Dispur offers Ulfa campus-like camps

Guwahati, June 17 : Dispur has started work on a campus-like accommodation for Ulfa cadres to ensure that the inmates have enough space to engage themselves in various kinds of “productive” activities.

Highly-placed sources said Rs 3.69 crore has been set aside for nine designated camps, the concept of which is different from other such camps in the sense that it will be more planned and with livelihood options. The inmates can choose from and train in farming, horticulture, piggery, poultry, fishery and handloom. It will also have family quarters and a playground.

Though officials are tight-lipped about the project fearing complaints of “step-motherly” treatment from other groups such as the NDFB, DHD and UPDS, one of them said the idea was to get the 400-odd Ulfa cadres to these camps as soon as possible so that their “mainstreaming” could start. Most of these cadres are at present staying in rented accommodation and their own homes. “Insurgency has evolved over the decades and so has our responses. What has been done vis-à-vis other groups cannot be undone and the proposed improvement based on our experiences with other groups. It is more effective way to mainstream them. We will follow a campus-like approach vis-à-vis these designated camps. The inmates will have a comfortable and organised stay but it will be in no way luxurious. Once these Ulfa cadres leave, they can adjust to lives in mainstream society smoothly. These quarters will then be used for accommodating security personnel,” one of the officials said.

Dispur, following a directive of the Union ministry of home affairs, has asked the district administration of Nalbari, Goalpara, Sivasagar, Golaghat, Nagaon, Bongaigaon and Kamrup to ideally look for a plot measuring 50 bigha or above. Accordingly, the Nalbari administration has identified a 45-bigha plot near Tihu, Sivasagar around 25 bigha near Lakwa, from where Ulfa chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa hails. Similarly, a 30-bigha plot has been identified at Roha under Nagaon.

Additional director-general of police (special branch), Khagen Sarma, who is part of the counter-insurgency think-tank, told The Telegraph, “The accommodation at the Ulfa camps will be the similar to one offered to other groups but there will be enough space to get themselves engaged in different productive activities. There will be a lot of vocations to choose from.”

The improved accommodation, however, has to be seen in light of chief minister Tarun Gogoi’s first press conference after taking charge for the third straight term.

He made no bones about his willingness to go the extra mile with those keen on talking peace. There will be concessions for those in favour of peace, Gogoi had said when asked about the much-awaited peace talks with Ulfa, which may take place by July.Sources said the government was also initiating steps for capacity building of cadres of all groups, numbering around 3,000. The training will be imparted by the State Institute for Rural Development, NIRD and successful local entrepreneurs.
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