National Liberation Front of Tripura

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National Liberation Front of Tripura
Founding leaderDhananjoy Reang
Leaders Biswamohan Debbarma  (POW)
Utpanna Tripura  †
Mukul Debbarma  †
Nayanbashi Jamatia (POW)
Dates of operation1989 – 2024 (35 years)
Split to
  • National Liberation Front of Tripura - Biswamohan
    (NLFT-BM)
    (Until 2024) [1]
  • National Liberation Front of Tripura - Parimal Debbarma
    (NLFT-PD)
    (Until 2024)
  • National Liberation Front of Tripura - Nayanbasi(NLFT-N) (Until 2004)
  • National Liberation Front of Tripura - Prabhat Jamatya(NLFT-PJ) (Until 2014)
  • National Liberation Front of Tripura-Subir
    (NLFT-SD) (Until 2019)
Headquarters Bangladesh,
Bhutan (former)
Active regions Tripura, India
Ideology Tripuri nationalism
Separatism
StatusDisbanded
Size550 (Biswamohan faction)
250 (Nayanbasi faction)
Opponents Government of Tripura
Battles and wars Insurgency in Northeast India
Designated as a terrorist group by Government of India,
Government of Tripura,
Interpol

The National Liberation Front of Tripura (abbreviated NLFT) was a banned Christian Tripuri nationalist militant organisation based in Tripura, India. It had an estimated 550 to 850 members. [ citation needed ] [2]

Contents

The NLFT sought to secede from India and establish an independent Tripuri state and was an active participant in the Insurgency in Northeast India. [ citation needed ]

The NLFT is currently designated as a terrorist organization in India. [3] [4]

History

With the increased immigration of Bengalis from the Bangladesh and West Bengal in the aftermath of one of the worst ethnic riots, the NLFT was born in 1989 with the backing of the Baptist Church of Tripura. [5] Since then, the NLFT has been advancing its cause through armed rebellion. In its constitution, the organization claims to represent the indigenous population which it claims has been marginalized by "the subjugation policy of imperialist Hindustani (India)"; its constitution makes no mention of any specific religion and claims to extend membership to "any person irrespective of caste, sex or creed". [6] However, some people who have left the NLFT, including former area commander Nayanbashi Jamatia, include animists who are Hindu and animists personal religions and faiths. [7]

The NLFT has been described as engaging in terrorist violence motivated by their. [8] The NLFT is listed as a terrorist organization in the Prevention of Terrorism Act, 2002. [3] The state government contends that the Baptists of Tripura supply arms and give financial support to the NLFT. [4] In April 2000, according to the state government, the secretary of the Noapara Freedom Front in Tripura, Nagmanlal Halam, was arrested with explosives and confessed that for two years he had been buying explosives for the NLFT. [5] In 2000, the NLFT threatened to kill Hindus celebrating the religious festival of Durga Puja. [9] At least 20 in Tripura have been killed in two years for resisting forced conversion to Christianity. [10] A leader of the Jamatia tribe, Rampada Jamatia, said that armed NLFT militants were forcibly converting tribal villagers to Christianity which he said was a serious threat to peace [10] These forcible conversions back to Christianity sometimes including the use of "rape as a means of intimidation," were noted by academics outside of India in 2007. [8]

In accordance with its stated goal of turning Tripura into the "land of Tripura free of Bengalis", the NLFT has told tribal communities to do act cleansing Tripura from Bengalis. This has caused the Bengali, Jamatia tribesmen and the predominantly animist Reangs to oppose the NLFT. [11]

On August 7, 1998, 4 senior leaders of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) were kidnapped by the NLFT, and all 4 of them are now said to be dead. [12]

In early 2000, 16 Bengali Hindus were killed by the NLFT at Gourangatilla. On 20 May 2000, the NLFT killed 25 Bengali Hindus at the Bagber refugee camp. [13] In August 2000, a tribal Hindu spiritual leader, Shanti Kali, was shot dead by about ten NLFT guerrillas who said it wanted to convert all people in the state to Christianity. [14] In December 2000, Labh Kumar Jamatia, a religious leader of the state's second largest Hindu group, was kidnapped by the NLFT, and found dead in a forest in Dalak village in southern Tripura. According to police, rebels from the NLFT wanted Jamatia to convert to Christianity, but he refused. [15] A local Marxist tribal leader, Kishore Debbarma, was clubbed to death in Tripura's Sadar by militants from the Biswamohan faction of the NLFT in May 2005. [16]

