Mentioned below are various Press Releases connected to the “Conflict Transformation” work in India
THE NEWS SCROLL07 SEPTEMBER 2017 Last Updated at 10:52 PM
Ready to facilitate peace process if any group wants: Sri Sri
Guwahati, Sep 7 The founder of Art of Living Sri Sri Ravi Shankar today expressed his willingness to facilitate the peace process if any underground group wants to come back to the mainstream as several youth have already expressed their desire to come overground if the government ensures a respectable deal.
“The Art of Living will continue to work until the last gun is laid down. The Art of Living is in touch with several groups in the (North East) region”, the spiritual guru told reporters in the presence of ULFA (Pro-talk) general secretary Anup Chetia on the sidelines of a meeting here.
“Several youths have already expressed their desire to come overground if the government ensures a respectable deal. They are watching how the government handles the case of the 68 youth who recently surrendered in Manipur with our intervention”, he said.
He expressed happiness that diverse groups have come together on a common platform today to discuss the issues facing the region.
“There are differences of opinions and I see it as a healthy sign. Once the basic principle of peace is established, all differences can be sorted out,” he added.
Earlier delivering the keynote address at the Strength in Diversity: North East Indigenous People’s Conference, Ravi Shankar said, “This is a new beginning for the North East. For the very first time, there is a reconnect of people of this region, which is so diverse.”
Saying that his heart goes out to the people of the region who had to undergo much suffering for decades, Sri Sri observed that “while the aspiration of every group that has gone into militancy has been to achieve prosperity and welfare, it cannot be achieved with conflict and has to come with cooperation. It is only this understanding that can mark the beginning of a new chapter in the history of the region”.
The conference saw the participation of leaders from all walks of life, including leaders who have formerly taken up arms.
Several former underground leaders led by Anup Chetia were among the conveners of the event attended by former leader of armed Tripura National Volunteers Bijoy Kumar Hrangkhawl, NSCN(IM) military wing chief V S Atem and Dilip Nunisa of Assam-based surrendered militant outfit Dima Halam Daogah.
Chetia, along with the other leaders at the conference acknowledged and appreciated Ravi Shankar’s interest and commitment to the region and resolved to continue to work together to bring peace and prosperity in the region.
The day long deliberations at the conference concluded with the signing of the Guwahati Declaration by The Art of Living representatives and other conference partners, including the convener committee as well as all the linguistic, tribal, ethnic and insurgent groups of North East states.
Everyone present pledged to bring together the indigenous peoples and ethnic groups of the region, and work collectively to achieve the ultimate goal of genuine peace, prosperity and happiness for North East.
Guwahati, Assam, India
September 7, 2017
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar today expressed his willingness to facilitate the process if any underground group wants to come back to the mainstream. He said this while addressing the media here in the presence of General Secretary of United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA).
“Several youth have already expressed their desire to come overground if the government ensures a respectable deal. They are watching how the government handles the case of the 68 youth who recently surrendered in Manipur with our intervention,” he revealed. “The Art of Living will continue to work until the last gun is laid down,” he added. He also added that The Art of Living is in touch with several groups in the region.
He expressed happiness that diverse groups have come together on a common platform to discuss the issues facing the region. “There are differences of opinions and I see it as a healthy sign. Once the basic principle of peace is established, all differences can be sorted out,” he added.
Earlier delivering the keynote address at the STRENGTH IN DIVERSITY: North East Indigenous People’s Conference, he said, “This is a new beginning for the North East. For the very first time, there is a reconnect of people of this region, which is so diverse.”
Saying that his heart goes out to the people of the region who had to undergo much suffering for decades, Gurudev observed that while the aspiration of every group that has gone into militancy has been to achieve prosperity and welfare, it cannot be achieved with conflict and has to come with cooperation. It is only this understanding that can mark the beginning of a new chapter in the history of the region, he remarked.
The conference saw the participation of leaders from all walks of life, including leaders who have formerly taken up arms. Several former underground leaders led by General Secretary of United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) Anup Chetia were among the conveners of the event.
Other prominent names include former leader of armed Tripura National Volunteers Bijoy Kumar Hrangkhawl and Dilip Nunisa of Dima Halam Daogah, the Assam-based militant outfit that laid down arms in 2013.
