Guwahati: The banned National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) faction led by B Saoraigwra is waiting to sign an agreement with the Centre and Assam government.
The outfit now hopes peaceful negotiations would ensure political rights of Bodos and resolve the long-pending issues in the region.
“We have accepted the ceasefire because we want the long-pending demands of the Bodos to be addressed. Through this peace process or negotiation, the government would hopefully establish peace in our region. We hope the Centre is positive about our Bodoland demand and now we are eagerly waiting to sign the agreement,” Saoraigwra said.
On being asked if the outfit’s self-styled vice president G Bidai and senior leader B Batha will also join the peace process, Saoraigwra said, “They will also arrive soon. There is no doubt in that.”
Since their return to India from Myanmar, Bidai and self-styled general secretary of the outfit, BR Ferrenga, met a group of reporters in Kokrajhar on Monday.
Ferrenga said, “The Bodo problem is a key issue in Assam. We hope we are able to resolve it. The Centre is taking the issue very seriously and we are confident this would come to an end soon.”
Members of the outfit left Myanmar on January 11 and signed a tripartite ceasefire agreement with the Centre and Assam government on January 16.
The NDFB traces its origin to the Bodo Security Force (BSF), an outfit formed in October 3, 1986. The current name was adopted in 1994 after the group rejected the Bodo Accord signed between the Government of India and All Bodo Students Union and Bodo People’s Action Committee (ABSU-BPAC).
The group has carried out several attacks in Assam, targeting non-Bodo civilians as well as the security forces. It has particularly targeted Adivasis, whose ancestors had been brought to Assam as tea labourers during the British regime.
Since 2000, the NDFB has increasingly targeted Bangladeshi migrants in areas it claims to be Bodo territory.
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