North East’s Politico-Terrorist Nexus
Anil Bhat, Himalayan Affairs
http://www.himalayanaffairs.org/articledetails.asp?id=370

Incidents in Assam and Manipur in 2007 yet again blew the lid on the nexus between politicians and insurgent-turned –terrorist groups. Guwahati based Samudra Gupta Kashyap wrote in The Indian Express of March 06, 2007 that less than a month after the outlawed United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) ‘allowed’ the Congress-led government in Assam to peacefully hold the much-delayed 33rd National Games, L K Advani, senior BJP leader and Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha once again reopened the issue of an alleged nexus between the government and the militant group virtually stirring a hornet''s nest with Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi daring the veteran BJP leader and former Union Home Minister to prove his charges. “But it remains a fact that political parties have by and large tried to get the "blessings" of the ULFA and other militant groups from time to time, the most favourite time being during elections. Even the militant group has admitted that political parties make use of the ULFA during elections. The ULFA had a few weeks ago complained that the Congress government made its peace moves and held a few rounds of discussions with an ULFA-nominated body only to tide over the state assembly elections”, wrote Kashyap. He also referred to that famous report saying politicians (and bureaucrats) not only help divert development funds in the Northeast to militant groups, but also that some politicians even take their assistance during election times. An expert group appointed by the Union Home Ministry a few years ago had prepared this report. No wonder political parties in the state do not openly criticize or oppose the ULFA.

On November 10, 2007 Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh warned of stern action against lawmakers if they were found hobnobbing with separatist militants. The warning followed a series of police raids on official residences of state legislators in the capital city of Imphal in recent months and arrests of hardcore militants sheltered by politicians. "The government would immediately withdraw personal security guards from the house of any MLA found providing shelter to militants. Legal action would also be initiated against anybody found aiding or abetting militancy," a senior government official said. A week earlier Manipur police had raided the official residence of Borajao, a sitting CPI MLA, in Imphal and arrested a hardcore militant of the outlawed People''s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (Prepak). Similarly, on Aug 11, the police raided the official residences of Congress party MLAs Brajabidhu Singh, Bijoy Koijam and K. Meghachandra and apprehended 12 militants, mostly of the Kanglei Yawoi Kanna Lup (KYKL) group and seized a huge cache of arms and ammunitions from them.

Politician-militant nexus in Manipur is not new. The state has been home to about 19-odd rebel groups whose demands range from secession to greater autonomy to the right to self-determination. As usual, the politicians denied the charges when questioned by the police. "They were all construction workers from my constituency brought to Imphal for renovation of my official residence," Brajabidhu Singh told the police when asked how the KYKL rebels entered his residence. Bijoy Koijam too had an excuse. "The militant arrested from my residence is my driver and he had since long joined the mainstream after shunning insurgency," Koijam was reported to have told the investigators. Another set of incidents which brought out the nexus and politicizati on of the State police was the attacks on Hmar and Kuki tribals by United National Liberation Front (UNLF), in connivance with Myanmar Army as well as replacement of Assam Rifles with India Reserve Battalions, in connection with these incidents.

Despite operations against these groups in both States, militants have been able to launch one of the worst attacks so far and at least seven people were killed and 25 injured when a packed passenger bus hit a landmine in Manipur in December 2007. Manipur has 19 active insurgent groups, almost all of them seeking separate homelands, but none claimed responsibility for the attack. On March 08, 2008, an explosive device was lobbed inside the assembly building in Manipur''s State capital Imphal, damaging the building. While no one was reported injured there is no sign of the culprits.

In Assam, according to South Asia Intelligence Report, quoting Home Ministry and Assam Police, with 439 insurgency-related fatalities in 500 incidents of violence, the State remained the most violent theatre of conflict in India’s North East in 2007. The year 2006 had recorded a marginal decline in total fatalities over the previous year, heralding hopes of ‘stabilization’ in the State . While the army has been making a concerted effort to prevent ULFA from regrouping, with about 900 ULFA operatives or linkmen either captured or surrendered in the past 15 odd months, its uncapured ones, or those on the run have been able to strike here and there. If 2007 was a bad year for these two States, there are no indications of 2008 being any better.

The author, a strategic analyst, is Editor, WordSword Features & Media.