Luhit Deuri was elated when he cleared the medical entrance examination. But a week before he joined the MBBS course, he received a call that was to change his life forever. Probably, of many other lives as well.

The United Liberation Force of Asom, an insurgent group demanding separation from India, asked him to report for training immediately. He did, and after extensive training in guerrilla warfare in Myanmar, Pakistan and Afghanistan, rose to become a G2 -- a grade 2 officer -- in ULFA parlance.

Fifteen years later, when Deuri recently offered to surrender, the police, as expected, were relieved. Known to be very close to ULFA commander-in-chief Paresh Barua, he was almost the number three man in the organisation.

The former Pakistan-trained ULFA militant spoke to Roving Editor Ramesh Menon in Guwahati about his troubled past and promising future.

Why did you join ULFA?

I really do not know. When I was in the 12th standard at Ardhavidyapith College in Guwahati, I began as a silent worker. It was in the mid-eighties. I used to just stick posters and generally help out in whatever way I could in carrying messages and fixing up things.

But you had just cleared your medical entrance examination.

Yes, I thought I would be a doctor. I was happy to have cleared it and was looking ahead. But I was suddenly asked -- one week before I started the MBBS course -- to report for training by ULFA.

Report where?

Report to an ULFA camp in the Nagaland jungles. This was for mountain warfare training.

Who was conducting the training? Was it tough?

Of course, it was tough. The training was for three months and was conducted by the National Socialist Council of Nagaland. After that we were sent to Kachin in Myanmar for practical training by the Kachin Independent Army. After the basic training was over, we were divided into many groups for advanced guerrilla warfare in the forests. This happened till 1990.

Six members in the camp told the chairman they wanted to go back. Two of them were just shot dead.

That was quite a long time?

Long and tough. Sometimes, there would be no rations, no communications, no shopping even for essentials. There were days when we bought potato and salt for Rs 40 a kilo. Sometimes, we got it from tribals in Nagaland and sometimes from half-naked primitive people in the jungles of Myanmar.

What was it like? Did you wear an uniform all the time?

There was very strict military discipline in whatever we did. Yes, we did wear uniform as there was plenty of money for these things then. In the early nineties, ULFA was one of the richest terrorist organisations in India.

Why did you join ULFA?

It was a sort of an adventure. I was very involved in the Assam agitation as a student. That was since 1980. I harboured students who were wanted by the police. I protected those who needed to be protected.

We fought the police and the Central Reserve Police Force with bows, arrows and stones.

We were desperate for a gun in those days. We went to ULFA in 1985 for a gun. In those days, police torture was common. Searches were an occasion for fear. ULFA assured me a pistol for my security. I had no ideology then. I did not know about ULFA's aims. The pistol was enough.

Why did you choose to go to an ULFA training camp instead of a medical college?

When they asked me to go for training, I did tell them that I had got into medical college and I wanted to study. They told me it was only for two months and then I could get back to my studies.

Then what happened?

After I joined the training camp, there was no way to get back. Six members in the camp told the chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa that they wanted to go back. Two of them were just shot dead. The others were severely punished for even thinking of returning.

The death sentence sent out a clear message. There was a lot of fear after that. Nobody ever said they wanted to return.

None of us could ever protest or have a difference of opinion. We just had to follow orders.

Did you go to Pakistan for training?

In 1991, I was taken to Pakistan. I was taken from Dhaka to Karachi by air. Then from Karachi to Islamabad and then to Rawalpindi. In Islamabad, a Pakistan army officer trained us on urban guerrilla warfare for 45 days. We then went by road to Afghanistan where we were trained by the Mujahideen.

What was the training like?

It was in handling all kinds of modern weapons. Like the AK series, rocket-propelled grenades, 60 mm mortar guns, explosives like RDX and so on. Then there was training to gather intelligence. Also counter intelligence operations and communications.

Was the ISI involved with ULFA?

By the end of 1990, ULFA got involved with the ISI. Today, ULFA is advised on every movement, every action.

So the ISI controls ULFA?

Every moment in fact. The ISI advises ULFA on policy, operations, procurement of arms and so on. They give them shelter outside India and give them communication channels.

What happened after that?

I was brought back to Bangladesh. Then, I was sent to establish the ULFA camp in Bhutan.

What were you in charge of?

When I was in Assam, I was the commander of the Nalbari district. As you know, even today all ULFA decisions are made in Nalbari.

Which operations in Assam did you command or take part in?

(Hesitates) I do not want to remember the past. It is all over now.

What was ULFA's main aim? What did it want?

ULFA's main aim was sovereignty. They want Assam to be separated from the rest of India.

Was that a good enough reason to convince you?

I collected lots of history about Assam. But I could not figure out why the state should be separated from India. Even ULFA was not clear on this separation bit.

In 1995, ULFA's General Council in Bhutan took a decision rejecting an agreement between the Burmese government and British India in 1826. They said it was not legal and so they did not recognise it. In fact, they went to Geneva to plead this argument with the United Nations, but the UN did not accept it. The UN said it was a sound legal document.

In 1998 at the Bhutan camp, Rajkhowa said it was legal but insisted on a separation from India. They were searching for all kinds of historical documents to show that Assam was a separate entity from India, but could find no evidence.

What did you feel?

I was convinced that we were on the wrong path.

How does it feel now?

Fifteen years of my life have been lost. Why should I ruin my future now?

How did you manage to surrender?

We could use the telephone from Bhutan. I contacted some people in Assam. They were my old friends. I then came over to Assam and met Additional Director General of Police, Operations, G M Srivastav, in Siliguri. I, along with 260 others who came with me, surrendered.

Did they all surrender because of you?

They might have had different reasons to come overground.

Did you feel it would be tough to stay overground?

I know all the ministers as I was involved in the Assam agitation. They have all said they would help me do some business.

Are you tense, now that you have surrendered and have three gunmen guarding you round the clock?

There is no tension. I really do not care. I do not want to harm ULFA. I came out of it as I thought killing was not the solution. If they kill me, they will not get an independent Assam…

If they kill me, they will not get an independent Assam…

ULFA leaders have amassed a lot of personal wealth.

I do not know the exact figure. Initially, ULFA leaders were doing the business to swell the organisational fund. But privately, they may have personal interests. The fact that top leaders have business interests in Bangladesh is now confirmed. But how much is its worth -- I do not know.

The AGP has alleged that the Congress is hand in glove with ULFA.

Most ULFA cadres have a good relation with the Congress. In Nowgaon, the Congress people have lots of money. And they do give money.

What are the surrendered ULFA cadres doing?

(Smiles) Ninety-five per cent of them are doing business. Some are into small businesses. But some are into big business. And some are into bigger than big business (laughs).

What are you planning to do?

You can help me here. Give me some ideas. I want to be a part of the Internet revolution. I want to become an Internet Service Provider in Assam.

I know very little about computers. But every day, I try to learn a little. Sometimes, I get only five minutes but I am determined to learn.

Right now, I have bought four computers. I want to set up a cybercafe. It is difficult in Guwahati as Internet awareness is very poor here.

A lot of killings have taken place in recent weeks in Assam. ULFA denies responsibility and says this is being done by the Assam Tiger Force. What is your information?

The Assam Tiger Force does not exist. It is ULFA which is killing people. I confirmed the first killings of Marwaris in Nalbari. It was ULFA. All the recent killings have been done by ULFA.

What is ULFA's ideology today?

The ideology is money. They just want money.

Photographs: Ramesh Menon. Design: Dominic Xavier

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