Anup Chetia, long with the other prominent leaders at the conference acknowledged and appreciated Gurudev’s interest and commitment to the region and resolved to continue to work together to bring peace and prosperity in the region.
The conference saw the attendance of a large contingent of leaders from Nagaland, including former army chief of NSCN(IM) Lt. Gen. V.S Atem and several other leaders from various social, ethnic, linguistic and religious groups.
R S Mooshahary, former Governor of Meghalaya was present too and hailed Gurudev as a peace ambassador.
The day long deliberations at the Conference ended with the signing of the Guwahati Declaration by The Art of Living representatives and other conference partners, including the convener committee as well as all the linguistic, tribal, ethnic and insurgent groups of North East states. Everyone present pledged to bring together the indigenous peoples and ethnic groups of the region, and work collectively to achieve the ultimate goal of genuine peace, prosperity and happiness for North East.
Gurudev will visit Arunachal Pradesh where he will attend the Maitreya Diwas celebration in the Indo-China border town of Tawang. He will also attend several programs hosted by the government of Arunachal Pradesh, including an address to ministers, MLAs and bureaucrats.
Strength in Diversity: North East Indigenous People’s Conference
• Historic signing of the Guwahati Declaration, all insurgent groups pledge to work for peace and prosperity in the region
The Art of Living has been working in the North East region for many years now and through numerous mediators and faculty members have transformed more than 1200 hardcore militants over the years, the latest being the surrender of 68 insurgents in Manipur on August 14, 2017. Gurudev has played a colossal role in dialogue and mediation in the LTTE, Kashmir, Bosnia and the Middle East conflicts and is considered unparalleled in his ability to make people see reason and love, where hatred and violence is the order of the day.
In a further attempt to bring an end to the long era of violence in the region, a daylong conference titled “Strength in Diversity: North East Indigenous People’s Conference” was held in Guwahati on September 7, 2017.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar delivering the keynote address at the day-long conference held in Guwahati which was attended by 67 militant groups
The main objective of the conference was to build a platform for dialogue, reconciliation and ultimately peace between all the stakeholders in the Northeast region. Leaders from 67 insurgent organizations were present at the conference. Anup Chetia, a general secretary of ULFA, was the coordinator in this forum.
Delivering the keynote address at the Conference, Gurudev said, “This is a new beginning for the North East. For the very first time, there is a reconnect of people of this region, which is so diverse.”
Saying that his heart goes out to the people of the region who had to undergo much suffering for decades, Gurudev observed that while the aspiration of every group that has gone into militancy has been to achieve prosperity and welfare, it cannot be achieved with conflict and has to come with cooperation. It is only this understanding that can mark the beginning of a new chapter in the history of the region, he remarked.
The Conference concluded with the historic signing of the Guwahati Declaration where all the groups present pledged to work together to achieve peace and prosperity in the region.
Guwahati Declaration adopted by the seven states in Indigenous People Meet
https://www.time8.in/guwahati-declaration-adopted-by-the-seven-states-in-indigenous-people-meet/
Guwahati, September 7: A Guwahati Declaration has been adopted by the seven states of the North East on Thursday at the conference of the Indigenous People and Ethnic Groups of the North Eastern Region which was held at Guwahati in presence of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
The participants of the conference were Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura. These participants have adopted the declaration which consists of eight articles.
The Article 1 of the declaration states about promoting a collective indigenous identity of the NE region as a whole and to arouse an emotional bond of a common belongingness among all the indigenous people and ethnic groups of the region and to this end to respect the culture and tradition of all the indigenous people.
The Article 2 states to protect, preserve and enrich individual identities so as to make them competent and strengthen the evolution of a collective identity of the region, just as the seven colours in the rainbow. This may be propagated as the Rainbow Spirit.
Article 3 asks to propagate a culture of resolving contradictions amongst the people amicably through appreciation, understanding and accommodation so as to be broaden the area of agreement and narrow down that of differences and not to resort to violent methods.
The other articles further state to spread awareness and act on issues and challenges confronting indigenous life, including also the disastrous effects of climate change and the supreme importance of protecting and restoring the environment for human habitat. It also asks to desist from interference or taking sides in inter-state or inter-ethnic disputes and so on.
