Pullock Dutta
Guwahati, April 17: A three-member team of the United People’s Federation of Assam (UPFA), a newly-floated umbrella organisation of around 30 bodies representing indigenous and ethnic communities, left for New York today to take part in the ninth session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.

The session will be held from April 19 to 30. Jebra Ram Mochahary,
president of the association, will lead the group.

Mochahary told The Telegraph before leaving for the session that the federation would take up the issue of the government’s decision to upgrade the National Register of Citizens, 1951, on the basis of 1971 as the cut-off year at the session.

“It is totally unfair and unconstitutional. The move will legitimise the illegal influx from across the border into Assam and in the process ethnic people of the state will lose their identity,” he said.

The UPFA president said the federation would also participate in an open discussion with their counterparts from Bangladesh regarding the illegal influx from the neighbouring country.

The team is also likely to meet the special rapporteur on human rights for the Asia sector, S. James Anaya, to update him and also discuss with him in detail the Centre’s “double standards” on policy regarding the upgrading of the NRC.

Mochahary said the organisation would also take up the issue of releasing the jailed Ulfa leaders to expedite the peace negotiation between the Centre and the outfit.

Floated last year, the UPFA has been trying to awaken the indigenous people of the region, which the organisation feels is the only way to resolve the problems.

The organisation has the backing of the pro-talks group of Ulfa and the Dilip Nunisa faction of the Dima Halam Daogah.

“Solutions to our problems will come only when our people learn to decide their own future. We will have to decide on our own what is good and what is bad for us and not let others decide. We have to make ourselves heard at the right forum,” Mochahary said.

The organisation had also appealed to Ulfa and the Ranjan Daimary faction of the National Democratic Front of Boroland to give up violence and sit for negotiations in the greater interest of the state.