Assam Assessment

Half Yearly Assessment:

2011

The first six months of 2011 has been comparatively peaceful in Assam. A total of 48 incidents of insurgency-related casualties were reported in the state during this period. The anti-talks factions of the ULFA and NDFB were involved mostly in these incidents. A new insurgent outfit Karbi Peoples Liberation Tiger (KPLT) was also involved in a few incidents.

The major incidents in the first six months of 2011 included:

March 14: Eight BSF Personnel were killed and five others injured when their vehicle is ambushed by the anti-talk faction NDFB militants in Kokrajhar district.

March 15: One Assam Police sub-inspector and two suspected ULFA militants were killed in an encounter at Tongona Majgaon under Kakopathar PS of Tinsukia district.

April 2: KPLT militants killed three CRPF personnel and injured four others in an ambush near Rongshuli village in east Guwahati.

April 4: Suspected anti-talk faction of NDFB militants killed three SSB jawan at Lalvita of Longa-Pipsu area under Kachugaon police station in Kokrajhar district.

The peace talks between the ULFA and the government progressed during the year. On the very first day of 2011, Arabinda Rajkhowa, the ‘Chairman’ of ULFA was released from the jail. He was in jail since his capture in November 2009. The first formal round of talks between the outfit and the government began on February 8, 2011 at New Delhi. The eight-member delegation of ULFA, led by Arabinda Rajkhowa, held talks with senior Home Ministry officials led by Union Home Secretary G K Pillai. The ULFA delegation also met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the Union Home Minister P Chidambaram during their stay at New Delhi.

On January 18, 2011 the anti-talk faction of the ULFA, led by Paresh Barua, released a photo of an ULFA training camp, with Paresh Barua and cadres posing with guns and a weapon display in the front. Again, after three days, on January 21, they released a video of Paresh Barua dressed in a camouflage fatigue dancing to the tune of Bihu songs along with 100-odd armed cadres in an unknown location. The video also showed the armed cadres shouting slogans in English demanding independence.

The anti-talk faction of the ULFA triggered a blast in Rajiv Bhavan, the headquarters of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), on March 14, 2011, injuring five persons. On April 21, ULFA in a press release stated that all its battalions had been dissolved and there would be no more battalion commander of the outfit and all the armed wing members of the ULFA would function under the command of the mobile headquarters.

The year 2011 saw the birth of a new insurgent outfit Karbi Peoples Liberation Tiger (KPLT) in Karbi Anglong district of Assam. The outfit was formed on January 8, 2011 by an anti-peace talk breakaway group of 25 members of the Karbi Longri National Liberation Front (KLNLF), after it had laid down arms on February 11, 2010. The group is led by Nillip Enghi. The outfit’s major demands include autonomous statehood for Karbi Anglong and development of the education facilities in Karbi Anglong.

On January 16, 2011, KPLT launched a heavy attack on Manipur bound bullet tankers (bulk LPG carriers) on NH 39 near Bokajan in Karbi Anglong and abducted three drivers and handymen of the tankers. Again on January 25, 2011, KPLT cadres attacked a bus and a truck heading for Imphal from Guwahati at Deopani area along NH 39. On January 27, the outfit killed Duwarbagori Congress leader Mahen Engti for allegedly going against the interest of the militant group.

On April 2, 2011, KPLT gunned down four CRPF jawans and injured four others when an operation was launched by the CRPF against the outfit in the Deothar area under Bokajan police station in Karbi Anglong district. On June 8, 2011, KPLT militants shot dead Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council member Narendra Killing at Bokajan.