Ready to facilitate peace process if any group wants: Sri Sri
- PTI
- September 7, 2017
Guwahati, Sep 7 (PTI) The founder of Art of Living Sri Sri Ravi Shankar today expressed his willingness to facilitate the peace process if any underground group wants to come back to the mainstream as several youth have already expressed their desire to come overground if the government ensures a respectable deal.
“The Art of Living will continue to work until the last gun is laid down. The Art of Living is in touch with several groups in the (North East) region”, the spiritual guru told reporters in the presence of ULFA (Pro-talk) general secretary Anup Chetia on the sidelines of a meeting here.
“Several youths have already expressed their desire to come overground if the government ensures a respectable deal. They are watching how the government handles the case of the 68 youth who recently surrendered in Manipur with our intervention”, he said.
He expressed happiness that diverse groups have come together on a common platform today to discuss the issues facing the region.
“There are differences of opinions and I see it as a healthy sign. Once the basic principle of peace is established, all differences can be sorted out,” he added. Earlier delivering the keynote address at the Strength in Diversity: North East Indigenous People?s Conference, Ravi Shankar said, “This is a new beginning for the North East. For the very first time, there is a reconnect of people of this region, which is so diverse.”
Saying that his heart goes out to the people of the region who had to undergo much suffering for decades, Sri Sri observed that “while the aspiration of every group that has gone into militancy has been to achieve prosperity and welfare, it cannot be achieved with conflict and has to come with cooperation. It is only this understanding that can mark the beginning of a new chapter in the history of the region”.
The conference saw the participation of leaders from all walks of life, including leaders who have formerly taken up arms.
Several former underground leaders led by Anup Chetia were among the conveners of the event attended by former leader of armed Tripura National Volunteers Bijoy Kumar Hrangkhawl, NSCN(IM) military wing chief V S Atem and Dilip Nunisa of Assam-based surrendered militant outfit Dima Halam Daogah.
Chetia, along with the other leaders at the conference acknowledged and appreciated Ravi Shankar?s interest and commitment to the region and resolved to continue to work together to bring peace and prosperity in the region.
The day long deliberations at the conference concluded with the signing of the Guwahati Declaration by The Art of Living representatives and other conference partners, including the convener committee as well as all the linguistic, tribal, ethnic and insurgent groups of North East states.
Everyone present pledged to bring together the indigenous peoples and ethnic groups of the region, and work collectively to achieve the ultimate goal of genuine peace, prosperity and happiness for North East. PTI ESB RG
Thursday, Jun 28, 2018 New Delhi 27 °C
Spiritual guru Ravi Shankar says brokering peace with ULFA chief
Spiritual guru Ravi Shankar, who was in the Assam capital for a mass meditation camp on Wednesday, said he has been brokering peace with elusive United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I) chief Paresh Barua.
INDIA Updated: Dec 17, 2015 14:39 IST Rahul Karmakar
Hindustan Times
Spiritual guru Ravi Shankar, who was in the Assam capital for a mass meditation camp on Wednesday, said he has been brokering peace with elusive United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I) chief Paresh Barua.(AFP Photo)
Spiritual guru Ravi Shankar, who was in the Assam capital for a mass meditation camp on Wednesday, said he has been brokering peace with elusive United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I) chief Paresh Barua.
The latter has denied discussing truce with the founder of the Art of Living Foundation.
“I have been in touch with Paresh Barua, and I spoke to him today too. I have been trying to convince him to pursue peace that would be good for Assam and India as a whole,” Ravi Shankar told reporters here.
He was hopeful of a positive outcome. “Let’s see when that happens.”
Hours later, Barua called up a couple of TV channels and denied having let the spiritual leader be a mediator for peace. “We have not talked about the possibility of giving up our armed struggle against a colonial New Delhi,” he said.
Before Ravi Shankar, several celebrities had offered to mediate between New Delhi and Barua. Prominent among them were music legend Bhupen Hazarika and Assamese litterateur Mamoni Raisom Goswami, both of whom died within a fortnight of each other in November 2011.
