China helping N-E rebel outfits unite?

By MANOJ ANAND

Guwahati (Assam) : The level of violence in trouble-torn north-eastern states may have come down but security agencies are seriously worried about the growing harmony among the separatist outfits of the region operating from Burma and Bangladesh.

Disclosing that the home ministry is aware about these developments, authoritative security sources told this newspaper that the coordination committee of seven major rebel outfits of Manipur was exploring the possibility of investment in Burma to strengthen their presence in Burma.

Pointing out that pressure of security forces was not allowing them to carry out offensives, security sources, however, claimed that the way China was backing them by supplying weapons and facilitating shelter to their leaders, possibility of their revival cannot be ruled out. Security sources asserted that China was also acting as a catalyst in uniting the separatist outfits of the Northeast

Regretting that China was following the policy of Pakistan to engage India on its north-eastern frontier, security sources said that the two major rebel groups of the region, the NSCN (IM) and the NSCN (K), though in peace mode, are still procuring and supplying arms to rebel groups of the region.

Referring to intelligence reports emanating from the ground, security sources said that growing harmony between the outlawed Ulfa, led by elusive commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah, and the People’s Liberation Army of Manipur is another area of concern.

Sources informed that the idea behind accepting the surrender of about 1,600 cadres of nine fledgling militant outfits in Assam was also aimed at stopping the trade of illegal arms in the region.

Stating that Dimapur in Nagaland has become the hub of arms dealings for the rebel groups of the Northeast, security sources said that offensives of NLFT and ATTF in Tripura have also come down but intelligence reports suggest that they are shifting their bases in Bangladesh closer to the Burma border. Similarly, rebel groups of Meghalaya, the HNLC and the GNLA, are shifting their bases in Bangladesh towards the Tripura border, security sources said.

However, they also said the home ministry was in touch with DGPs in trouble-torn states and keeping them updated about these developments so that necessary steps are taken to foil their attempt to create unrest in the region.

Garo militants abduct 2 Meghalaya engineers

Shillong, Jan 26 : Heavily-armed Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) rebels abducted three Meghalaya government engineers at gunpoint in the state’s West Garo Hills district, but one of them was later released unharmed, police said Wednesday.

The abduction took place Tuesday midnight when the GNLA swooped upon the official quarters of the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) in the Rongkhon area, 318 km west of Shillong, the state capital.


“The rebels abducted three engineers - Apus Pothmi, Boney Majaw and Marshal R Swer - at gunpoint and took them away to a nearby forest,” state police chief N. Ramachandran told IANS.


Ramachandran said the rebels, who identified themselves as members of the GNLA, however, released Swer unharmed.


“We are still investigating whether any ransom has been demanded. A search operation is on to rescue them,” he added.

Combat Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) and Meghalaya’s Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) commandos have been pressed into service to trace the hostages.


The GNLA, headed by police officer-turned outlaw Champion R. Sangma, has unleashed a reign of terror in the three impoverished districts of Garo Hills in the western part of Meghalaya.


However, Indian intelligence officials believe Champion has been “arrested” by Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) commandos Nov 23 night from Haluaghat in Mymensingh district of Bangladesh.

Over 20 people, including security personnel, have been killed in the area in the last one year by GNLA rebels.

Champion, who claims to be fighting for a separate Garoland, has been camping in Bangladesh for several months in search of support.

The outfit has also forged an alliance with the Bangladesh-based rebel group, A’chik Special Dragon Party.

Meghalaya shares a 443-km border with Bangladesh, part of which is porous, hilly and unfenced and prone to infiltration.

Won’t let rebels use our soil: Myanmar

NISHIT DHOLABHAI

New Delhi, Jan. 24: India has proposed joint action with Myanmar along the international border to check rising insurgency but Myanmar has so far only promised not to allow Northeast militants to use its territory as a base to create trouble during Manipur polls.

Myanmar gave the assurance to India during the 17th national-level meeting between the two countries at Nay Pyi Taw, the Myanmarese capital, last week.

Since Manipur Assembly elections were announced, the CorCom or seven-outfit coordination committee has caused disturbances by exploding grenades in the state, especially in Manipur valley. The outfits are the Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP), Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL), Peoples Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (Prepak), Prepak (Pro), Revolutionary People’s Front (RPF), United National Liberation Front (UNLF) and the United People’s Party of Kangleipak (UPPK).

Official sources said Union home secretary R.K. Singh had made a special mention to Myanmar’s deputy home minister, Brigadier-General Kyaw Zan Myint, during the meeting that Indian insurgent groups were planning largescale disturbances in the run-up to and during the January 28 elections in Manipur.

