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Assam: Indira Goswami vows to continue peace bid

September 21, 2007 19:06 IST

Just released from the hospital, the United Liberation Front of Asom's nominated peace negotiator and noted novelist Jnanpith Dr Mamoni Raisom Goswami (Indira Goswami) on Friday vowed to continue with her efforts to bring the banned militant group to negotiations.

Talking to the media just after being released from a private nursing home where she was undergoing treatment since September 12 after suffering a mild cerebral attack, she called upon the government of India to take the initiative to hold peace-talks with the banned militant group.

The doctors attending her in Guwahati Neurological Research Centre said she had recovered well, but will still have some minor problems. She has been advised not to gain weight.

Besides her continuing peace overtures, the noted novelist has a plan to complete her ongoing literary project, a novel on an icon of Bodo tribe community, soon.

The acclaimed novelist has been hogging headlines for the last couple of years for her peace overtures. mShe has been playing the role of the only channel of communication between the banned ULFA and the government of India in her efforts to bring the insurgent group to negotiation.

The ULFA had entrusted her with the responsibility to play the link between the Central government and its nominated People's Consultative Group to facilitate direct talks with the government.

The PCG which was formed in September 2005, held three rounds of talks with the Centre, but failed to facilitate direct talks between the government of India and the ULFA. However, the group continues with its effort to broker peace.

K Anurag in Guwahati