In 2001, there were 826 reported terrorist attacks in Tripura, in which 405 people lost their lives and 481 kidnappings were made by the NLFT and related organizations such as the Christian All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTP). [17] Nagmanlal Halam, secretary of the Noapara Baptist Church in Tripura, was arrested for and confessed, under torture from police, to providing munitions and financial aid to the NLFT from 1998 until 2000. [5]

The BBC reported in 2005 that independent investigations as well as confessions from surrendered members showed that the NLFT had been making and selling pornography to finance their activities. [ citation needed ] This includes DVDs of pornographic films made by the group with tribal men and women kidnapped and forced to participate in sex acts while being filmed. [ citation needed ] The movies are dubbed into various languages and sold illegally throughout the region for a profit. [ citation needed ] Statements from former members and one report state that the NLFT has a history of sexually abusing tribal women. [18]

According to the Institute for Conflict Management, approximately 90% of the NLFT's attacks were against Bengali's. [ citation needed ]

Factions

The NLFT was originally started by Dhananjoy Reang, then vice chief Tripura National Volunteers On 12 March 1989 after disagreement with the tripartite agreement signed between TNV, Government of India and Government of Tripura. [19] He initiated the formation of NLFT along with some other disgruntled TNV rebel leaders at Gandatwisa TRIPURA.

He sought the formation of armed wing of NLFT with the name NATIONAL HOLY ARMY in the year 1991 after launching operation Genesis at TAINANI Police station which led to the new phase of Tripuri nationalism which lasted over three decades. Dhananjoy Reang was removed from his position of PRESIDENT by an organised coup by his counterparts due to internal conflict in the year 1993.The group was then first led by Nayanbashi Jamatia and then Biswamohan Debbarma after the split occurred in 2002.

Cited causes of internal conflicts [4] include the reluctance of Biswamohan Debbarma's Central Executive Committee to nominate Joshua Debbarma as the King of ‘Tripura Kingdom’; misappropriation of funds by senior leaders; lavish lifestyles led by the senior leadership; and forcible conversion of tribal cadres/civilians to Christianity. [ citation needed ] [13]

Other leaders of the original NLFT included ‘Vice President’ Kamini Debbarma, ‘Publicity Secretary’ Binoy Debbarma, ‘Chief of Army’ Dhanu Koloi, and ‘Finance Secretary’ Bishnu Prasad Jamatiya. [ citation needed ]

Biswamohan faction

The Biswamohan faction (NLFT/BM) is earlier headed by Biswamohan Debbarma. In May 2017 In a meeting at an undisclosed location, selected Subir Debbarma alias Yamorok (45), as the new 'president' of the organization renaming it as the NLFT SD. It later signed a memorandum of Settlement with Government of India to abide by The Constitution of India & join the mainstream on 10 August 2019. [20]

Upon the surrender of Mantu Koloi, second in command, he requested that Biswamohan Debbarma and Ranjit Debbarma engage in talks with the Government of India to resolve the crisis. This was sparked by the Bangladeshi government's crackdown on hostile groups. The government there were able to do this by extensively searching the Sacherri jungles where the organization had many of its hideouts. [21] However, both leaders vowed to fight on.

[22] This group signed peace pact with Government of India ending decade long insurgency in the presence of president Biswamohan Debbarma and vice president Upendra Reang alias Twijwlang@zerifa [15] as the dignitaries of NLFT(BM) at 4 September 2024 in NEW DELHI. [23]

Nayanbasi faction

The Nayanbasi faction has approximately 50 sophisticated weapons, 50 persons in collaboration with the group, and 150 cadres in active duty. [24] In January 2004, the Nayanbasi faction group sent a message to the Additional Director of General Police (ADG) with the intention to start peace talks. These meetings ultimately were not successful. Later that year it peacefully entered into a Memorandum of Settlement with India. [25]

Location

The group has been banned from the Indian government since the Unlawful Activities Act of 1967. Therefore, the group operates from its headquarters in Khagrachari, a district in Bangladesh around 45 km from Simanapur. [26] The National Liberation Front of Tripura has the ability to utilize this 856 km of the border that is unfenced and susceptible to invasion. [27]

Attacks

The National Liberation Front of Tripura had conducted 81 attacks on various locations in South Asia and specifically in Tripura. [28] Of these 81 attacks, handguns and firearms have been the most common weapon.