The anti-talk faction of the NDFB continued with its violent activities in the first six months of the year, even after its jailed leader Ranjan Daimary declaring unilateral ceasefire on January 10, 2011 for six months. On March 14, 2011 the anti-talk NDFB militants killed eight BSF personnel and injured five others in an ambush in remote Ultapani forest area near the Indo-Bhutan border in Kokrajhar district. Again on April 4, they killed three SSB jawans at Lalvita of Longa-Pipsu area under Kachugaon police station in Kokrajhar district. It was also involved in the kidnapping of six WWF volunteers from the Labanyapur area of Ultapani reserve forest, which falls under the Manas Tiger Reserve, near the India-Bhutan Border on February 8, 2011.

In June 2011, there were reports that insurgent outfits in the Northeast like the NSCN-K, anti-talk faction of the ULFA, anti-talk faction of the NDFB, United National Liberation Front (UNLF), Revolutionary People’s Front (RPF) and People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK) were in a process to come together under an umbrella body. UNLF’s jailed chief RK Meghen has confirmed this report.

On May 7, 2011, the Sanmilita Jatiya Abhibartan, which aims at facilitating peace talks between the Centre and the ULFA, formally hands over the charter of demands to the ULFA leadership for consideration. The charter of demands include the demand for certain amendments in the Constitution and issues like border row, timely and adequate distribution of funds, economic incentives, right over land and natural resources, right over petroleum resources, illegal infiltration and ethnic division. The ULFA leadership would go over the charter of demands before finalising it.

On June 19, 2011, the ‘deputy commander-in-chief’ of the pro-talk ULFA faction, Raju Baruah said that the outfit was ready to declare ceasefire formally to pave the way for peace talks with the Centre. The ceasefire declaration by the outfit is expected soon after some formalities are completed. This will be followed by signing of the suspension of operation between the Government and the outfit. This may happen either in the third or fourth week of July. The ceasefire ground rules will be finalized at the same time.

Yearly Assessment:

2010

The state of Assam, once racked by insurgency, was a lot quieter during the year 2010. The situation improved after the arrests of top leaders of the insurgent groups of the state. The number of incidents of violence in Assam in the year 2010 decreased to 251 as compared to 424 in 2009. The majority of incidents of violence were attributable to United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) and the anti-talk faction of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB). In 2010, a total of 158 persons, including 98 militants, 48 civilians and 12 Security Force personnel, were killed as against 392 persons, including 196 militants, 175 civilians and 21 Security Force personnel, killed in 2009. (Source: www.satp.org)

The major incidents of 2010 included:

January 2: Unidentified gunmen gunned down two NDFB–pro talk faction cadres and one labourer and injured another three at Mukuldanga village under Kachugaon PS in Kokrajhar district.

January 4: Suspected Naga militants ambushed a vehicle carrying Assam Police Special Task Force (APSTF) personnel and civilians at Mahur in NC Hills district killing at least three persons. The attack took place at around 2.30 pm between Leikhul and Hindu Input villages, 30 km from Mahur.

July 26: Four Sashatra Seema Bal (SSB) personnel were killed and three others injured in an ambush by NDFB militants at Sirklaijhora, 14 km north of Panbari under Bijni PS in Chirang district.

July 30: Five CRPF personnel were killed and 40 others injured when the bus on which they were travelling was blown off by a powerful blast on NH 37 at Bhalukdubi point near Goalpara. ULFA claimed responsibility for the attack.

October 3: Four NDFB-anti talk faction cadres were shot dead by the police at a thickly forested area at Dekatan in Dhemaji district, about 350 km east of Guwahati. The police also rescued a kidnapped businessman.

November 8: At least 19 persons, including 13 Hindi-speaking people, were killed and several others injured when militants of the anti talk faction of the NDFB went on a killing spree in five districts across Assam.

ULFA leaders, who were nabbed in Bangladesh in 2009 and handed over to Indian authorities, were released in 2010 as they expressed their desire to sit for talks. Arabinda Rajkhowa, ‘Chairman’ ULFA and Raju Barua, ‘Deputy Commander-in-Chief’ of ULFA wrote to Union Home Minister and Chief Minister, Assam offering to hold unconditional talks with the Government. Shri P C Haldar was appointed as Government of India Representative for peace talks with ULFA.