Barua, police officials said, is virtually the last man standing in the ULFA as most of its leaders have either left the organisation to pursue business, surrendered, or are in jail awaiting trial.
Formed in 1979, the ULFA became a major subversive force until military operations since 1990 broke its back. Many leaders and cadre surrendered in 1992 but the top leadership continued to wage war from bases in Bangladesh and Bhutan.
A flush-out operation in Bhutan in December 2003 killed a few of its top leaders. Some disappeared without a trace while others were handed over to India.
Despite the Bhutan setback, ULFA leaders allegedly enjoyed the patronage of the Khaleda Zia government in Bangladesh. But the return of the India-friendly Sheikh Hasina government in 2008 made it difficult for the rebels to use Bangladeshi soil.
The action against Northeast rebels in Bangladesh since 2009 led to the arrest of ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa, deputy commander-in-chief Raju Barua and several others. National Democratic Front of Bodoland chief Ranjan Daimary met a similar fate too.
Rajkhowa subsequently led the pro-talks ULFA group for several rounds of dialogue with the Centre. Opposed to his forum, Barua formed the ULFA-I with his band of supporters in 2013.
Intelligence officials said Barua’s position has been considerably weakened after Bangladesh handed over ULFA founding-member and general secretary Anup Chetia to India in November. Chetia is Barua’s cousin and their ancestral homes at Jerai Chokolibhroia village in eastern Assam are side by side.
The pro-talks faction wants Chetia, who was in captivity in Bangladesh for 18 years, to be part of the peace process. But officials said certain formalities needed to be fulfilled before he could do so.
Chetia, accused in a number of kidnapping, murder and extortion cases in Assam, said he was ready for peace talks. He also sought forgiveness from the people of Assam for “our past mistakes”.
Monday , August 28 , 201
Chetia to form NE people’s forum
A Staff Reporter
Ulfa leader Anup Chetia in Guwahati on Sunday.
Picture by UB Photos
Guwahati, Aug. 27: Ulfa leader Anup Chetia today said they will float a new organisation, North East Indigenous People’s Forum, in association with different indigenous communities of the region.
He said the forum will be non-political in nature.
Speaking to reporters at the Ulfa office at Hatigaon here today, Chetia said the indigenous people are facing an identity crisis and the time has come for them to join hands and fight together.
Chetia said after decades-long armed struggle they realised it cannot find a solution and the democratic way was the best path to solve problems.
“To discuss the issues of indigenous people and the formation of the proposed organisation, we will organise a two-day Northeast People’s Conference in Guwahati on September 6 and 7. We have prepared a draft Guwahati Declaration which will be discussed and made public,” he said. He said organisations of the indigenous people have been invited for the event.
The first day of the conference will be held at Royal Global University and the second day will be held at Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra here.
Chetia said Sri Sri Ravi Shankar will deliver the keynote speech on the second day. The conference will be held in collaboration with the International Association for Human Values.
Former president of Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union Tage Lapung, former president of Arunachal Students’ Union Delhi Lokam Anand, Manipur Mail executive editor N. Ibungochobi, Indigenous Nationalist Party of Twipra president Bijoy Kumar Hrangkhawl, Tripura People’s Front president Patal Kanya Jamatia and intellectual Gunedhor Singh were present.
Tuesday, June 26, 2018 | 11, Shawwal, 1439
https://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/kashmir/art-of-living-to-hold-conference-on-kashmir/233901.html
Art of Living to hold conference on Kashmir
The conference will take place on 23rd of November here in the winter capital, Program Director AOL, Sanjay Kumar said.
Former militants and victims of militancy will take part in a conference ‘Kashmir Back to Paradise’ by Art of Living (AOL) to promote peace and usher in an era of peaceful and prosperous Kashmir.
The Spiritual guru and Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and Minister of State, Ministry of Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju will also take part in the conference.
The conference will take place on 23rd of November here in the winter capital, Program Director AOL, Sanjay Kumar said.
The objective of the Conference is to provide a platform to diverse stakeholders from Kashmir such as ex-militants, stone pelters, victims of militancy, youth leaders, women, entrepreneurs, NGOs, Sufi leaders, academicians, media persons in art and culture, Sikh community representatives to share their views on the current situation in Kashmir and ponder over a peaceful solution.
