Assam News: ULFA-I Remains Security Threat, Ban Extended For 5 More Years By Centre

Guwahati: The government of India has extended the ban on the United Liberation Front of Asom, Independence (ULFA - I) for another five years as around 200-250 cadres of the outfit carrying around 200 sophisticated arms and based in foreign countries.

Despite being outlawed for 35 years, the group still has 200–250 cadres based in Myanmar and holds around 200 weapons, according to a government submission before a judicial tribunal.

Following submission of documentary evidences about the activities of the ULFA, a tribunal presided over by Justice Michael Zothankhuma, judge of the Gauhati High Court, on May 21 confirmed that there was sufficient cause to declare the ULFA along with all its factions, wings and front organisations, as an "unlawful association" for five years with effect from November 27, 2024.

The tribunal was constituted for adjudicating whether or not there is sufficient cause for declaring the ULFA along with all their factions, wings and front organisations as unlawful associations.

During the hearings, the government representatives submitted before the tribunal that the ULFA led by Paresh Baruah demands "sovereign" Assam and "aims to achieve this goal through an armed struggle".

According to a notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the tribunal has been told that "currently, most of ULFA cadres or leaders remain stationed in Myanmar and run four major camps there. ULFA also maintains links with other Indian insurgent groups for operational and logistic purposes".

"The ULFA has a sizeable cadre strength (200-250) and is likely to hold about 200 weapons at present. The outfit indulges in acts of violence including attacks on security forces, explosions etc. It also continues to boycott celebrations of national days in the state of Assam and attempts to carry out disruptive acts by way of explosions during these days," the government counsels submitted before the tribunal.

The Assam government has also reported that in past five years, 56 cadres of ULFA along with 177 frontmen, over ground workers (OGW), supporters or sympathizers were also arrested, while 63 cadres surrendered before the authorities.

It has also been reported that 26 (MQ 81-04, AK series-02, Pistol-21) arms, 515 rounds -ammunition, nine grenades and two IEDs were recovered during this period.

The counsels appearing for the Centre also submitted that the government of Assam, while furnishing its justifications to the central government, for declaring ULFA as an unlawful organisation, has given details of activities of the group including those of cases registered, charge sheets filed, arrests of ULFA cadres, arrests of linkmen or frontmen of ULFA etc.

The central government submitted that the particulars of 15 cases registered against the ULFA, in which three charge sheets have been filed, had also been brought for its consideration.

A perusal of the charge sheets also showed that the ULFA had been indulging in extortion, attempt to murder cases, possession of unauthorized arms, conspiring against the State and other illegal activities, according to the notification.

The ULFA was first declared a banned organisation in 1990 and since then the ban has been extended periodically.