The United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I), a banned insurgent outfit, has undertaken a major internal reorganisation in the face of mounting operational challenges and the loss of key commanders. The group announced a sweeping restructuring of its hierarchy on Friday, moving away from its traditional three-tier council system.
A Drastic Shift in Hierarchy
In an official press release emailed to media houses, the outfit declared it has officially dismantled its long-standing governance structure comprising the highest, high, and lower councils. This system, a hallmark of the group for years, has been replaced by a more streamlined 24-member central committee tasked with overseeing all military and administrative functions.
The statement was issued by the group's self-styled publicity secretary, Major Nirnoy Asom. This restructuring marks one of the most significant internal changes within ULFA-I in recent history, signaling an attempt to consolidate command and control.
The New Leadership Structure
The newly formed committee places the outfit's supremo, self-styled General Paresh Baruah (Paresh Asom), at the helm as its President. Senior leader SS Major General Michael Deka Phukon (Michael Asom) has been appointed Vice President, while Moitrayee Asom takes on the crucial role of General Secretary.
The committee includes a wide array of departmental appointments designed to manage various wings of the organisation:
- Parama Asom named Cultural Secretary.
- SS Brigadier Manik Asom appointed Assistant Finance Secretary.
- The women's wing will be led by SS Colonel Minoti Asom as Women Welfare Secretary, assisted by SS Private Shikha Asom.
- Logistics and internal management fall to Milton Asom as Organisational Secretary and SS Lt Col Chida Asom as Agriculture and Shelter Development Secretary.
Other notable roles include SS Lt Col Ribel Asom as Council Development Secretary and SS Colonel Prabuddha Asom, who will handle Public Health and serve as a Special Assistant Foreign Secretary.
The committee is rounded out by several promoted junior and middle-level officers, including SS Major Abhimanyu Asom and SS Lt Chayan Asom in finance, and SS Captain Sonit Asom and SS Captain Achyut Asom as Assistant General Secretaries. Publicity duties go to SS 2nd Lt Anuraran Asom, while SS 2nd Lt Tagar Asom will handle auditing.
Consolidation Amidst Pressure and Losses
Security analysts view this consolidation of power under Paresh Baruah as a strategic move to project a unified front and tighten control over the group's dwindling ranks. The decision follows a period of intense pressure from security forces and significant internal blows that have shaken the separatist movement's morale.
The overhaul appears directly prompted by recent heavy losses. In a catastrophic blow in July, ULFA-I bases in Myanmar were targeted by drone attacks, resulting in the deaths of high-profile leaders self-styled Lt Gen Nayan Medhi and SS Brigadier Ganesh Asom.
The group's operational capacity was further eroded when two of its most seasoned veterans, SS Major Gen Arunodoy Dohutia and the outfit's operational commander Rupam Asom, chose to abandon the armed struggle and surrendered before security forces. This series of surrenders and fatalities has compelled the banned outfit to streamline its command structure in a bid for survival and operational continuity.
