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MILITANCY IN TRIPURA
The state of Tripura, a land- locked hilly state in the North-Eastern India, is
surrounded on the north, west and south by Bangladesh. It is accessible to the rest of the
country only through the Cachar District of Assam and Aizawl district of Mizoram in the
East. With an area of 10,492 Sq. Km i.e. only 0.32 per cent of the total
geographical area of India, Tripura is the third smallest State in India. It has 856 kms
long international boundary with Bangladesh which is 84.08 per cent of the total perimeter
of the state. On the other hand, boundaries with Assam & Mizoram are only 53 Kms and
109 Kms respectively.
The border with Bangladesh is open, porous and on the eastern side, extremely
inhospitable in terms of terrain. This facilitates smuggling, border crime, infiltration
and free movement of extremists to their hideouts in a neighbouring country where the
extremists have safe hideouts and training grounds for militants from the North-Eastern
region, including Tripura.
- DEMOGRAPHY
The total population of Tripura, as per 2001 census (provisional), is 31,91,168
(16,36,138 males and 15,55,030 females). Tripura is the home of 0.33 per cent of
India’s population and the State accounts for 0.32 per cent of the total area of the
country.
The State is inhabited by 19 tribal communities who occupy 30.95 percent of the total
population. Of them, the Tripuris are found to inhabit all over the state. Noatia,
Jamatia, Reang, Chakma, Halam, Garo, Kuki, Lusai, Mog, Munda, Oraon, Santhal and Uchai are
the other dominant tribal communities of the state.
The density of population in Tripura has been found to be increasing with each
successive census. In 1911, the density of population was only 35 persons per sq. Km. In
1951, it rose to 62, whereas in 1961 it stood at 109. The density of population, which was
196 persons per sq. km in 1981, has gone up to 263 persons per sq. Km in 1991. As per 2001
census the density of population is 304 per sq. km. Although the density of population of
Tripura has been increasing at a very fast pace, it is below the national average.
Tripura registered a phenomenal growth of population during the last century. The total
population of the state was 2,29,613 in 1911. Since then, in a period of 90 years, the
population increased to 31,91,168. During this period the population increased by 13.92
times. The growth rate during 1901-1951 varied between 25 percent and 34 per cent. After
1951,particularly between 1951& 1961 the growth rate was astounding 7.69 per cent per
annum. In between 1952 & 1956, following the partition of India & merger of Tripura
with India, 190,000 people displaced from erstwhile East Pakistan entered the State .
- EMERGENCE OF INSURGENCY & ITS
PHASES :-
Harmony between the tribal and the non-tribal has been excellent for a long time despite
large-scale migration of the non-tribal. But during the later half of 1970s, organised tribal
militancy started spreading roots in the State. Strong feelings of social and economic
deprivation & insecurity combined with communal feeling and ambition for
political power deposited in the minds of a section of tribal youths. These feelings mixed
with adventurism and aids from foreign agencies got stronger in the later part of '70s. As
a result, the untoward ethnic riots took place in June 1980 when more than 1300 tribal and
non-tribal got killed by each other & large-scale arson and damage of properties also
took place.
SENKRAK :-
First organized-armed tribal movement was known as SENKRAK which manifested
itself in mid sixties in Manu, Chaumanu, Kanchanpur and Khowai areas. This movement
was started as a reaction to settling down of non-tribal refugees in the Tribal Reserve
Forest Areas. SENKRAK activists launched a large number of violent attacks on Government
officials also. This movement was however, controlled in 1968.
TRIPURA NATIONAL VOLUNTEERS
(TNV) / ATPLO :-
Mr. B.K. Hrangkhawal, a young tribal leader of 'Tripura Upajati Juba Samity', a
regional party for the tribal, formed an underground organisation styled as "Tripura
National Volunteers (TNV)" on 10th November, 1978 with a design to conduct
insurgent activities in collaboration with the Mizo National Front (MNF) of Mizoram. There
were wide spread communal riots in the State in June, 1980 when a large number of people
from two ethnic communities lost their lives. Sri B.K. Hrangkhwal was arrested in June,
1980 and lodged in jail. On his release from jail in Dec, 1980, he announced dissolution
of TNV.
