Assam: A new militant outfit named Greater Cooch Behar Liberation Organisation (GCLO) has emerged in Assam demanding a separate Kamtapur state and has threatened to take arms if their demand was not met.
The emergence of the new outfit assumes significance as it came amidst the peace talks between Kamtapur Liberation Organization (KLO), which was demanding a separate Kamtapur state for two decades, and the central government.
Assistant general secretary of GCLO Rajdeep Koch alias Ranjit Barman has sent a video message to the media from an unknown location stating their demand. The Assam government has already initiated a process of peace talks with KLO with its commander-in-chief Jibon Singha giving up arms and agreeing to join the national mainstream. However, no other top leaders of the outfit joined him nor did Jibon bring any weapons with him.
In this backdrop, it is being apprehended that the emergence of a new military outfit is likely to create instability in this region. It may be recalled that on January 17, nine leaders and members of the organization, including Jibon left Myanmar and entered India.
Around 25 days later, Jibon sent a video message as well as a press statement saying they were well under the supervision of the Government of India. He also said that the organization has started informal discussions with the central government.
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KLO peace committee member Biswajit Rai also said that Jibon and his teammates were well under the supervision of the Government of India and there will be a bilateral peace agreement between the central government and the KLO soon. Rai also said that Jibon will not cheat the Koch-Rajbanshis and that the dream of the people of Kamtapur will come true. The fact that another organization called GCLO was born with the demand for a separate Kamatapur assumes special significance in this context.
