Guwahati, June 16: Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi today welcomed filmmaker Jahnu Barua’s offer to broker peace talks with the banned Ulfa. He told the media at his official residence that the Congress government would support “any effort by anyone” to solve the problem of militancy. “It is good that somebody has come forward to help. We welcome this. We have no problem with anyone trying to broker peace if the Ulfa agrees to it.”
Barua, whose award-winning film Halodhiya Choraye Baodhan Khai made him a household name, made the offer while releasing a signed appeal yesterday for peace talks with the Ulfa.
The other signatories are writer Mamoni Raisom Goswami, journalist Sanjoy Hazarika and NRI Atul Sarma. The statement says peace talks should begin at the earliest and, if necessary, in a “third country”.
The chief minister said he was hoping for a positive response from the Ulfa to Barua’s offer, but reminded everybody that previous attempts to initiate talks through some prominent people did not succeed.
Gogoi said his government would keep the door open for a dialogue in spite of both the Ulfa and the National Democratic Front of Boroland rebuffing all peace overtures.
Union human resource development minister Arjun Singh, who was present at the news conference, said the ruling Congress-led United Progressive Alliance at the Centre would go by Dispur’s suggestions.
On the Ulfa’s conditions for a dialogue, Gogoi said these could be discussed even after the militant group sends feelers for a dialogue.
The state government has been insisting on a dialogue modelled on the one between Delhi and the NSCN (Isak-Muivah) since 1997. The main features of the negotiations are that these are being conducted abroad and without any conditions.