[Assam] Are we seeing a similar war response here in Assam like the one between the LTTE and the Sri Lankan State?

[Bartta Bistar]

Policemen injured in Assam blast

http://www.ndtv.com/template/template.asp?template=Northeast&slug=Policemen+injured+in+Assam+blast&id=21129&callid=0&category=National



Kishaly Bhattacharjee



Tuesday, January 9, 2007 (Tingrai, Assam):



A bomb in Assam's high security Dispur capital complex on Tuesday critically
injured two policemen, reports say.



They were rushed to the Guwahati Medical College hospital.



The bomb, kept in a motorcycle parked at the entrance to a police station,
is believed to be the work of the banned separatist ULFA rebels.



The state assembly, residences of several ministers and top police officials
are located near the site of the blast.



At the weekend, the rebels killed 68 laborers in separate attacks.



Laborers return



Despite the fear of more attacks, hundreds of such workers from Bihar's
Siwan area continue to work at the brick kiln industry during the busiest
season.



Just five hundred metres away at another kiln five people were shot dead on
Friday.



The return of the laborers underlines their resilience.



The money they earn during the few months is required to sustain them during
the rest of the year.



"There is fear, we are scared, but fear won't feed us, its money and work.
We earn about 8 to 10,000 rupees for the entire year," kiln labourer
Harinder Kumar Singh said.



In search of work



For decades the labourers come in search of work in Assam.



"They have come from outside, they are unarmed, they have come for food for
two to three months, they have virtually nothing and that's why they are
soft targets," said brick kiln owner Tulya Gogoi.



I also want to know what does ULFA gain? Let ULFA come out in the open, let
them fight with the forces, my business is over. Earlier also they have hit
my business in 2003."



If not at brick kilns they work as rickshaw-pullers, barbers, cobblers and
vegetable vendors.



A large section of Assam's service sector depends on them.
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