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{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Abhizeet Asom
| alias = Abhizeet Asom
| birth_name = Mukul Hazarika
| citizenship = British
| known_for = Chairperson of the ULFA (I)
| organization = ULFA (I)
| movement = Sovereignty of Asom
| opponents = Indian [[State (polity)|State]]
}}
'''Abhizeet Bormon''' commonly known by his ''alias'' '''Abhizeet Asom''' ({{lang-as|অভিজিত অসম}}), is the [[chairperson]] of the [[United Liberation Front of Assam|United Liberation Front of Assam (Independent)]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Times of Assam hit by Plagiarism of NETV – Shame on Assamese media |author=Vijay Chutia |url=http://www.timesofassam.com/headlines/times-of-assam-hit-by-plagiarism-of-netv-shame-on-assamese-media/ |newspaper=Times of Assam |date=7 May 2013 |access-date=29 October 2013}}</ref>

==Role as ULFA leader==
In the 1990s, he chaperoned the organisation's leaders in a number of [[United Nations]]'s (U.N.) convocations at [[Geneva]]. He is believed to be the brain behind the undeterred conference at the U.N. subsequent to the [[Royal Bhutan Army#2003 Operation: All Clear|Operation All Clear]], which was being strongly opposed by the [[government of India]].<ref name="ToA-FoUACr">{{cite web | url=http://www.timesofassam.com/headlines/face-of-ulfa-acting-chairman-revealed/ | title=Face of ULFA Acting Chairman Revealed | publisher=Times of Assam | date=2 December 2011 | access-date=1 November 2013}}</ref>

Asom had been working as the [[acting chairman]] of the [[United Liberation Front of Assam]] since [[Arabinda Rajkhowa]]'s decision to hold talks with the government of India,<ref name="ToI-30444218">{{cite news |title=Ulfa acting chairman calls for amendments to Constitution |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-11-26/guwahati/30444218_1_honourable-solution-ulfa-rajkhowa-faction |archive-url=https://archive.today/20131104183630/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-11-26/guwahati/30444218_1_honourable-solution-ulfa-rajkhowa-faction |url-status=dead |archive-date=4 November 2013 |location=Guwahati |date=26 November 2011 |work=[[The Times of India]] |access-date=4 November 2013}}</ref> and was later designated as the chairperson of the organisation on 8 August 2012, following the expulsion of Rajkhowa from all the assigned ranks of the ULFA by the organisation.<ref name="ToA-UeARinC">{{cite news |title=ULFA {{sic|expe|lls|nolink=y}} Arabinda Rajkhowa, introduces new chairman |url=http://www.timesofassam.com/headlines/ulfa-expells-arabinda-rajkhowa-introduces-new-chairman/ |work=Times of Assam |date=8 August 2012 |access-date=29 October 2013}}</ref> The ULFA stated that Rajkhowa was ousted because of his unresponsive behaviour regarding the three-month [[ultimatum]] given by the organisation<ref name="ToA-UeARinC"/> on 29 April 2012.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ulfa splits formally, Rajkhowa 'expelled' |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-08-09/guwahati/33118400_1_arabinda-rajkhowa-pro-talks-group-rajkhowa-faction |archive-url=https://archive.today/20131104183618/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-08-09/guwahati/33118400_1_arabinda-rajkhowa-pro-talks-group-rajkhowa-faction |url-status=dead |archive-date=4 November 2013 |location=Guwahati |date=9 August 2012 |work=[[The Times of India]] |access-date=4 November 2013}}</ref> Earlier, [[Paresh Baruah]], who is leading the "anti-talk faction" of the ULFA, had issued three months [[Time limit|deadline]] to the "pro-talk faction" to "break talks with the government and return to the outfit", depicting the series of discussions held between the "pro-talk faction" of the ULFA and the government of India as "a sell-out by Ulfa chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa and other leaders."<ref name="TheWeek-SanS">{{citation |title=Slow and not steady |url=http://week.manoramaonline.com/cgi-bin/MMOnline.dll/portal/ep/theWeekContent.do?programId=1073755753&contentId=11534617 |author=Syed Nazakat |publisher=[[The Week (Indian magazine)|The Week]] |date=5 May 2012 |access-date=29 October 2013}}</ref> The "anti-talk faction" said:
{{blockquote|"The ULFA as a whole is very humbly requesting our Chairman to return to lead the organisation breaking free of Indian control within three months of issuance of this call. Otherwise, the vacant Chair will have to be filled by the constitutional process empowered to the office bearers and members of the unbound (anti-talk faction) ULFA at the end of the above deadline."<ref>{{cite news |title=ULFA gives its Chairman 3-month ultimatum to rejoin |url=http://post.jagran.com/ULFA-gives-its-Chairman-3month-ultimatum-to-rejoin-1335712171 |newspaper=[[Dainik Jagran]] |location=Guwahati |date=29 April 2012 |access-date=6 November 2013}}</ref>}}
Baruah says that the "demand for [Assam's] [[sovereignty]] does not mean [[secession]]" but disapproves parleying with the Indian government unless the agenda of sovereignty for [[Assam]] is addressed.<ref name="TheWeek-SanS"/> But, Rajkhowa claims that the newly formed central committee of the ULFA is not in accordance with the organisation's constitution and sees himself as the organisation's chairperson, and the Indian government also view the "Rajkhowa faction" as the organisation's sole representative.<ref name="ToI-30444218"/> In November 2012, [[Dainik Jagran]] described Asom as the chairperson of the "anti-talk faction" of the organisation.<ref name="DJ-1354092120">{{cite news |title=Tight security on ULFA’s Protest Day in Assam |url=http://post.jagran.com/Tight-security-on-ULFAs-Protest-Day-in-Assam-1354092120 |newspaper=Dainik Jagran |location=Guwahati |date=28 November 2012 |access-date=6 November 2013}}</ref> Asom, however, had said:
{{blockquote|"The honourable chairman of Ulfa, along with the senior office-bearers of the central committee under Indian custody, is having a dialogue with the Indian establishment to achieve an honourable solution to the issue raised by Ulfa. The restoration of sovereign Assam is the honourable solution and there cannot be any other alternative. Hence, the free members of the Ulfa decided to reorganize the central committee to enable us to continue with the struggle to its avowed conclusion."<ref name="ToI-30444218"/>}}

