1 TRANSLATION OF THE PROCEEDINGS AND ... - APFA News

affected the security of the country but also created great hardship and
difficulties for the Bhutanese people. They must, therefore, remove their camps
from Bhutanese territory at an early date. In response, the NDFB leaders said
that they had been compelled by circumstances to establish camps in Bhutan.
They said that, as asked by the Royal Government, they intend to leave
Bhutanese territory but could not give an assurance at this stage when they
would be able to do so.
1. Talks with the ULFA.
It may be recalled that the Royal Government held two rounds of talks with the
ULFA leaders in 1998 and 1999. The outcome of these two rounds of talks
with the ULFA leaders, which remained inconclusive and unproductive, was
reported to the National Assembly during its 77 th and 78 th sessions. It would be
recalled that during the second round of talks held on 7 th May 1999, the ULFA
Commander in-Chief, Paresh Barua had said that the ULFA would require at
least one and a half years before leaving Bhutanese territory and he had had
agreed to return along with the ULFA Chairman, Arabinda Rajkhowa within
one or two months for further talks.
However, the ULFA leaders did not come for talks even after two years and
both the ULFA and Bodo militants continued to stay in Bhutan and, instead of
leaving, they had even increased the number of their men and camps. This was
a cause for much concern.
Finally, in June this year, a two member ULFA delegation comprising of the
Political Advisor of the ULFA, Mr. Bishnujyoti Burhagohain and their Finance
Secretary cum Assistant General Secretary, Mr. Chitraban Hazarika came to
Thimphu for talks with the Royal Government. The Home Minister led the
Royal Government delegation which comprised of the Chairman of the Royal
Advisory Council, three members of the Royal Advisory Council, one officer
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