ASSAM-Hopes of Peace Dashed-Business as Usual despite Political Change

Hiren Gohain THE present stalemate in Assam, with both the ULFA and the government of India displaying a marked reluctance to accept a negotiated settlement of the grievances of the extremists, is causing great damage to the economy of the state, ruining prospects of its economic development and plunging the common people into misery and gloom. The government of India balks at a political initiative to solve the problem of militant secessionism in a slate considered by many a key link in any strategy for the future of the north-eastern region. Its latest plea for inaction is that the ULFA has turned into a puppet of the ISI and has lost the power of independent decision.