Ex-ULFA rebels want cases withdrawn

An umbrella grouping of around 4,200 surrendered ULFA members Wednesday urged Assam Governor J.B. Patnaik to withdraw criminal cases pending against them in courts.

Members of the All Assam Surrendered Ulfa Samity took out a procession to the Raj Bhavan here and submitted a memorandum seeking Patnaik's intervention.

The demands of the former fighters of the still outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom include withdrawal of criminal cases against them, their rehabilitation and seizure of arms of Naga militants.

The group said militants of the Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM) were behind the recent violence in villages along the Assam-Nagaland border.

"The centre should immediately take steps to seize the weapons in the hands of NSCN-IM members who are carrying out extortion, kidnapping and attack those who refuse to pay," Samity president Raj Kumar Duwarah told the governor.

The ULFA was formed in 1979 with the demand for a 'sovereign' Assam. A section of its leadership has laid down weapons.

While talks are underway between the government and the surrendered militants, another faction led by fugitive Paresh Baruah is still wedded to armed struggle.