[Assam] Sentinel Letter

[Chan Mahanta]

Ram:

Let us examine the 'essence' of this gem of a 'letter' :

To that we need to determine what the PURPOSE of the letter is.
Without a doubt it is to PREVENT from GoI giving in to ULFA demands 
for release of their senior cadres. And since ULFA has made it a 
cornerstone of their conditions for entering negotiations, the motive 
of the letter could be clearly established as to torpedo any such 
peace negotiation.


The  piece questions the "need" for ULFA's demands for release of 
their top cadres. And the writer no doubt knows best, what ULFA's 
needs are. Why should anyone NEED their comrades' release from 
prison? They can go to 'o peace-talks' anytime they want to? What 
prevents them from surrendering?

Powerful logic no doubt!  No wonder it touched a chord :-).

The piece is full of taunts. Why does one resort to taunting? Could it be to
ENCOURAGE ULFA to come to the negotiating table? Or could be because the writer
is frustrated by ULFA, and not having a clue to doing anything about 
it constructively, resorts to taunting?Is it the sign of a mature, 
thinking man, looking out for Assam's welfare, or is it the ranting 
of someone whose real interests is in asserting his own 
righteousness, his own ability to read the tea-leaves better than all 
those 'fools' who are attempting to have a negotiated settlement of 
the conflict and a return to peace in Assam?

You tell us.

Now why would a mature, responsible, supposedly 'respected' newspaper 
publish a piece like that? For the public good? For bringing about 
peace to Assam?

If ULFA/GOI peace negotiations are good for Assam, and if I remember 
correctly the Sentinel professed that is is indeed good, then should 
it be participating in  promoting the agenda of those, such as this 
letter writer, who obviously do not want that to happen, for whatever 
reason he harbors?


Or could it be that the newspaper's own journalistic credentials or 
its maturity are questionable ?

You tell us.


c-da








At 3:14 PM -0500 9/1/06, Ram Sarangapani wrote:
>
>Last updated : SATUR DAY 2 SEPTEMBER 2006
>
>Of Five Jailed ULFA Leaders
>Why is the ULFA showing such desperation for the release of its five 
>jailed comrades? Is it to enable it to have full-house discussion on 
>the peace process? In other words, do they want us to believe that 
>having terrorized the masses for 27 long years, they are suddenly in 
>such a tearing hurry to give it up? Or have they suddenly developed 
>love for their homeland Asom and hatred for Bangladesh? Has the ULFA 
>suddenly become tired of raising millions of rupees by extortions 
>and kidnappings, or has it suddenly realized the futility of money? 
>Have Paresh Baruah and Arabinda Rajkhowa become saints overnight, 
>realizing that all their guns and gold will be of no use in their 
>last morbid journey on four shoulders and a yard of white cloth?
>What has happened that the ULFA is desperately pressurizing the 
>Centre for the release of its five comrades? It cannot be for 
>reasons of peace, because till today extortions in upper Asom are in 
>full swing. If the outfit is actually so keen to set the stage for 
>peace talks, let it sit for the first round of talks without the 
>jailed leaders participating in the talks. This will clearly show 
>that their emphasis is on peace rather than the release of jailed 
>terrorists.
>Secondly, in this age of hi-tech gadgets, Paresh Baruah and Arabinda 
>Rajkhowa can talk, see and discuss with all their jailed comrades 
>through video-conferencing. For such discussions, it is not at all 
>necessary to escort their friends from jails to Bangladesh in a 
>chartered flight.
>Thirdly, the ULFA team can land at New Delhi for peace talks and the 
>jailed comrades can be flown there to join their leaders. After the 
>talks, the jailed comrades can be flown back to Guwahati.
>But the ULFA will never agree to any of the above modalities. It 
>will insist on the jailed leaders' flight to Bangladesh. But why? 
>This is so because their release is more important than peace in 
>Asom. To understand this simple logic, one does not have to be a 
>security analyst or a counterinsurgency expert.
>Today, the ULFA is a dying organization without any leadership. They 
>desperately need to have their top leaders back. Their demoralized 
>cadres can achieve nothing except throwing a few grenades here and 
>there, or deliver extortion notes to innocent, unarmed civilians. 
>Moreover, the lower-rung cadres are now much wiser, refusing to risk 
>their lives for nothing except ensuring luxurious lifestyle for 
>their top leaders. They can see through the false revolutionary 
>ideology as the ULFA's, and the theory of ''xonar Asom" holds no 
>attraction or conviction.
>The ULFA desperately needs its top leaders not only to motivate 
>their grassroots-level cadres, but also to check their fading mutiny 
>- the lower-rung cadres are impatient and ready to revolt against 
>their top leaders. Naturally then, it is only the release of those 
>five jailed ULFA leaders that can control the mutiny and revive the 
>sagging morale of the lower-rung cadres.
>What answer do the peace committees have to the jailed ULFA leaders 
>jumping out of parole if released? Are the peace committee members 
>ready to undergo imprisonment and serve the remaining jail term on 
>behalf of the released leaders?
>One must never forget that there is also an ISI angle to the whole 
>picture. Both Paresh Baruah and Arabinda Rajkhowa are fully under 
>the grip of ISI bosses in Bangladesh. The entire business empire of 
>luxury hotels owned by them in Bangladesh are under the control of 
>the ISI. Even their families and their children residing in 
>Bangladesh are under constant ISI vigil. Do the ULFA leaders have 
>the permission of the ISI to sit for direct peace talks with India? 
>Or do the peace committees - whether the PCPI or the PCG or whatever 
>- want us to believe that they have a bigger hold on Paresh Baruah 
>and Arabinda Rajkhowa than the ISI of Pakistan? Will Paresh Baruah 
>and Arabinda Rajkhowa follow the diktats of Rebati Phukan & Co at 
>the risk of losing their own lives, properties and families?
>The unconditional release of those five jailed terrorists at this 
>time will conclusively prove that either some top Indian bureaucrats 
>are lured by the ULFA's money power, or that some top Indian 
>politicians deliberately want to keep the ULFA issue alive for ever.
>MP Talukdar,
>Khaliamari Road,
>Dibrugarh.
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>assam mailing list
>assam at assamnet.org
>http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org

A taunt is a sarcastic remark, challenge, or insult intended to 
provoke a response of some kind from the one it is directed at. It 
can be compared to fighting words and trash-talk.

  The act of taunting can be learned by observation and improvisation. 
It usually follows linear thought, correlating or building in some 
manner to the target of taunting. Things such as the victim's 
appearance, intelligence, mannerisms, education, background, past 
offenses, etc. can otherwise be insulted. When used in this manner, 
the effectiveness of a taunt at provoking a response varies depending 
on how the specific insult relates to its victim (or their sense of 
self), to what level of offense they regard the taunt, and how well 
the victim can control their emotions when responding.
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