By IANS,
Guwahati : The National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), a frontline tribal separatist group in Assam, has said it has placed a demand before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to recognise the right of the Bodos for “independence and sovereignty” and take steps to resolve the conflict accordingly.
“The NDFB proposes that the government of India take the bold initiative to recognize the legitimate right to national self-determination, including the right to independence and sovereignty, of the Bodo people so as to resolve the Bodoland-India conflict once and for all,” the rebel group said in a formal communiqué to the prime minister.
Significantly, the NDFB disclosed Monday the contents of its charter of demands placed before the central government although it sent its letter to the prime minister in May.
The group has observed a ceasefire with the government since March 2005, but authorities have been saying they were unable to start peace talks as they did not have a clear charter of demands.
Formed in 1986, the NDFB has been pushing for an independent Bodo homeland for Assam Bodo tribes people, the state’s largest plains tribal community. After the government signed a peace agreement with the Bodoland Tiger Force and formed a Bodo autonomous region, the NDFB broke away as an armed force and has been struggling for an “independent, sovereign Bodoland”.
“We sincerely appreciate the efforts of the government of India to bring about lasting peace in Bodoland and inspired as we are by the epic freedom struggle of the Indian people for dignity and national self-determination, we hope that the government of India would take the proposed initiative in the larger perspective of peace, justice, equity and humanity which is the very essence of our Bodo people’s aspirations,” a rebel statement said.
The statement was signed by NDFB president D.R. Nabla and general secretary B. Swmkhwr.
In the past, however, the NDFB had said the Indian Constitution has enough provisions to accommodate the aspirations of different communities and groups, indicating that it was prepared to consider a reasonable formula from the government to resolve the problem.
Of late, there has been trouble in Assam’s Bodo heartland with clashes between cadres of the NDFB, living in designated camps, and members of the erstwhile Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT). Several people have been killed in these clashes.
In its letter to the prime minister, the NDFB has said the Bodo people have welcomed the initiative for peace and have extended full cooperation in taking the peace initiative to its logical conclusion of a just and lasting solution of the conflict.
“The atmosphere in Bodoland has become generally conducive to begin the process of a comprehensive political resolution of the Bodoland-India conflict once and for all,” the NDFB’s communiqué to the prime minister said.