Asom maintains that the ULFA will not back down from the ambition of achieving sovereignty for Assam, and says that the people still have confidence in the organisation by pointing towards the recruitment in the ULFA.<ref name="DJ-1354092120"/>

Before being instated as the acting chairperson of the ULFA, his identity was known only to [[Anup Chetia]], Arabinda Rajkhowa, and Paresh Baruah. And, his candidature for the role of the acting chairperson of the organisation left the government of India, the [[Indian Army]], and the [[news media]] in a state of bewilderment.<ref name="ToA-FoUACr"/> In May 2013, [[NE TV]] and [[News Time|News Time Assam]] aired a video of the [[London]] based medical practitioner Mukul Hazarika, in which he can be seen addressing an [[United Nations Human Rights Council|assemblage at Geneva held on the subject of "human rights"]], speaking on "the armed conflict in the NE [north-eastern India] region". The news channels reported that the person in the video is none other than Asom, however, the [[Additional Director General of Police]] Khagen Sarma said that while they are aware that Hazarika had maintained links with the ULFA leaders, they are not sure yet that whether he and Asom is the same individual.<ref name="ToI-39089585">{{cite news |title=Ulfa(I) chairman in London: TV channels |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-05-07/guwahati/39089585_1_ulfa-hardliners-paresh-baruah-led-ulfa-abhijeet-asom |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130604035333/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-05-07/guwahati/39089585_1_ulfa-hardliners-paresh-baruah-led-ulfa-abhijeet-asom |url-status=dead |archive-date=4 June 2013 |work=[[The Times of India]] |location=Guwahati |date=7 May 2013 |access-date=14 November 2013}}</ref> Hazarika is also known in the U.K. for addressing the subject of "human rights",<ref name="ToI-39089585"/> and bringing the demand of Assam's sovereignty to the fore.<ref name="ToA-FoUACr"/>

Asom also issued a statement to the [[News media|press]] on the demise of [[Kishenji]]. He said that Kishenji was a person "who has given his life in pursuit of the betterment of the marginalised bottom strata of Indian [[citizenry]]."<ref>{{cite news |title=Paresh Baruah extends moral support to Maoists |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-05-10/guwahati/31654667_1_maoist-leader-maoist-cadres-maoist-presence |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131101095146/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-05-10/guwahati/31654667_1_maoist-leader-maoist-cadres-maoist-presence |url-status=dead |archive-date=1 November 2013 |location=Guwahati |date=10 May 2010 |work=[[The Times of India]] |access-date=29 October 2013}}</ref>

