ABSU President interview: 'NLFB must lay down arms and return to the mainstream'

Dipen Boro, the president of the All Bodo Students' Union (ABSU), has been outspoken on a range of issues that affects the people of the Bodo-dominated belt. When a new insurgenct outfit -- National Liberation Front of Bodoland (NLFB) -- reared its head in the region, Bodo was quick to urge its leadership to shun the path of violence and return to the mainstream.

In an exclusive interaction with InsideNE, the student leader gave his insights on a rage of issues. Here are some excerpts:

 

You have been outspoken about the militancy problem in the BTAD in the past. What do you think of the NLFB -- which threatens to begin another chapter of insurgency.

See, the proscribed outfits have returned to the mainstream and an Accord was also signed in 2020. Half of the tenets of the Accord have been implemented already and the rest half is being implemented already. There is an attempt to usher in peace and development while implementing the Accord. Therefore, we do not want people to return to the jungles with arms.

It appears this new outfit comprises members of the former NDFB. We would like to appeal to them to return to the mainstream as the armed insurgencies have lost their relevancies. In the Northeast itself, many outfits have signed agreements while others are waiting to sign agreements with the government.

 

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In spite of signing a peace Accord, why do you think these militants have again returned to the jungles?

There could be several factors at play here. We are of the opinion that they have returned to the jungles due to emotions and because of being dictated. It is possible that someone is influencing them to return to that kind of life and they are being diverted down the wrong path. However, we would urge them to return and try and resolve the issues through entirely democratic means as we no longer want an armed insurgency among the Bodos.

 

The BPF leaders have accused the new Promod Bodo led administration of persecuting the newly-returned cadres -- especially the ones supporting the Bodoland People's Front.

The BPF leaders are making such claims on a purely political basis. However, there is no evidence so far of the cadres being subjected to such punishment. If there really is, they should bring the complaints to the Council.

 

Many ABSU leaders are joining active politics ahead of the polls. Is that a new trend that we will get to see more of in the future?

Yes, many of our leaders -- including Lawrence Islary -- are contesting the polls. It is primarily because we have to implement the BTR treaty and it is felt that many of these procedures would require having more representation at the Assam Assembly. At the same time, there are many social issues that we can address better if we are elected as representatives. Our organization is behind these leaders who are joining politics and we will support them however we can.