Date:09/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/09/stories/2008070955461300.htm

National

3 expelled ULFA leaders address rally

Sushanta Talukdar

They vow to go ahead with their mission of mobilising opinion in favour of peace talks

Guwahati: A day after the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) expelled the three leaders of ‘A’ and ‘C’ Companies of the outfit’s 28 Battalion — Mrinal Hazarika, Moon Bora and Joon Sonowal — and asked the people not to extend cooperation to them, thousands of people turned up at a rally addressed by the leaders at Kakopathar in upper Assam’s Tinsukia district.

The three expelled ULFA leaders were among others who addressed the rally organised under the banner of Nirjatan Birodhi Aikya Mancha. They exhorted the people to support their cause of putting pressure on both the government and the ULFA central leadership to sit for unconditional peace talks.

The ULFA on Monday expelled the three leaders for “unauthorised declaration of unilateral truce and initiating the dialogue process with the Union government in violation of the ULFA constitution.”

Reacting to their expulsion the three militant leaders said that they were expecting such a decision but vowed to go ahead with their mission of going to the public to mobilise opinion in favour of peace talks between the government and the ULFA’s central leadership. The leaders said that they have received support from various organisations, intellectuals in creating a conducive atmosphere for peace talks.