“The leader of Myanmar delegation assured that Myanmar would never allow insurgents to use its territory to engage in any hostile activities against its neighbour India,” they added.

“We wanted joint action along the border,” a source said. However, there seems to have been a gap in the understanding of what would mean joint action. “While Myint was ready, a senior member on the Myanmar side expressed reservations,” he added.

According to the ministry of home affairs, the joint action would not mean security forces making a single team but working in coordination on their respective sides. “When we are in an operation, they should block and vice-versa,” a senior official said. “We may be able to start joint action only after the elections as we are re-communicating our point of view,” he added.

The two sides, however, agreed on closer interaction between the nodal points and respective commanding officers of border guarding forces of the two countries and to share real-time intelligence. Myanmar also agreed to share interrogation reports of arms smugglers arrested by its security forces.

In Manipur, the CorCom has put the spanner in the works in the run-up to the election. It has exploded grenades and engaged in shoot-and-scoot tactics with its bases in Myanmar. Earlier this month, the consortium even “banned” the Congress party.

Recalling the traditionally close relationship between India and Myanmar, the delegates of the two countries promised to strengthen socio-economic cooperation and maintain peace and tranquillity on the border.

The Union home secretary sought exchange of intelligence information and steps to check arms smuggling along the 1,640km international border. Singh also mentioned Indian insurgent groups’ camps and training facilities in Myanmar and sought that country’s cooperation in dealing with the militants.

The hills of Manipur will also be involved in border relations with plans for a Border Liaison Office (BLO) at Ukhrul in India and at Somra in Myanmar. Singh agreed to provide the requisite communication facilities for the additional BLO and interactions at the level of commanding officers, the sources said.

In the meantime, both the countries are satisfied with the meetings of the BLOs at deputy commissioner and superintendent of police-level at Moreh (Manipur)/Tamu (Myanmar) and Zowakhatar (Mizoram)/Rhi (Myanmar) to discuss measures for combating arms smuggling, drug-trafficking, smuggling of wildlife parts and other issues. “BLO meetings will be held more frequently,” one of the officials said.

Militancy shadow looms large as poll day draws closer

Seven underground groups operating in the state have announced boycott of the ruling government and its allies

Ratnadip Choudhury

Imphal: Even before Manipur goes to ballot, the bullet’s bang is already louder and echoing in the militancy-hit state. A string of bomb attacks and frequent intimidation of candidates in recent months despite the massive security blanket exposes how militancy will cast its shadow over elections, which will send representatives to the 10th Legislative Assembly.

The incumbent Congress government, led by Okram Ibobi Singh, may find the battle tough with the Coordinating Committee (Cor-Com) of seven underground groups (UGs) in the state boycotting the party and its allies. In the last two weeks, since the Core-Com announced its boycott, there have been daily bomb attacks and intimidation of candidates and workers.

Noted political analyst from the state Leihaothabam Saratchandra says, “The UGs will play a larger role in the outcome of elections this time. Though it is too early to conclude whether the UGs will be decisive, I’m sure they will impact elections.”

In the hills, the National Socialist Council of Nagaland, Isak-Muivah faction—NSCN (IM)—is believed to be campaigning for Naga People’s Front, which is contesting elections in Manipur for the first time. According to NSCN (IM) sources, the Naga rebel outfit, which had declared ceasefire, has imposed an ‘unofficial’ ban on other parties, particularly the Congress.

Recently, two workers of Congress candidate and outgoing Education Minister DD Thaisii, from Karong constituency, and were kidnapped by armed men while grenades were lobbed at five party workers in separate Assembly constituencies in the valley last Tuesday.

Amid rampant attacks on candidates and workers of parties, entry of former militants into the poll fray has added a new angle to the issue. Prominent among such candidates are Mohammed Islamuddin Khan of People’s United Liberation Front (PULF), A Shyamkumar, a former member of the United National Liberation Front and Joykishen Singh who is a former People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak.

Khan a.k.a MI Khan, the leader of the PULF (MI Khan) faction, will debut in politics from the Lilong Assembly Constituency in Thoubal district on the plank of empowering minorities and women. Asked about his entry into politics, Khan said, “I have seen problems that common people faced in our state very closely. Being a former militant leader, I tried to solve these problems with the gun but I realised that politics would be a much more effective way to serve my people.”

On the other hand, the entry of rebels into politics could question the ideologies of their former organisations. According to award-winning filmmaker BM Sunzu, “The entry of the UGs into the fray will show that they are changing their ideologies by being part of the very system they have been against .”

