UNITED LIBERATION FRONT OF ASOM- INDEPENDENT (ULFA-I)

UNITED LIBERATION FRONT OF ASOM- INDEPENDENT (ULFA-I)

On 20 January 2011, the ULFA faction headed by Paresh Barua sent out a message to the media declaring continuation of its fight for a sovereign Assam. The message was accompanied with a photograph of Paresh Barua and armed cadres of ULFA in battle fatigues. The Paresh Barua faction of the ULFA re-organized its armed wing by dismantling its existing battalions and bringing all its cadres under the mobile military headquarters. The decision to re-organize the armed wing was taken during a 10-day meeting, chaired by Paresh Barua, held from March 20 to 29 at the outfit's mobile headquarters.

The anti-talk faction of the ULFA under Paresh Barua was strongly against peace talks. Paresh Barua maintained that any discussion with the Government without sovereignty as the core issue would not solve any problem. During the Governor’s Conference convened by the President in New Delhi on 29-30 October, Governor of Assam, J.B. Patnaik said that there is a nexus between the Paresh Barua faction of the ULFA and the Naxals and there is a possibility that the Paresh Barua group may help the Naxals with weapons.

On 23 November 2011, the anti-talk faction of the ULFA announced its new 16 member central committee headed by Dr Abhijit Barman, who was made the acting chairman, while, commander-in-chief Paresh Barua became the acting vice chairman of the outfit. Paresh Barua got the additional responsibility and his rank in the outfit was upgraded from "colonel" to "Major General". The new committee was formed in the mobile military headquarter of the outfit.

As per the list, senior ULFA member Jiban Moran was made the assistant general secretary and acting finance secretary while, Drishti Rajkhowa and Bijoy Das were made deputy commander-in-chief. Michael Deka Phukan and Partha Gogoi were made assistant finance secretaries, while, Montu Saikia, Nayan Medhi, Salim and Azhar Ali were made assistant organizing secretaries. Samiran Bhuyan, Sagar Topno and Jyotirmoy Bharali were made assistant cultural secretaries and Arunodoi Dohotiya was made assistant publicity secretary. Dr Pranmoy Asom was made assistant foreign secretary of the outfit.