Assam rebels reject safe passage

A leading rebel group in India's north-eastern state of Assam has rejected an official offer of safe passage for its members to visit their families in January provided they travelled unarmed and informed the authorities of their movements.

The leader of the United Liberation Front of Assam (Ulfa), Paresh Barua, told the BBC that the offer by the state's chief minister ,Tarun Gogoi, was an attempt to split his organisation.

He said no Ulfa members would visit their families until there was a comprehensive ceasefire, which was not possible unless political negotiations were held.

He said his group would not enter talks until the government agreed to discuss Assam's sovereignty.

Mr Barua said the group would continue operating camps on the border with Bhutan, despite the expiry of a deadline set by the Bhutanese government for their closure.

He said this was because the camps were located in an undemarcated border region and neither India nor Bhutan had any right to attack them.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service

*** PROBLEM: MORE THAN 28 WORDS IN SUMNARY ***