==On negotiations with Indian government==
Asom, as the chairperson of the ULFA, has put [[condiciones sine quibus non]] before the government of India if it is willing to initiate a dialogue with the organisation, which are:<ref name="F-aID28">{{cite news|title=ULFA chairman does not deny links with Bangladesh, Pak and Chinese intelligence agencies |url=http://www.frontiertvindia.com/newsweek/details.php?aID=28 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20131119172855/http://www.frontiertvindia.com/newsweek/details.php?aID=28 |url-status=dead |archive-date=19 November 2013 |work=Manoranjana Sinh |publisher=Frontier TV |access-date=19 November 2013 }}</ref>
#"that the negotiations will be held on third country soil."
#"that the talks will be under the auspices of the United Nations."
#"and that these discussions with the government of India must include their demand for sovereignty."

However, he also says that the prime objective of the ULFA is certainly not the secession of Assam from India, but the sovereignty of Assam. In Asom's words:
{{blockquote|"....we don't expect Assam to break away. We expect India to restore Assam's historical independent status and gracefully return our sovereignty, which was stolen from us. And be a friendly next door. On that basis, we will then negotiate other things without any qualms. As we said we don't want to be enemies of the state of India. We can negotiate with India in the area of economics, development and progress. And the progress of India will be an example to the people of Assam to march ahead and try to match the progress of India. So that Assam can also do better."<ref name="F-aID28"/>}}

==On alleged links with foreign intelligence agencies==
Asom rebutes the allegation that the ULFA have ties with the [[Directorate General of Forces Intelligence]] or the [[Inter-Services Intelligence]], but added they are "acutely aware of who is what. For the cause of Assam’s sovereignty we [ULFA's members] can consider using them advantageously.... But, we cannot allow them to use us."<ref>{{citation |title=ULFA denies DGFI, ISI links |url=http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2013/08/08/ulfa-denies-dgfi-isi-links |author=Samir Purkayastha |publisher=[[Bdnews24.com]] |date=8 August 2013 |access-date=19 November 2013}}</ref>

The [[List of Indian intelligence agencies|intelligence agencies of India]] accuse the ULFA of having inordinate alliance with China,<ref>{{cite news |title=Indian nuclear bases in Assam to combat China – ULFA |url=http://www.timesofassam.com/headlines/indian-nuclear-bases-in-assam-to-combat-china-ulfa/ |work=Times of Assam |date=26 March 2012 |access-date=19 November 2013 |quote=ULFA and other rebel groups of North East are being reported to have been maintaining close relationship with China according to Indian intelligence. However Beijing has been denying such reports.}}</ref> but the organisation as well as the [[Chinese Foreign Ministry]] deny the allegation.<ref>{{cite news |title=ULFA rubbishes ex-home secy claim of China aiding NE rebels |url=http://kanglaonline.com/2012/02/ulfa-rubbishes-exhome-secy-claim-of-china-aiding-ne-rebels/ |work=[[Imphal Free Press]] |publisher=Kangla |location=Guwahati |date=17 February 2011 |access-date=18 November 2013}}</ref>

==Other activities and interests==
Asom has shown interest towards [[wildlife conservation]]. He has alleged that the ''[[Department of Environment and Forests, Government of Assam]]'' is involved in the killings of [[Rhinos]] for their [[Horn (anatomy)|horns]], and appreciated the NGO ''Nature's Beacon'' for publicly raising the issue of the death of a Rhino on 25 March 2012, who died as a result of the assault by people, after the animal was let off openly the ''Department of Environment and Forests'' after cutting its horns. He suggested that the department should consider taking assistance from the eminent wildlife conservationists like John Hume.<ref name="ToA=Uactwc">{{cite news |title=ULFA Acting Chairman turns Wildlife Conservationist |url=http://www.timesofassam.com/headlines/ulfa-acting-chairman-turns-wildlife-conservationist/ |work=Times of Assam |date=29 March 2012 |access-date=30 October 2013}}</ref> He further said:
{{blockquote|"....a transparent [[methodology]] of storing Rhino horns should be adopted and the [[Government revenue|revenue]] earned from it legally should be used for conservation efforts of the [[fauna]] in Assam."<ref name="ToA=Uactwc"/>}}

==See also==
* [[List of top leaders of ULFA]]
* [[People's Consultative Group]]
* [[Sanjukta Mukti Fouj]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Asom, Abhizeet}}
[[Category:Assamese nationalism]]
[[Category:Insurgency in Northeast India]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Nagaon district]]
[[Category:ULFA members]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Place of birth missing (living people)]]

Abhizeet Asom - Revision history

Bot at 09:21, 16 May 2022