But, some followers of TNV led by Mr. Binanda Jamatia formed another extremist group
styled as "All Tripura People’s Liberation Organization (ATPLO) on 12th
Dec, 1980 at Thangnan, Mayani Reserve Forest, Bangladesh. In 1981 Mr. Chuni Koloi broke
away from ATPLO led by Binanda Jamatia. Mr. Jamatia arranged kidnapping of Mr.
Hrangkhwal & his wife, Mrs. Linda Hrangkhwal from their house at
Kamalacharra, under Ambassa Police Station on 13th Aug, 1982, suspecting his
support to Chuni Koloi. Hrangkhwals were kept confined in Thangnan camp under
guard.
On 3rd Sept, 1982 Chuni Koloi and his followers raided Manu Police Station
and looted a huge number of arms and ammunitions. The faction led by Chuni Koloi, after
becoming stronger than the faction led by Mr. Jamatia, attacked ATPLO Camp at Thangnan and
rescued Mr. B.K. Hrangkhwal from captivity. Many ATPLO members surrendered to Chuni Koloi.
On 10th Nov, 1982, TNV was revived with B.K. Hrangkhwal as its President.
Binanda Jamatia and his supporters took shelter in South Tripura. Later, in response to a
call of Mr. Nripen Chakrabarty, the then Chief Minister, Mr. Binanda Jamatia
& his followers surrendered before the State Government on 23rd July, 1983.
The ATPLO became defunct.
TNV activists continued their attacks with renewed vigour and intensity. Their attacks
were directed to killing non-tribal and security personnel and looting of arms and
ammunitions which continued till 1988. On 12-08-1988 a Tripartite Accord was signed by the
Government of India, State Government of Tripura and the TNV. In all 447 TNV activists led
by Mr. B.K. Hrangkhwal surrendered before the Government with arms and ammunitions.
TRIPURA RESURRECTION ARMY
(TRA) :-
Mr. Dhananjoy Reang, who had been Vice-President of the TNV & President of the
NLFT, formed TRA on 11th Feb, 1994 following an attack on him by a splinter
group of NLFT in his hideout in CHT, Bangladesh on 10th July, 1993 as per
direction of Bishwamohan Debbarma and Joshua Debbarma. However, Dhananjoy Reang could
manage to escape with a quantity of arms & some of his followers. This outfit could
not sustain itself for long and finally surrendered to the Government of
Tripura on 5th Feb,
1997. Mr. Dhananjoy Reang and his followers have declared total dissolution of the
gang.
OTHER GANGS :-
A large number of small groups of extremists having link with either NLFT or ATTF
came into existence and perished. Those having link with NLFT were - Tripura National
Liberation Front (TNLF), Tripura Tribal Volunteer Force (TTVF), All Tripura Volunteer
Force (ATVF), Social Democratic Front of Tripura (SDFT), Tripura Tribal Democratic Force
(TTDF), All Tripura Volunteer Association (ATVA), Tripura Tribal Action Committee Force
(TTACF), Tripura Humkurai Sepoy (THS), All Tripura Security Armed Force (ATSAF),
Liberation of Tripura Tribal Force (LTTF), Tripura Regimental Force (TRF), All Tripura
Bharat Suraksha Force (ATBSF), Tripura National Sengkrak Force (TNSF). The groups having
association with ATTF were - Tripura Tribal Youth Force (TTYF), Tripura Liberation
Organization (TLO), Tripura Young Rifle (TYR), Tripura Lion Force (TLF) and Tripura
National Army (TNA). These groups were basically criminal gangs and do not exist at
present. One group called Borok National Council of Tripura (BNCT) which came into
existence in 1997 & were over ground collaborators of NLFT used to kidnap
non-tribal and hand them over to the NLFT. The group was also involved in lifting of
cattle of non-tribal residing in the interior areas.
- PRESENT PHASE OF INSURGENCY :-
The present phase of insurgency started in 1989. It is dominated mainly by two groups
namely National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) and All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF).
