Last modified: 2012-05-26 by ian macdonald
Keywords: india | assam | knife | ufla | ulfa |
Links: FOTW homepage |
search |
disclaimer and copyright |
write us |
mirrors
Indian states officially do not have flags of their own, except for Jammu and Kashmir. However, some unofficial flags have been reported:
I guess Jaume found 'poniard' as a translation of Spanish 'puñal' i.e.
'dagger' or 'knife'. If they are Gurkha in origin however, they must be the so-called "Khukri" (short, curved dagger). For an actual sample, see this site (left)
Santiago Dotor, 9 June 1999
In Flags of Aspirant Peoples, a similar flag including a long white script is labelled "Assam [Asom] (United Liberation Front of Asom)". This is more likely to be a revedicative or separatist flag than an 'unofficial state flag'
Ivan Sache, 16 Sep 1999
The flag of Assam is very different. The crossed gurkha swords are similar to the one that shows in the
Gurkhaland flag, but the position of the crossed swords in Antonio's
image is correct.
Jaume Ollé, 1 July 1999
by Ivan Sache, 19 April 2008
Source:
Flag Report
Asom Gana Parishad is a ruling party in the State of Assam (in alliance with
Bharatiya Janata) and the flag supplied by Jaume is the official flag of the
party. Sometimes it is shown also with an elephant in profile, facing the hoist,
on the white, middle stripe.
Chrystian Kretowicz, 2 October 2003
image by Jaume Ollé, 17 April 2012
The old flag of ULFA became obsolete
sometimes in 2006. The new flag was in the center of attention April 7, 2008
(29th Anniversary of ULFA) when hundreds were planted in Dispur, Guwahati and
all over Assam. The Indian Police was busy tearing them down, only to see them
replaced swiftly. ULFA (United Liberation Front of Assam - Asom Sanjukta Mukti
Morcha), in its own words, aims "to liberate Assam, (a land of 78,529 sq.km),
through armed national liberation struggle from the clutches of the illegal
occupation of India and to establish a sovereign, Independent Assam."
The new flag of ULFA (and separatist Assamese) is a result of long and hard
research work of Jaume Ollé and myself. And it is confirmed by the photograph
taken on April 7 of current year.
Chrystian Kretowicz, 18 April 2008
United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) was formed on April 7, 1979 by
Bhimakanta Buragohain, Rajiv Rajkonwar alias Arabinda Rajkhowa, Golap Baruah
alias Anup Chetia, Samiran Gogoi alias Pradip Gogoi, Bhadreshwar Gohain and
Paresh Baruah at the Rang Ghar in Sibsagar to establish a "sovereign socialist
Assam" through an armed struggle."
Source:
http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/india/states/assam/terrorist_outfits/Ulfa.htm
ULFA has involved in several acts of violence, and is considered as a terrorist
group by the Indian government.
Ivan Sache, 19 April 2008
Photographs of the flag are available in different Indian media, with some
apparent variation in the flag design and proportions.
- "The
Telegraph", 8 April 2008, which seems to indicate that the yellow stripe is
twice higher than the green one. The rising sun covers only one half of the
yellow stripe.
- "The Morung Express",
7 April 2008. Here the two fields seem to be of equal height, with the rising
sun covering only one half of the yellow stripe. The proportions of the flag
seem closer to 4:5 than to 2:3.
- "The Assam Times",
7 April 2008. The two fields seem to be of equal height, with the rising sun as
above and proportions 2:3.
Ivan Sache, 19 April 2008
image by Ivan Sache, 19 April 2008
Trinamool Gana Parishad (Grassroot Peoples Association) is a political party
in Assam. It came to life in 2000, after a split from Asom Gana Parishad. Its
orientation is basically pro-Indian. Party leader: Arul Bora. It failed to gain
a seat in Lok Sabha in the last elections.
Source: Jaume Ollé's Flag Report
Chrystian Kretowicz, 18 April 2008
The flag is horizontally divided red-white-red (1:2:1).
Ivan Sache, 19 April 2008