Headlines       Vol. 2 Issue 1-2

May 7- May 21 , 1999

NE militants target civilians to regain their say: Report To stem the erosion in popular support, the underground outfits active in the North-East region of the country are targetting innocent civilians, including women and children and as a result there is an increase in ethnic violence in the region. This has been opined by the Union Home Ministry in its Annual Report for 1998-99. Apart from extension of ceasefire with the Isac-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM) and opening talks with the Khaplang faction of the NSCN in search of long-eluded peace in the State, the Union Home Ministry's Annual Report painted an unsatisfactory, if not a grim, picture in most parts of the region. Lower Assam, Tripura and Manipur continued to be rocked by violence through most parts of the year. Tripura, as per the report is the most seriously affected State in the region from the insurgency point of view. There are about 20 armed groups of tribals at present active in the State. Most powerful among them are All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) and National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT). Together these two organisations are responsible for the majority of the killings, looting, extortion and abductions. In 1998 more than 505 such incidents had occurred in the State. Twentyfive members of the security forces have also been killed by the militants. What is more worrying is the fact that the insurgents in the State are targetting civilians more often than the security forces. Though there is a decline in the number of killings, inter-tribal conflict in Manipur is still bothering the Union Government. Senapati, Ukhrul and Tamenlong are the three most affected districts due to the ongoing inter-tribal conflict between the Nagas and the Kukis. In 1998, 33 people have died in 18 such conflicts. Last year 83 people died and 49 such conflicts took place. If the Tripura insurgents are targetting the innocent people, the security forces are the major target of the militants active in Manipur. There are at least nine active militant groups in the valley area of the State. In 1998, in the prevailing unrest in the State 103 people have died. The number has slightly decreased as in 1997, 125 people were killed in the State. Two lower Assam districts namely Bongaigaon and Kokrajhar are also feeling the heat of ethnic unrest. During 1998, 499 people were killed in 635 violent incidents in the State. The government reiterated its commitment to find a solution to the vexed Bodo problem through negotiations. The Annual Report also informed that coordinated action by the security forces led to the surrender of 334 ULFA and 51 Bodo insurgents. The Union Home Ministry has accepted that the Reang problem continued to defy solutions. At present 35,995 Reangs are living in refugee camps in Tripura, the Annual Report informed.

| Oriental Times(Headlines) | Home Page |