Both the groups are armed with sophisticated weapons, well trained and have links with
other North Eastern insurgent groups. The Government of India has declared both these
groups as unlawful under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, on the proposal
of the State Government.
National Liberation Front
of Tripura :-
Origin :-
National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) was formed on 12th March, 1989
with some of the disgruntled TNV returnees led by Mr. Dhananjoy Reang, the former
Vice-President of TNV. The group declared its existence by attacking Tainani Out Post
under R.K. Pur PS, South Tripura District on 11-12-1991. Mr. Dhananjoy Reang, later being
expelled from the NLFT , formed his own group - TRA .
Organisation :-
i) Bishwamohan Debbarma- President, ii) Kamini Debbarma – Vice President, iii)
Binoy Debbarma – SS Lt. Col, Publicity Secretary, iv) Dhanu Koloi – SS Chief of
Army, v) Mantu Koloi- General Secretary, vi) Bishnu Prasad Jamatia – SS Finance
Secretary, vii) Sabir Debbarma- SS Major, viii) Janabir Debbarma- SS Captain, ix) Tapan
Koloi- SS 2nd Lieutenant. NLFT has a strength of about 550 hardcore extremists.
Religion and Community wise break up is :- Debbarma 40%, Jamatia 30%, Reang 10% and others
20%. 90% of the top leaders of NLFT are Christians.
Main Demands :-
The main objective of the NLFT is to establish an ‘Independent’ Tripura
through an armed struggle. Other demands are :- i) liberation from ‘neo-
colonialism’ ii) instilling consciousness against exploitation, iii) furtherance of
indigenous culture. The main strategy to achieve its objectives are :- a) extortion, b)
attack on non-tribal, c) ambushes on Security Forces, d) Kidnapping of innocent civilians
and e) Unite all tribal political parties before the Assembly Election scheduled in 2003.
Associate Groups in
Tripura :-
- Tripura National Sengkrak Force (TNSF).
- Borok National Council of Tripura (BNCT).
Linkage outside Tripura
NLFT has linkage with the following North-East extremist groups:-
- National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM).
- Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL) of Manipur.
- National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), Assam.
- Bodo Security Force (BDSF), Assam.
NLFT has also set up number of camps in a neighboring country.
Split in NLFT :-
NLFT faced disintegration alongwith ethnic line on 03-02-2001. Some senior leaders like Mr.
Joshua Debbarma and Mr. Nayanbashi Jamatia were expelled from the NLFT as an outcome of
their differences with Mr. Bishwamohan Debbarma and his followers. Internal bickering
within NLFT and its political wing has led to a spate of violent intermittent clashes in
Bangladesh as well as inside the State. The causes of split were mainly :- a) reluctance
of the Central Executive Committee (CEC) of NLFT led by Mr. Bishwamohan Debbarma to
nominate Mr. Joshua Debbarma as the King of 'Tripura Kingdom', b) misappropriation of fund
by some leaders, c) lavish lifestyles of senior leaders d) forcing Christianity on the
tribal. This split has lowered the morale of both the factions of NLFT. Many NLFT cadres
surrendered with arms and ammunition to the State Government. NLFT (Nayanbashi Jamatia
faction) has a strength of about 125 hardcore. It also possesses some sophisticated arms
and ammunitions with which they had deserted the main group.
ALL TRIPURA TIGER FORCE
Origin :-
All Tripura Tiger Force was initially established as All Tripura
Tigerl Force on 11th
July 1990. Differences had cropped up between the leaders of ATTF namely Mr. Ranjit
Debbarma and Mr. Lalit Debbarma on the issue of signing a ‘Memorandum of
Settlement’ with the Government of Tripura and surrender of its cadres. Mr. Lalit
Debbarma and his followers signed the ‘Memorandum of Settlement’ on 23-08-1993.
1633 All Tripura Tribal Force militants surrendered to the Government. Mr. Ranjit Debbarma
and his followers did not surrender and continued terrorist activities with
the same name viz. "All Tripura Tiger Force".
In volume 1 dated 11-07-1994 of ‘ Chaba ‘ , mouthpiece of All Tripura Tiger
Force, ATTF claimed that the change of symbol of the Organisation and substitution
of the word ‘Tribal’ with ‘Tiger’ were made in 1992 by Mr. Ranjit
Debbarma in accordance with a decision of the Central Committee of ATTF.