Spiritual Guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar will be the keynote speaker and Kiren Rijiju will be the Guest of Honour, he said.
He said that it will go a long way to promote peace and harmony and usher in an era of peaceful and prosperous Kashmir.
KASHMIR
READER
Sri Sri coming to preach ‘peace’ in Kashmir on Saturday
https://kashmirreader.com/2018/03/09/sri-sri-coming-to-preach-peace-in-kashmir-on-saturday/
By Wasim Khalid on March 9, 2018
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Srinagar: After drawing flak for meddling in the Babri Masjid-Ram Mandir dispute, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the founder of Art of Living (AOL), is all set to preach peace, reconciliation and humanity to Kashmiris on March 10.
Sri Sri will deliver a lecture titled Paigam-e-Mohabbat (message of love) on inclusivity, harmony and the “positive” aspects of reconciliation at the SKICC, on the banks of the Dal Lake, in Srinagar. According to people associated with organising the event, the beneficiaries of AOL will take part in “peace conference” of Sri Sri.
“We hope this conference is a success, as we want peace in this troubled land.”
Sanjay, a representative of Sri Sri who is organising the conference in Srinagar, claimed that Kashmiris themselves had invited the spiritual leader.
“We had conducted a conference in Bangalore earlier. The Kashmiris who attended it have invited us to Kashmir,” he said.
According to the Art of Living website, a peace conference titled Paigam-e-Mohabbat had been organised in Bangalore on November 10, 2017. The website describes it as “a reconciliation program for the family members of martyred security personnel, victims of cross-firing and slain militants”.
Sri Sri has recently been in news for saying, “Any delay in resolving the Ram Temple issue could result in a Syria-like situation in India and the courts have to respect the majority opinion.”
KASHMIRREADER
https://kashmirreader.com/2018/03/11/sri-sri-gets-a-taste-of-kashmiri-art-of-living/
Sri Sri gets a taste of Kashmiri Art of Living By Wasim Khalid on March 11, 2018
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Programme at SKICC ends in embarrassing debacle as people leave, chanting Azadi slogans; many say they were duped by organisers
Srinagar: The “peace event” of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, founder of the Art of Living (AOL), turned out to be a completely damp squib at the SKICC here on Saturday, with people in the audience rising up and chanting pro-freedom slogans before leaving the venue.
Several participants in the event also alleged that the organisers duped them by bringing them to the venue on various pretexts like waiving off loans, that resistance leader Syed Ali Geelani was going to address the gathering, and that relatives of victims will be given monetary compensation by Sri Sri’s AOL.
The programme, titled Paigam-e-Mohabbat, began with Sri Sri addressing the participants who had come from various places in Kashmir. He said that he loved the Kashmiri language and that he had come to Kashmir to heal the wounds of Kashmiris.
“Together we will build peace in Kashmir,” Sri Sri said. “Let us forget the pains of the past and work towards peace. We will all work together to bring peace in Kashmir.”
Within no time, several people in the audience rose up and started raising slogans in favour of Azadi. The outrage was such that people started leaving the venue while accusing the organisers of having deceived them.
Sri Sri stopped his speech mid-way and left the venue. He went to a local hotel to address a press conference there.
At the SKICC event, an old man wearing a skull cap said that he was told by the organisers that his farmer’s loan will be waived off if he attends the event.
“That is why I came,” he said.
Another man, sporting a beard, said he came from Kupwara because he was told that a Gujjar leader would address the conference and listen to people’s complaints.
“When we came here, we realised he (Sri Sri) is asking us to leave our religious faith,” he said. “We will not leave our faith. This programme is completely wrong.”
A woman said that she was the relative of a man who had died in conflict. She said she was told by the organisers that if she attends the event, she will get monetary compensation.
A group of young men from Budgam said they had come to the event because they were told that Syed Ali Geelani will address it.
A large number of people, from various parts of Kashmir, had assembled in Srinagar to attend the event a day before as well. They said they were not given breakfast and lunch and were compelled to wait for many hours.
Earlier, the AOL in a press note said that the event by Sri Sri would have a far-reaching impact on the process of peace and trust building.