Meanwhile, the Centre is reportedly keeping a close eye on the NSCN (IM) amid reports that the outfit could field some proxy candidates. According to a recent report from the Home Ministry, two top leaders of the group Thuingaleng Muivah and VS Atem met at least six MLAs of Nagaland’s ruling Naga People’s Front, leaders of apex civil society organisation Naga Hoho and others at Niathu Resort, on the outskirts of Dimapur.

With inputs from R K Suresh in Imphal

Dimasa rebels float outfit

Nagaon, Jan 24 : Fifteen former leaders of the militant Dima Halam Daogah have reportedly joined hands with a Dimapur-based Naga militant group to float the Dimasa National Revolutionary Front (DNRF) in Dima Hasao district of Assam.

The group, which wants to establish a separate Dimasa kingdom, comprises three top Dimasa militant leaders — R.J. Dimasa alias Arje Dimasa, Soten Dimasa and Jensingh Dimasa.

These Dimasa youths had taken to the path of militancy around a decade ago. After the DHD (Dilip Nunisa) entered into a ceasefire with the Centre in 2003, they joined the breakaway Jewel Garlosa faction in 2004 and a little more than two years after the Jewel faction entered into a ceasefire in October 2009 they joined hands with an NSCN faction to float the revolutionary front. Police sources, however, did not disclose which NSCN faction’s support it had.

A high-level source in Dima Hasao police said the new outfit was a pre-mature militant organisation with microscopic arms strength but its leaders had launched a massive extortion drive in Dima Hasao from its Dimapur-based camp with the help of locally enrolled cadres.

The source said some businessmen and employees of companies headquartered outside the state but having a base in the district had received extortion notes from the outfit asking money for organisational work. These notes and subsequent developments have helped the police to identify the persons behind the outfit, he added.

The source said the fledgling outfit was behind the kidnapping of a senior executive of Tribeni Construction Ltd, Dharmendar Yadav, who had been missing from the railway construction site at Langting, 130km from the district headquarters of Haflong, since January 12. The outfit is said to have demanded Rs 2 crore from the company for Yadav’s release.

Yadav was, however, rescued from Langting on January 20 and Pritom Nunisa and Ranjan Langthasa, two close aides of the outfit’s chief, Jensingh Dimasa, were arrested. Jensingh, once a senior military cadre of the DHD, joined the DHD (J) in 2004. He reportedly left Jewel group along with his colleagues because of ideological differences.

“Interrogation of the two DNRF cadres has revealed that round-the-clock search operation and area domination by security forces has forced the leaders of the new group to operate from outside the district with the help of some faithful supporters,” the source said.

A source in the DHD (Jewel), however, said the faction did not have cadres by these names. “Of our 360-plus cadres, 100 had enrolled in battalion and are now undergoing training. Some of our cadres are missing and that was reported to the police. But we do not know anything about Jensing Dimasa or R.J. Dimasa.”

Nunisa said his group did not have cadres of such names either. “Some cadres could possibly have adopted new names and formed the new group,” he said.

1500 militants to surrender in Assam

In Assam, around 1500 ultras belonging to nine ethnic militant groups will formally lay down arms at a surrender ceremony organized at Sarusajai Stadium in Guwahati this morning (10.00 a.m.).

A State Police spokesman said that the militants will lay down arms in presence of the Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram and the State Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi besides senior police and civil officials.

The nine groups to surrender en-masse are part of two major ethnic groups - the tribal Kukis and the Adivasis.

Among the major groups that are surrendering include the Kuki Revolutionary Army, the Hmar People’s Convention, the Birsa Commando Force, and the Adivasi Cobra Militant of Assam.

All these militant groups are already observing cease-fire with the Government, although formal peace talks are yet to begin. Most of these groups were either fighting for secession or for greater autonomy.

Mr. Tarun Gogoi said the Government will hold talks with all these groups and see to it that their genuine grievances are met.

AIR Guwahati correspondent reports that this would be the biggest-ever surrender of militants in the North-East.

Senior NSCN leader killed

Kohima, Jan 20 : A senior functionary of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang) was today killed by the rival Khole-Kitovi group at Zunheboto, 150km from here.

Deputy kilonser (deputy minister) of the NSCN (Khaplang), Ghukato Assumi, was killed this afternoon in the heart of Zunheboto town. Sources said the leader was killed with an AK-47 rifle.

The victim was a veteran militant and had worked with Khaplang for over two decades.

Currently, the NSCN (Khaplang) has only one designated camp at Suruhoto town, nearly 20km from Zunheboto.

The body of the slain rebel was later taken to his native town Akuluto, around 40km from Zunheboto.