Organization :-
.(i) Ranjit Debbarma, President,( ii.) Chitta Debbarma- alias Bikash Koloi, Vice
President., (iii) Upendra Debbarma , Organisation Secretary, (iv). Malinjoy Reang,
Publicity Secretary, (v) Subodh Debbarma, Communication Secy., (vi) Asit Debbarma, Finance
Secy. It has an approximate strength of 600 hardcore. Community-wise break-up in
ATTF is :- Debbarma- 70 %, Jamatia- 10 %, Reang- 10 %, Tripuri - 5 % and others- 5 %
. 90 % of the top ranking ATTF cadres are Hindus and the rest are Christians.
Main Demands :-
i) Expulsion of all foreigners who entered Tripura after 1956 (ii) Restoration of land
to tribal under " Tripura Land Revenue and Land Reforms Act ",1960 (iii) Removal
of names of migrants who entered Tripura after 1956 from electoral roll
Associate group in Tripura
:-
Tripura Tiger Commando Force (TTCF) was its associate group. It surrendered to
Assam Rifle on 4.9.2000. It has no associate group at present. But it is making
effort to rope in the faction of NLFT led by Mr. Nayanbashi Jamatia.
Linkage outside Tripura :-
ATTF has linkage with North East extremist groups like - (i) NSCN(K) – National
Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang) (ii) PLA- People’s Liberation Army (iii)
ULFA – United Liberation Front of Assam. (iv) UNLF- United National Liberation Front,
(v) PREPAK- People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (Manipur) (vi) RPF-
Revolutionary peoples Front. (vii) NLFA- National Liberation Front of Arunachal
Pradesh.
ATTF has also set up a number of camps in a neighboring country.
- SITUATION IN THE STATE OF TRIPURA
NLFT & ATTF are antagonist i.e. antagonistic to each other for gaining supremacy over the
tribal areas. As a result, several violent clashes between these groups have taken place.
These two groups have a common aim to the oust non-tribals, from the Autonomous District Council
area and its fringes. To implement this plan, these groups raid localities where
non-tribal traders are predominant & carry out mindless killing and large scale arson
for creating scare among non-tribal. These groups also kidnap innocent civilians
& sometimes kill them brutally even after extorting hefty amount of ransom. All
such acts are unethical & brutal violation of human rights.
The internal security scenario had taken a dangerous turn with the building up of
mass resistance by the affected non-tribal community and emergence of United Bengali
Liberation Front (UBLF), a parochial extremist organisation, on 1st
August, 1999. UBLF started retaliating by kidnapping tribal, extortion, arson,
exploding crude bombs and killing innocent tribals. With the arrest of Mr. Biplab Das, self
styled President of UBLF, there has been a break through in curbing down the activities of
UBLF.
Our effort for containing militancy in the State has started yielding some positive
results. In February 1997, 19 Police Station areas were declared disturbed. Subsequently,
the areas of 6 more Police Stations and parts of six Police Station areas, were declared
as disturbed, within the purview of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958.
Security forces have fought back the militants and other criminal elements in a forceful
but legal way in the recent past. There have been many encounters leading to
the killing or the arrest of extremists, recovery of large number of weapons, rescue of kidnapped persons and
tracking down of many criminals involved in harboring and providing logistic support to
the unlawful militants. The effort of Security forces has also resulted in reduction in
number of kidnappings and controlling the ethnic unrest.
- THE EFFECT OF MILITANCY :-
As the militant groups have been carrying out their offensive mainly in the hilly
areas, the tribal populace is mainly in the receiving end. The helpless and hapless tribal
has been put to such a complicated and difficult situation which they could not even
dream of. The tribal of Tripura are overwhelmingly rural people. According to 1991 census,
98.35% of the total tribal population of the State live in hilly areas. The percentage of
urban population is microscopic though it has been increasing considerably in the recent
years. The remaining urban tribal population are spread over the other Districts,
Sub Divisional and Block Head Quarters.