A significant role in the peace talks between the ULFA and the government was played by the ‘Sanmilita Jatiya Abhivartan’, a state level convention formed in April 2010. It is a forum of eminent citizens of the state led by eminent intellectual Dr Hiren Gohain. The ULFA later gave the Abhivarta, the task of preparing agenda for talks as well as the charter of demands.

The ULFA, though weakened by the arrests of its top leaders, still continued its violent activities under its elusive ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Barua. Reports suggested ULFA carrying out recruitments drives in upper Assam to recruit new cadres into its ranks. Paresh Barua also ruled out peace talks with the government saying that ULFA would not compromise with the issue of sovereignty.

The anti-talk faction of the NDFB was responsible for most of the violence activities in 2010. It was involved in 30 civilian killings in 2010. The faction, however, received a big blow when its leader Ranjan Daimari was arrested in Bangladesh and later handed over to Indian authorities on May 1, 2010. It suffered another major blow in December, 2010 when security forces arrested its deputy commander-in-chief B Jwangkhang alias George Boro in Aizawl, Mizoram. The other faction of the NDFB, led by B. Sungthagra alias Dhiren Boro, is in ceasefire with the government. On February 1, 2010, a delegation from this faction met the Centre's interlocutor in Assam, P C Haldar, to press for an early solution to its demands.

On November 19, 2010, about 43 Bodo political and non-political organisations came together to form the Bodo National Conference – a common platform to resolve various issues affecting the Bodo people. The Conference was formed in a bid to convince the NDFB- anti talk faction chairman Ranjan Daimary to join the peace process and also to ensure peace and unity among the Bodo people, and those living in the Bodo areas. On November 18, 2010, NDFB-pro talk faction cadres had distributed a map depicting a separate Bodoland to participants at the Bodo National Convention. NDFB cadres insisted that a resolution be passed by the Convention on the basis of the map. Though some important resolutions were adopted during the two-day national convention, the Bodoland State issue was not included in the new set of resolutions.

On February 11, 2010, about 400 cadres of the Karbi Longri NC Hills Liberation Front (KLNLF), that was active in the Karbi Anglong district, laid down arms and surrendered to the Government at a formal ceremony in Diphu, some 270 kilometers south of Guwahati. The other insurgent group of the district, United People’s Democratic Solidarity (UPDS) held a round of peace talks with the central government and the state government on 22 December 2010 in New Delhi where all the three sides approved a draft accord paving the way for the signing of a memorandum of agreement (MoA). The UPDS has been in ceasefire with the government since May 23, 2002.

On July 12, 2010, the state forest minister Rockybul Hussain said in the State Legislative Assembly that seven new militant outfits have been formed in Assam in recent times. These nascent rebel outfits are the Liberation Democratic Council of Mising Land, the United Tribal Liberation Front, the United Tribal Revolutionary Army, the Dimasa National Liberation Front, the Gorkha Liberation Army, the Hills Tiger Force and the Santhal Tiger Force.

At present, Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreements are in force with seven insurgent groups. They are: UPDS, Dima Halam Daogah (Nunisa) faction (DHD-N), Dima Halam Daogah (Jewal) faction (DHD-J), KLNLF, NDFB (Dhiren Boro) faction, Adivasi Cobra Militants of Assam (ACMA) and Birsa Commando Force (BCF).

The year 2010 also saw the increasing efforts by the Maoists to establishing their network in Assam and other northeastern states. Security forces were concerned about links between the Maoists and the northeastern insurgent outfits after reports of meeting between Maoists and the ULFA in February 2010.

As a whole, the situation in Assam was quite peaceful compared to the earlier years. However, the problem of insurgency in still looming large over the state. Though a number of outfits are now in ceasefire mode with the government, the birth of a few new outfits is a point of concern. These new outfits have to be nipped in the bud in order to make peace reside on a permanent basis in the state.