Militancy not yet over in Assam: Tarun Gogoi

With few militant outfits of Assam still continuing with violent activities, Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi said the "spectre of militancy was not yet over in the state". "It is premature to declare that the long nightmare of myriad militancy is over. United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and other militant outfits retain an arsenal of sophisticated weapons and explosives and continue criminal acts of killing, extortion and abduction, though on a far lesser scale," he said.

The chief minister pointed out that peace talks with ULFA (pro talk) and many other surrendered outfits were progressing. However he added, "While there is a silver lining of peace, prosperity and development in the state, the emergence of new militant outfits like Kamtapur Liberatin Organisation (KLO), National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) - Songbijit faction and others, threaten to disturb peace and tranquillity in Assam through subversive activities," he added. Gogoi was speaking at the chief ministers' meet on internal security in the national capital on Wednesday.

He said coordinated action was needed in Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Meghalaya if training, arms supply, transit routes and shelters of militants were to be choked. The present unified command security structure, said Gogoi, has worked well in Assam in the context of trans-national militancy, including Naxal and pan-Islamic militants.

Gogoi also cautioned that Myanmar was used as a foreign sanctuary by militant outfits and efforts were also on to reopen camps in Bhutan.

"Government of India must monitor the situation closely," said Gogoi. Gogoi also said any reversal by a future Bangladeshi regime of the drive against Indian militants would revive the spectre of inviolate sanctuaries across the border.

Gogoi supported the concept of the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) with the caveat that the states should be more engaged whether in developing intelligence leads or in executive action.

Further, he said that the Naxal movement in parts of Upper Assam was fast emerging as a threat to the peace and law and order of Assam.

He appreciated the Centre's move to include some of the districts of Assam in the Integrated Action Plan (IAP) that forms a major component of joint counter-Naxal strategy.