Firing was still on at Athibung between the two groups, but there was no report of any casualty. Sources, however, said several cadres were injured during the turf war.

Last Sunday, NSCN (Khaplang) had overrun the designated camp of the rival group at Athibung town in Peren district and captured over 20 cadres along with arms. One cadre was killed during the attack.

Over hundreds of armed cadres from the Khole-Kitovi group rushed to the area to flush out the Khaplang cadres.

On December 21, Khaplang cadres overran the designated camp of the rival group at Ghukiye village, 15km from Zunheboto.

China trying to make NE ultras join hands

R Dutta Choudhury

GUWAHATI, Jan 20 – The Chinese have been goading the militant groups of the North East region to come to a common platform. Though the Government of India has been taking up the issue with the Chinese counterpart, the Government of that country always denies the reports.

Highly placed sources in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) told The Assam Tribune that the Chinese have been asking the militants to join hands for quite some time. The militant groups of the region sought help from China to fight against India and instead of helping the outfits individually, the Chinese are keen that the outfits should join hands.

Middle and lower level officers of the China Government spoke to the leaders of the militant groups of the region in recent times to discuss these issues and according to inputs available with the Government of India, the first meeting was held in Yunan province of China about a year back and the next was held about six months back.

Sources said that the ultra groups, which are in the new process of unification include hard line faction of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), Ranjan Daimary faction of the National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB), Khaplang faction of the NSCN and groups based in Manipur. Though the NSCN (I-M) was maintaining close ties with China, the outfit is not in the recent scheme of things.

MHA sources said that though the militant groups have close ties with each other, they have not yet been able to come into a common platform. However, the Meitei groups of Manipur have joined hands recently, sources added.

It may be mentioned here that Paresh Baruah, the leader of the hard line faction of the ULFA has been maintaining links in China for a long time and still visits that country frequently. It is believed by the security agencies that he is now the main link between China and the insurgent groups of North East.

Meanwhile, a team of senior officers of the MHA and Intelligence Bureau (IB) recently completed its tour of Manipur to assess the situation on the ground on the eve of the Assembly elections in the State.

MHA sources admitted that the situation in Manipur is a cause of concern and that is why around 360 companies of central paramilitary forces have been deployed to deal with the situation. The valley based militant groups of Manipur would definitely try to make an impact on the polls and in fact they have already started making efforts in this direction. Though those groups are not directly supporting any political party, they are all opposing the ruling Congress. On the other hand, members of the NSCN (I-M) are trying to create trouble in the Hill areas of Manipur.

However, sources said that all out efforts would be made to ensure violence free elections in the state and the personnel of the Assam Rifles have also been alerted to prevent free movement of militants from their bases in Myanmar.

Centre extends ceasefire with DHD-J, NDFB-P

NEW DELHI, Jan 19 – The Centre on Wednesday announced extension of the ceasefire pacts with Dima Halam Daogah (DHD)-J faction and National Democratic Front of Boroland (Progressive) (NDFB-P).
Official sources said it has been mutually agreed with the (DHD) group in North Cachar Hills district of Assam to further extend suspension of operations (SoO) for a period of six months till June 30.

An agreement of Suspension of Operations (SoO) between the security forces and DHD has been in operation since January 1, 2003 and has been extended. Agreed ground rules have been revised making them more strict, said sources.

A Joint Monitoring Group (JMG) headed by JS (North-east), Ministry of Home Affairs, has been constituted to review the implementation of agreed ground rules. Meetings of JMG have been held periodically.

Meanwhile, tripartite talks on the demands of DHD are continuing. Centre’s interlocutor, PC Halder held the last tripartite meeting with the outfit on December 17, to finalise the Memorandum of Settlement (MoS).

The Dimasa extremist outfit under the name of the Dima Halam Daogah (DHD) raised its ugly head in North Cachar Hills district of Assam after December, 1994. In December 2002, Dima Halam Daogah (DHD) had come forward and expressed its willingness to give up violence and seek solution of its problems peacefully within the framework of the Indian Constitution.

An agreement of Suspension of Operations (SoO) had been signed between the Central Government (Home Ministry), Government of Assam and NDFB on May 24, 2005 and has been in operation since June 1.

In the wake of the involvement of some NDFB cadres in serial blasts in Assam, on October 30, 2008, the SoO Agreement with the NDFB was revised in 2009.

A Joint Monitoring Group (JMG) headed by JS (NE), Ministry of Home Affairs, had been constituted to review the implementation of agreed ground rules. Meetings of JMG have been held periodically.

