MHA still designates 16 ‘Unlawful Associations’ & ‘Terrorist Organizations’ in NE
Morung Express News
Dimapur | July 2
There has been an overall decline in violence related to various nationalist political groups operating in the North East.
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA)’s ‘Annual Report 2016-17’, released in the first week of June, the number of such incidents in the NE declined from 1025 in 2012 to 484 in 2016. In Nagaland, the number of such incidents also showed a declining trend, from 151 in 2012 to 58 in 2016.
“While the States of Sikkim, Mizoram and Tripura had no insurgency related violence in 2016, there was considerable decline in incidents in Meghalaya (44%) and Nagaland (43%) compared to 2015,” stated the report on the state-wise details of violence during the last five years (upto 31.12.2016).
Manipur accounted for about 48% of total violent incidents in the region while Arunachal Pradesh experienced an increase in violent activities by 38%, primarily on account of violence by NSCN (K), a proscribed organisation by the MHA.
“In Assam, insurgency related violence continued to decline and the year 2016 witnessed the lowest number of insurgency incidents since 1997,” it added.
Along with the State police, the Central Government is supplementing efforts towards “curbing the illegal and unlawful activities of militant/insurgent groups of North Eastern States through various measures,” the report highlighted.
However, as per the report, the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India still designates 16 organisations in the region as “Unlawful Associations and Terrorist Organisations,” or both under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.
The list includes seven organisations in Manipur, followed by 3 in Assam; two each in Meghalaya and Tripura; and 1 in Nagaland.
The report said that measures include deployment of Central Armed Police Forces, reimbursement of security related expenditure to the State Governments under SRE Scheme, central assistance to the State Governments for modernization of State Police Forces, sanction of India Reserve Battalions, banning the unlawful associations operating in NE Region under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), declaring specific areas/states as 'disturbed areas' for the purpose of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and issuing notifications for Unified Command Structure etc.
Status of peace and conflict in North East
Apart from this, the Centre has entered into peace processes with many organisations operating in the region.
Assam: Two groups have Memorandums of Settlement (MoS) with the Government and have subsequently dissolved themselves – the United People’s Democratic Solidarity (UDPS) which signed an MoS on November 25, 2011, and DHD (Dima Halam Daogah) on October 8, 2012.
Besides, the Government has also entered into Suspension of Operations (SoO) with NDFB (P) [National Democratic Front of Bodoland (Progressive)] on June 1, 2005, and with NDFB (Ranjan Daimairy), a splinter group of NDFB on November 29, 2013.
The Karbi Longri NC Hills Liberation Front (KLNLF) is presently under SoO agreement with the Government of Assam since February 11, 2010.
Nine groups, including five Adivasi outfits, surrendered on January 24, 2012 and their demands are being discussed, the report said.
Talks with ULFA (United Liberation Front of Assam) are continuing and the last meeting was held on November 24, 2015, and SoO signed on September 3, 2011, is continuing indefinitely.
The major outfits presently active in Assam are ULFA– (Independent) and NDFB (Saoraigwra). Both are declared either as “terrorist organization and unlawful association” or both in the MHA list.
Besides, the Karbi Peoples Liberation Tigers (KPLT), active in Karbi Anglong District of Assam, is listed as a “Terrorist Organization” in the report.
Manipur: A total of 23 outfits under two conglomerates (United Progressive Front [UPF] -8 and Kuki National Organization [KNO] -15) are currently under SoO with the Government, the report informed.
However, 8 organisations are still listed as ‘terrorist organizations” or “unlawful associations,” or both. They are the People’s Liberation Army (PLA); United National Liberation Front (UNLF); Peoples’ Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK); Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP); Kanglei Yaol Kanba Lup (KYKL); Manipur Peoples’ Liberation Front (MPLF); Revolutionary Peoples’ Front (RPF); and Coordination Committee Cor-com (conglomerate of six Valley based outfits).
Meghalaya: In Meghalaya, an MoS between the Government of India, the State Government of Meghalaya and the ANVC (Achik National Volunteer Council) and ANVC/B was signed on September 24, 2014, and it dissolved itself in a ceremony held at Tura in Meghalaya on December 15, 2014.
However, the Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) and the Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) are declared as an “unlawful association” and “terrorist organization” respectively.
Nagaland: Ceasefire agreements are currently in operation with the GPRN/NSCN and NSCN (Reformation), while NSCN (IM) has also signed Ceasefire Agreement for an indefinite period.
The MHA’s Interlocutor entered into a Framework Agreement with the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah) on August 3, 2015. The MHA meanwhile has tagged the NSCN (K) as a “terrorist organization and unlawful association.”
Tripura: In Tripura, on December 17, 2004, an MoU was signed with the NLFT (NB) [National Liberation Front of Tripura (Nayan Basi)] and a Socio-Economic package of Rs. 64.63 crore has been given for tribal welfare, development, rehabilitation of old groups and rehabilitation process has been completed. Dialogue/talks with NLFT/B leadership for peace in Tripura are in progress, the report said.
However, the All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) and the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) are listed as “terrorist organization and unlawful association.”