The worst victim of this rural militancy is the young tribal generation which is being
deprived of education, health care and other facilities. They are also being grown up in a
hostile atmosphere of fratricide. The Tea and Rubber plantations had instilled a new
spirit to the Jhumias (shifting cultivators) for their livelihood, which attracted
investment over the years. Government spent millions of rupees for rehabilitation of
the Jhumias through these plantations and associated schemes. But atrocity of militant
groups has almost disturbed these endeavours. Besides, the directives of the extremist
groups to the tribal to cast vote as per their direction have caused adverse impact on
the socio-economic and political situation in the interior belt.
- INTERFERENCE IN RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES :-
Tripura Tribals were, generally, Hindus. From the ancient times, tribal of Tripura
worshipped the idols of Hindu Gods/Goddesses. Some militants are making a conscious
attempt to de-link the tribals from the Hindu cultural milieu aligning it with the
non-tribal culture. The militants believe that undermining the non-tribal influence is the
surest way to give the tribals a new identity. Abhorrence of Hindu connection among the
section of the new generation of tribal youths is the outcome of this concerted effort by
the militants having faith in Christianity. Their such efforts have led to an inner
conflict among the tribal populace as one extremist group has been forcing Christianity on
tribal having faith not only in Hinduism but also in Buddhism and their traditional
convictions. Such activities of the extremists have made the common tribal hostile to
these extremist groups.
- STATE GOVERNMENT’S PERCEPTIONS ON
SOLUTION.
The State Government has been treating the problem of insurgency as a complex problem
& not only as a law and order or security matter. The approach for solution has
been to address the problems of insurgency and extremism in a holistic manner. The State
Government has been considering and would be ready to consider any political demand within
the democratic framework of the Constitution of India in the overall interest of the State
as a whole.
Restoration of alienated tribal lands is being undertaken and provisions relating to
these have been made stricter. The cut-off date of 25th March, 1971 for
identification and pushback of foreigners is also being enforced. There is a commitment to
shift out the Legislative Assembly Complex from Ujjayanta Palace (the official residential
palace of the ex-kings of Tripura) as well. The State Government has taken up broadcasting
programming in local languages on Radio & TV and the opening of a channel of All India
Radio in Kokborak, the main tribal language in the State. Kokborok is also taught as a
language in the tribal areas at the school level. While the State Government has been
ready to accommodate the legitimate demands of the extremists, it stands firmly opposed to
the goals of independence as declared by NLFT or violence as the means to achieve their
demands. Thus, the reasonable demands are being taken up for redress in many cases
even before these are voiced by extremists.
The State Government has given top priorities for supply of drinking water, public
housing and connectivity of village roads. It has also identified deficiencies and
resource requirements for universal coverage on other basic minimum services such as
nutrition, public distribution system, Primary health and Primary education and new
infrastructure such as transport , electricity, Radio and TV, post primary education,
agriculture and allied sectors, administrative and cultural infrastructure including
tourism etc. In addition, different policies have been taken and are under consideration
to create more economic and employment opportunities for the tribal youth. These are in
the form of opening of international border for trade and transit, permitting forest based
development through viable schemes of small scale rubber and tea plantations and support
for gas based industries in the state and expeditious implementation of the Prime
Minister’s development package for the North-East.
These options to enable the living standards of the tribal population to be boosted are
to go hand in hand with the need to marginalize the extremist elements. This is being
attempted through steps targetted at bringing them back to the mainstream of democratic
policy.
State Government had appealed several times to the misguided elements to give up the
path of violence and join the mainstream so that the State and its people could proceed
with nation building activities and take up programs for economic development in an
atmosphere of peace and tranquility through democratic process. In response to the calls,
several listed extremists submitted offers of unconditional or conditional
surrender. From April 1993 to July 2001 members of various extremist groups
numbering 5,753 surrendered and they were provided with benefits in accordance with
the Government policies. The State Government is keen to keep the doors open for those
misguided youths ready to renounce the path of violence and rejoin the mainstream. The
State Government is ready to provide such youths with all benefits available as per the
scheme of the Government of India for Surrender- Cum-Rehabilitation of militants in the
North-East.
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