Kuki outfit UKDA declares unilateral truce

DIPHU, Jan 19 – The ‘United Kukigram Defense Army’ a Kuki ethnic militant outfit based in Karbi Anglong district in central Assam declared a unilateral ceasefire with the Government of India and the Government of Assam, at an undisclosed position on January 12. The ceremony took place at a high altitude location of Singhason hills in the heart of the district.

The organisation came into being in 1996 under the nomenclature ‘United Defense Army’ but was rechristened in 2010 as UKDA. The outfit was raised to defend the community from the attacks of the Manipur-based Kuki militant outfit KRA (Kuki Revolutionary Army), and also to demand a regional council comprising the Kuki-dominated areas of the district centering around the Singhason hill track.

Bruce Kuki, ‘foreign secretary’ of the outfit while announcing the decision, giving a brief account of the UKDA, said “the Kuki’s settlement in the district of Karbi Anglong the then Mikir Hills can be traced since the second half of 19th century. The Kuki inhabited areas were visited by the then SDO of Golaghat subdivision in 1946 and the region was named Kuki Pahar”.

The ‘foreign secretary’ stated that “the Kuki populated areas have lagged far behind other parts of Karbi Anglong district, especially economically, politically and educationally. We have been deprived of the benefits extended by the government over the years and the concerned government authorities have time and again turned a deaf ear to genuine legitimate demands and grievances even after several memoranda/representation given to the national and state level authorities since 1992”.

Replying to what forced them to take up arms against the nation, he said “we have been given a step-motherly treatment and our legitimate demands have remained unsolved. As a result, a wave of indignation, resentment and frustration has swept over the minds of the Kuki youths of Karbi Anglong. In order that the government authorities pay heed and hear our cries, we were compelled to take up arms, which led to the formation of United Peoples’ Front (UPF) in 1996, which later was rechristened as United Kukigram Defence Army (UKDA) on April 19, 2010 at Sitpijang village”.

The outfit which declared truce with the Government on January 12 waged an armed struggle for fulfilling its demand for a ‘Kuki tribes Autonomous Regional Council and defending the Kuki inhabited area from intruders, evil designs of outsiders and anti Social elements and to uplift the living condition of its community’.

The UKDA spokesperson said that, the Manipuri based militant group KRA who are at present under ‘Suspension of Operation’ status with the government in Manipur started intruding into Karbi Anglong district in the year 2003. This led to ethnic clashes between kukis of Karbi Anglong and those of Manipur leading to lose of hundreds of innocent lives and their properties in Karbi Anglong.

Five Kuki militants arrested in Manipur

In Manipur, Assam Rifles nabbed five cadres of the Kuki militant outfit KRA at Saikul in Churachandpur district on Friday. The militants ventured away from their designated camps violating the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with the government.
Assam Rifles sources said, the militants were in possession of two AK-56 Rifles, one 7.62 mm SLR, one Carbine, one G-3 Rifle and ammunitions. They have been handed over to Imphal West Police.

AIR correspondence reports that just on the day, the Joint Monitoring Group on SoO directed the Kuki militant outfits under SoO to properly confine their cadres in the designated camps, Assam Rifles have shown that those who defy the direction will be held accountable.


On Friday, the Kuki militant outfits under SoO agreement with the government had been advised not to support any political party or candidate in the forthcoming state assembly elections. The Monitoring Group comprises of both central and state government officials and representatives of Kuki militant

Insurgent organisations attack Congress offices & candidates

Imphal, Jan 10 : Insurgents planted a bomb at the Manipur Congress office here besides lobbing grenades at the house of Congress party candidates and supporters at many places in the state, police said today. The insurgents had planted the bomb here late last night but there was no report of any casualty, the sources said. Insurgents also hurled grenades at the house of Congress candidates and supporters in four valley districts of Imphal East, Imphal West, Bishenpur and Thoubal district last night but there was no report of any casualty, they said. Insurgents had hurled grenades at the house of Congress candidates, Ng Bijoy (Khurai) in Imphal East district, at a house of party candidate O Landhobini at Khangabok in Thoubal district, supporter of party candidate at Shingjamei in Imphal West district, I Hemochandra and many other places elsewhere, the sources said. Seven major insurgent organisations - the coordination committee(CorCom) of insurgent outfits comprising United National Liberation Front, Kanglei Yawol Kann Lup, People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK), PREPAK (PROGRESSIVE), United People's Party of kangleipak, Kangleipak Communist Party and Revolutionary People's Front had said they would oppose the Congress candidates in the forthcoming January 28 assembly election because they were against what they called 'revolutionary movement'.