(^20) THE WEEK NOVEMBER 12, 2017
ASSAM
the Rohingya issue. There is talk that
Modi would grant a huge loan to
Myanmar, similar to the $4.5 billion
aid India recently gave to Bangladesh.
But, for now, the focus is on security.
A few weeks after Modi's vis-
it, Khango Konyak, head of the
Nationalist Socialist Council of
Nagaland (Khaplang), was elected
UNLFW chairman at a meeting in
Taga, Myanmar. Interestingly, Baruah
did not attend the meeting, which
was held on October 13. A senior
NSCN(K) member said: “Yes, he was
invited, but he did not attend because
of some difficulty.”
Could this mean that India is clos-
er to catching Baruah? “Yes, we are
working hard to get him,” said a senior
Assam Police officer. “Either he would
have to surrender or face the eventual-
ity [of death].”
The Assam government has
requested Modi to speed up Baruah's
deportation. A senior police officer
told THE WEEK, “We have repeated-
ly sent feelers to him [Baruah], but he
is yet to show any desire to come to the
table or send anyone on his behalf. The
home minister [Rajnath Singh] asked
us to take whatever steps necessary to
finish him, if he does not want to talk.”
G.M. Srivastava, who was director
general of Assam Police and security
adviser to chief minister Tarun Gogoi,
said the previous government had
almost convinced Baruah to discuss
terms. “It was decided that the meet-
ing would be held in Nepal. But, just
before that crucial meeting, Baruah
backed out. I did not know the reason,
but perhaps there was pressure from
his allied terror outfits,” Srivastava
said. According to him, Baruah is
unlikely to back out again.
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda
Sonowal told THE WEEK: “The
prime minister has made it clear that
all are welcome for talks, but they
should abjure violence. But, if anybody
does not do that and wages war against
India, we will definitely finish him. We
have taken an oath to make Assam a
terrorism-free state.”
The government went into a huddle
recently after posters appeared in
various parts of Assam hailing Baruah
as a revolutionary leader. “The chief
minister held a meeting and asked us
to take stern action against the people
who did it. He would not allow the
revival of ULFA in Assam,” said a DIG
of the Assam Police.
On September 27, the Indian
Army killed about 75 NSCN(K) mili-
tants along the Myanmar border.
The attack was seen as a direct
result of the talks with Myanmar.
On October 10, however, militants
retaliated, striking an Army base in
Arunachal Pradesh. The defence
ministry said there were no casual-
ties on the Indian side, but NSCN(K)
claimed it had killed 40 soldiers.
“Terrorism has been a major
impediment to Assam's growth,” said
Sonowal. “But, today I am getting
positive results from all quarters just
because I have been able to take harsh
measures against terrorism.”
Asked if Assam would, like
Manipur, consider withdrawing the
Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act
in some areas, Sonowal said: “That
would be a soft approach to insur-
gency. We will not do that.”
Since 2016, the Assam Police have
busted more than 46 terror modules
in the state and arrested more than
620 people. The modules were part
of ULFA, National Democratic Front
of Bodoland (Songbijit), Muslim
United Liberation Tigers of Assam,
Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh,
and Muslim Tiger Force of Assam.
The police have also busted the two
Islamic State modules that were were
recruiting people to fight in Syria.
“For years, investment kept away
from Assam because of terrorism,”
said Sonowal. “This is for the first time
that we got private investments to the
tune of 0 6,500 crore. Now, industrial-
ists are here to invest in horticulture,
tourism, mining, agro-based industry
and so on. We are looking forward to
getting investments from southeast
Asian countries as well.”
Apparently, Assam wants to make
itself the gateway for trade with
southeast Asian countries, includ-
ing Myanmar. In fact, Assamese offi-
cials have met representatives of
the Myanmar government in Delhi
and Guwahati to discuss trade. In a
few months, the state government
will hold a 'Vibrant Assam' business
summit to bring in investments from
southeast Asia. ●
The prime minister has made it clear that
all are welcome for talks, but they should
abjure violence. But, if anybody does not
do that and wages war, we will finish him.
Sarbananda Sonowal, chief minister, Assam
PTI
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