At the hotel where he addressed the press conference, Sri Sri dodged most of the questions. He was asked if he was suggesting Kashmir to “forget the past” then how come he advocates for the construction of a “Ram Mandir” to replace the Babri Masjid constructed centuries ago. He dodged the question.
While speaking to the press, Sri Sri said he wants to build peace in Kashmir “along with the people of Kashmir”.
“People should speak against injustice,” he said. He also said civilian killings were not acceptable, and so were killings of government forces’ personnel.
In reply to a question that he was close to the BJP, Sri Sri said he was “neither close, nor far” from them.
He also did not comment on the debacle at the SKICC. Instead, he said people from across Kashmir had come to meet him. “I will meet various delegations during the two days of my stay,” he said.
Sri Sri has also attracted condemnation from various political and civil society groups in India, most recently for inciting people for violence. In a statement, Sri Sri had said that “any delay in resolving the Ram Temple issue could result in a Syria-like situation in India and the courts have to respect the majority opinion.”
Mark of an end marks a beginning
- DHD disbands; Nunisa declares formation of new democratic group, eyes April poll
DIPANKAR ROY
Haflong, March 9: The guns that had once spouted death today had roses stuck in their business ends. Their job in Dima Hasao district was done after about more than two decades, during which their ownership had changed thrice.
“Here on, ours will be a democratic movement for Dimaraji,” proclaimed Dilip Nunisa, soon after declaring that the outfit he led and had lent his name to, Dima Halam Daogah (Nunisa), for the past eight years had ceased to exist from today.
At the N.L. Daulagupu sports complex here where a “homecoming” ceremony was held to signify the return to home of the DHD (N) cadres this afternoon, Nunisa also declared the formation of Halali Progressive Group, which would be a democratic organisation.
The “homecoming” saw the return of 2,009 members of which 691 were from the armed wing and 1,318 were overground workers known as public relations officers.
The outfit also laid down 135 weapons that included, among other things, light machine guns, M-16 rifles, AK series rifles, grenade launchers, besides rockets (but no launcher) grenades and other assorted ammunition.
Addressing the gathering, he appealed to the governments both at the Centre and in the state to implement all the clauses of the memorandum of settlement signed on October 8 last year to bring about overall development of the district.
“The MoS did not address all that we wanted and we ask the government to consider afresh what were left out,” he said.
Nunisa appeared to be struggling with a lump in the throat when he said, “I am both sad and happy today.”
He would elaborate later that he felt sad that the DHD (N)’s journey had come to an end, but was happy that a new journey awaited them with the HPG. He said later there was a very real possibility of participating in the elections to the autonomous council scheduled for April.
“We will have a meeting later tonight and within two days we will finalise,” he said after the function.
On its part, Assam government gave its assurance to do all within its means to develop the district.
Power and industries minister, Pradyut Bordoloi, speaking in near-chaste Hindi, said the government would take up all unfinished work with renewed vigour to bring them to an end. He mentioned the railway track conversion work and the East-West corridor, which had lagged behind because of insurgency in the district.
“Together with you the government will ensure that these works are expedited,” he said. Peace in these parts holds great significance not only for the people residing here, but also for Barak Valley, Manipur, Tripura and Mizoram as the broad gauge and the highway would also benefit them.
Nunisa was particular in sending out a loud and clear message to the non-Dimasas in the district that implementation of the MoS would also benefit them and that all should join hands to take the district on the path of development. The non-Dimasas, who together claim are more in number than the Dimasas, had all along opposed any settlement with the two factions of the DHD, the other being DHD (Joel), which jointly signed the MoS with the DHD (N) and have let their resentment known over change of name of the district from North Cachar Hills to Dima Hasao since the new name was not “neutral”.
They also want an autonomous council of their own covering in its jurisdiction the areas of their habitation within the district.
The militant organisations still active in the district and which stand by their respective communities include the NSCN (I-M), NSCN (K) and two factions of Kuki National Front.
Two other outfits, the Kuki Revolutionary Army and Hmar People’s Convention (Democratic), are, however, in talks with the government.
The guns with the roses are now in custody of the government, but some still have their business ends open.