Monday, July 24 2006 13:06 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Guwahati: Civil society representatives of the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) in Assam have accused New Delhi of trying to sabotage the peace process by making contradictory statements over holding talks with the rebel leadership.

A sense of growing mistrust between the ULFA and the central government is pushing the much-hyped peace process to a point where it could reach a dead end and even collapse before actually taking off.

"First they (central government) asked the ULFA to establish direct contact, then they asked to name the members who would participate in the talks, now they are saying there cannot be talks without a ceasefire," Arup Borbora, spokesperson of the People's Consultative Group (PCG), said.

"In the interest of a negotiated political solution, it is necessary that the centre refrains from violating the decisions taken on June 22," he said.

At the end of the third of round of talks between the ULFA nominated PCG and government peace negotiators in New Delhi June 22, Home Minister Shivraj Patil had said the government was ready to release five top jailed rebel leaders to pave the way for direct talks with the ULFA leadership.

During the past week, there were conflicting statements from Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and union Home Secretary V.K. Duggal - both advocating that the ULFA establish direct contacts with the government before holding peace talks.

The ULFA in a statement made it clear it would sit for direct talks with New Delhi only when the government releases five of their jailed leaders.

"These kind of conflicting signals from the government do not bode too well for the peace process," PCG member Dilip Patgiri said.

Meanwhile, army operations are on against the ULFA in Assam triggering mass protests with people blocking highways over the weekend.

Hundreds of people in eastern Assam's Tinsukia district blocked highways Sunday for hours together protesting army operations against the ULFA in the area leading to the death of a local youth.

The protestors have threatened to enforce a 48-hour shutdown in Tinsukia district beginning Tuesday if the army offensives were not halted immediately.

"The army operations are against the spirit of the peace process currently on. The need of the hour is to build and strengthen confidence instead of targeting innocents in the name of hounding ULFA rebels," said B. Neog.

ULFA, which has been fighting for an independent Assamese homeland since 1979, last October appointed the 11-member PCG to represent it in the talks with the government.