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PP RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHCN
DE RUEHCI #0481/01 2971023
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P R 241023Z OCT 06
FM AMCONSUL CALCUTTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1225
INFO RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 1094
RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI 0432
RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI 0432
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 0266
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 0266
RUEHCN/AMCONSUL CHENGDU 0029
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0075
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 0100
RUEHGO/AMEMBASSY RANGOON 0179
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL CALCUTTA 1503

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CALCUTTA 000481 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC PTER PHUM PINR IN BT
SUBJECT: UPPER ASSAM `LIKE A BATTLEFIELD' AS INDIAN SECURITY FORCES 
RESUME FIGHTING ULFA 
 
REF: CALCUTTA 0362 
 
¶1.   (SBU) Summary:  On September 24, the GOI resumed its 
operations against the Assam-based United Liberation Front of 
Asom (ULFA).  This resumption of hostilities came forty-one days 
after the Indian military unilaterally suspended its operations 
against ULFA.  Though the GOI is calling the breakdown in the 
peace process a "temporary setback," the Indian Army and ULFA 
have escalated their operation in Assam.  The GOI blames the 
present impasse on ULFA's reluctance to commit in writing to a 
ceasefire, unabated extortions, and growing belligerence.  Since 
the resumption of military activities, Assam has been wracked by 
a series of ULFA attacks and security incidents.  One local 
paper wrote Upper Assam has become "like a battlefield."   As 
casualties mount, a quick end to this latest round of violence 
is unlikely.   End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) On September 24, forty-one days after unilaterally 
announcing suspension of operations against ULFA, the GOI called 
off the suspension, citing gross violation of an informal 
understanding.  Subsequently, the ULFA's representative 
People's Consultative Group (PCG) also pulled out of the peace 
discussions.  On October 17, Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil 
said that the Center was keen to continue the peace process, and 
claimed that in keeping with the suggestion of the Assam 
Government, the Center was willing to release five ULFA militant 
leaders.  Patil described the breakdown in the peace process as 
a temporary setback, reiterating that GOI was ready for dialogue 
with ULFA if it shunned violence.  ULFA has not offered any date 
for direct talks nor has it ceased its violent activities.. 
 
¶3.   (U)  The GOI's decision to resume security operations came 
after reports of massive extortion by ULFA during the ceasefire 
period and the killing of a policeman and a tea garden manager 
in upper Assam between September 22-23.   Assam Police 
Intelligence Chief Khagen Sharma told post that the members of 
the Unified Command in Assam, the Army, the paramilitary and the 
police were conducting operations against ULFA.  He said there 
are daily incidents of violence and also a number of surrenders 
of ULFA members.  Sharma said that operations have been launched 
all over the state as security efforts in just a few selected 
areas would enable ULFA members to shift to other districts. 
 
¶4.   (U)  Since the resumption of security operations in Assam, 
the state has been wracked by persistent violence.  According to 
the Assamese newspaper "Aji," Upper Assam has "become like a 
battlefield."   A few examples of recent incidents include: 
 
-- On September 29, eight people were injured when a bomb 
exploded outside the TDA supermarket in Tinsukia. 
 
-- On October 1, in Dhemaji, ULFA killed a ten year old boy. 
 
-- On October 3, two ULFA men riding a motorcycle were halted by 
the traffic police on regular checking at Lakhimpur. One man 
pointed a pistol at the policeman.  As an alarm was raised, the 
other man sped off leaving his companion behind.  The gun-toting 
man was chased by the police for a kilometer. Shots were 
exchanged and the ULFA member died.  An Italian made 7.65 pistol 
with 16 rounds of live ammunition were recovered in his 
possession.  In another incident, a powerful bomb went off in 
front of a hotel on the Chawul Dhowa Road near the deputy 
commissioner's office just ten hours after the earlier killing 
of the ULFA terrorist. 
 
-- On October 6, a suspected ULFA militant was killed in an 
encounter with the troops of the Army's Red Horn Division at 
Jartaluk village near Dhamdhama in Nalbari district.  The Army 
recovered a revolver, a hand grenade, two live cartridges, two 
fired cartridges and some blank extortion letters from his 
possession. The militant had been taking shelter in the village 
when the Army, acting on a tip-off, cordoned off the area. The 
militant then fired at the Army, to which the Army retaliated, 
resulting in his death. 
 
-- On October 7, the ULFA triggered an IED blast under an Army 
truck near Mahmora in Sivasagar district, in which three Army 
personnel were injured and the vehicle damaged. Police said that 
the incident was in retaliation for the killing of a hardcore 
ULFA member, Debojit Konwar, at Borhat in the same district on 
 
CALCUTTA 00000481  002 OF 002 
 
 
October 6.  In another incident in upper Assam, a grenade was 
hurled in the Tengakhat police station in Dibrugarh, but no one 
was injured. 
 
-- On October 8, two motorcycle-riding suspected ULFA members 
shot dead Ajay Medhi, an ULFA member who had surrendered to 
authorities, at a village on the outskirts of Sarthebari town. 
Suspected ULFA militants reportedly threw grenades in front of 
the Amguri police station in Sivasagar district. 
 
-- On October 9, one ULFA militant was detained while the other 
managed to flee after they lobbed a grenade near a market in 
Digboi. 
 
-- On October 15, suspected ULFA militants shot dead a 
businessman, Om Prakash Agarwala, at his shop at Moran 
Singrijan.  The two militants, who came on a motorcycle, shot 
Agarwala after he had opened the shop door. Four AK-56 
cartridges were later recovered from the spot.  Three days back, 
the militants had served Agarwala with an extortion notice of 
for around USD $25,000. 
 
-- On October 15, the body of an ULFA militant was found at KK 
Handique Nagar, Kahilipara under Dispur Police Station.  Police 
said the militant, identified as Gautom Kalita of Rangiya, was 
carrying an explosive with him when it went off accidentally, 
killing him on the spot.  Police said that the militant was in 
the city to carry out subversive activities. 
 
¶5.   (SBU)  Comment:  Given the scope of the GOI's response to 
the breakdown of talks, it is clear that Army leadership has 
asked for and received greater latitude in responding to ULFA 
terrorism.  However, during the cease-fire period, ULFA used the 
relative peace to regroup and strengthen.  The militant group 
can be expected to continue small-scale bombing and shooting 
attacks to target key infrastructure and security officials. 
ULFA will also hope that if the security forces respond in a 
heavy-handed manner, the group will garner additional sympathy 
within the local populace.  Persistent violence can be expected 
in Assam for at least the next few months, until ULFA is 
weakened enough to again seek some negotiated settlement with 
the GOI. 
JARDINE