strong inroads in the psyche of the populance by appealing to their sentiments. However, in the absence of any strong ideology, the support base of these organisations withers away, as the true and hollow nature of these organisations becomes clear with the passage of time. This happened in Tamilnadu in the late sixties, Punjab in eighties and started happening in Assam in late nineties.
Today, ULFA is facing resistance from inside the organisation as well as from outside and it may not take too long for it to completely break down. In the second week of February 2000, some of the cadres holding vital posts deserted the organisation. The reason behind these desertions is said to be the frustration of the cadres with the way of functioning of the organisation. At present, no activity is going on except extortion in the name of the organisation. Extortions have been going on from poor village cultivators and general public. The cadres who had joined ULFA in the hope of serving the people are finding themselves engaged in looting, extortions and kidnapping their own people. The cadres are mentally upset and are increasingly getting addicted to liquor. The people, who used to support them and give them shelter, have backed out. They are no longer willing to be a party to the violent acts of ULFA terrorism.
The last part of 1999 saw a revolutionary change in the attitude of people of Assam towards ULFA. With the arrest of four ISI agents working for ULFA, the ULFA-ISI nexus was confirmed, which triggered the process of ULFA losing mass support. Before this revelation, the sympathisers of ULFA were not aware that in the guise of a social reformist organisation, the group had established contacts with the Pakistani intelligence agency. ISI, in fact, has been supporting majority of the militant organisations in the North-Eastern region including the dreaded NSCN-IM. After its failure in Kargil; ISI has plans of cutting the entire north-east from the rest of the country. It has intensified its operations in the narrow sector between Srirampur in Assam and New Jalpaiguri in West Bengal, which is also called 'chicken's neck' and is the only road link between entire north-eastern region and the rest of India. ISI has been extending training to ULFA cadres apart from helping them in procuring arms from Bangladesh.
Another factor, which counts in the eroding base of ULFA, is the discovery of mass graves at Ghogabeel, in November 1999. The reaction of the people was intense. The people of Kalitapukhri, Goghabeel have long been suspecting something foul going on at the deserted area, from where, they have been recovering unclaimed human objects and hearing human screams. The operation of uncovering of mass graves, which was joined by thousand residents of Bistupur, Dihjani, Barghopa, Sagakuchi and Katakuchi brought forth the inhuman and barbaric tendencies of ULFA and shattered the myth of ULFA as an organisation working for the people. The process has been continuos.
The murders of Sanjoy Ghosh and Ratneswar Sharma , noted scholar, expose the ideologies of ULFA, which is interested in killing people, who are opposed to its ideas. The insurgent outfit even killed its own cadres, who questioned its proximity to ISI. In January 2000,134 ULFA and BLT militants surrendered before the common people in Assam. There was nothing official about it. Neither was there any Central dignitary present nor the Governor, Chief Minister or somebody from Army top brass. The surrendered cadres said that they had realised that their path was wrong. Binoy Rava, Commander of ULFA's Western command, who was among them, admitted that he had been awarded death penalty by the ULFA because of his opposition to some of their activities. The feelings of these cadres reflect the change in attitude of these boys towards the organisation and may result in more surrenders in near future.
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