During the period 1992–2001, total of 764 civilians and 184 security forces personnel were killed in NLFT attacks, 124 members of the organization were killed in these attacks. [29] Later, during the period 2005–2015, NLFT has been responsible for 317 incidents in which 28 security forces and 62 civilians lost their lives. [30]

Objectives/Ideologies

A common ideology within the NLFT was Tripuri Nationalism. This has two components: a Tripura state that is for only the native citizens, and the Bengalis that inhabit Tripura have no political rights or power. Among the leadership and followers of the NLFT, there are a few common objectives that come to the surface when doing analysis on this group. [ citation needed ]

  1. To liberate Tripura from the union of India
  2. To deport all Indians and Bangladeshis who entered into Tripura after 1947.
  3. To restore alienated tribal lands [31]

Peace Accord

Tripura Peace Accord is the tripartite accord signed-in on 10 August 2019 by the Government of India, Government of Tripura and the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) to end the insurgency.

The tripartite memorandum of understanding was signed by Satyendra Garg, Joint Secretary (Northeast) of Ministry of Home Affairs, Kumar Alok, Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Tripura and Sabir Kumar Debbarma and Kajal Debbarma of NLFT. [32]

On 4 September 2024, the remaining faction of NLFT along with ATTF signed the 2024 Tripura Peace Accord with Government of India, Government of Tripura ending the 35 year old Insurgency in Tripura. [33] [34]

Flag

The NLFT has its own flag which consists of three colors: green, white, and red. The green portion of the flag symbolizes sovereignty over Tripura, the land to which they lay claim. The white portion of the flag signifies the peace they desire to. The color red represents the revolution and the blood that has been shed in the name of their revolution. The final part of the flag is the star which acts as the guiding light for the Borok during this struggle. [35]

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tripura Baptist Christian Union</span> Christian denomination in India

The Tripura Baptist Christian Union (TBCU) is an association of Baptist Christian churches in Tripura, India. It has its head office in Agartala, the state capital. The TBCU is affiliated to the Asia Pacific Baptist Federation (APBF) and the Baptist World Alliance (BWA). It is also a member church in the North East India Christian Council (NEICC), a regional church body of the National Council of Churches in India (NCCI).

Tripura National Volunteers was a Tripuri nationalist militant group in the Tripura region of India that launched an armed struggle in the early 1980s to separate Tripura from India. TNV was led by Bijoy Kumar Hrangkhawl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tripuri people</span> Ethnic group of North-East India and Bangladesh

The Tripuri people (Kókborok: Tripuri dópha rok, are a Tibeto-Burman-speaking ethnic group of Bangladesh and Northeast Indian state of Tripura. They are the descendants of the inhabitants of the Twipra/Tripura Kingdom in North-East India and Bangladesh. The Tripuri people through the Manikya dynasty ruled the Kingdom of Tripura for over 600 years starting from 1400 A.D. until the kingdom joined the Indian Union on 15 October 1949. The Tipra Dynasty was established in 590 AD.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">All Tripura Tiger Force</span> Tripuri nationalist militant group

The All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) was a Tripuri nationalist militant group active in India's Tripura State. It was founded on 11 July 1990, by a group of former Tripura National Volunteer members under the leadership of Ranjit Debbarma. The ATTF is considered a terrorist organisation by India. According to the South Asian Terrorism Portal, approximately 90% of the ATTF's administration are Hindu and the rest are Christians. The group was said to have been formed as the armed wing of the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) but split into its own organization. The group was headquartered in Tarabon in Bangladesh.

Tripuri Nationalism is an ideology that supports self-determination by the Tripuri people. The conflict is in essence ethnic and the Tripuri community, indigenous to the region formed the clear majority of population in the princely state of Tippera, which joined the Republic of India in 1949 as the state of Tripura.

Biswamohan Debbarma declared himself as a chairman of the National Liberation Front of Tripura of his own faction. In May 2017 in a meeting at an undisclosed location, selected Subir Debbarma alias Yamorok (45), as the new 'president' of the organization hence renamed NLFT SD which later signed a Memo of Settlement with Govt. of India on 10 August 2019. He was wanted by India and Interpol for crimes against life and health, and crimes involving the use of weapons/explosives, but was captured by Security forces in a hideout in Bangladesh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Culture of Tripura</span>

The culture of Tripura is distinct and a bit similar to other people of Northeast India. However like Assam, Manipur, Burma and Southeast Asia culture of Tripura is characterized in small portion where people live in plain and hill areas. Tripura is a state in North East India. In the 2001 census of India, Bengalis represented almost 70% of the population and the Tripuri population comprised 30% of Tripura's population. The Tripuri population comprises some clans and ethnic groups with diverse languages and cultures. The largest native group was the Tripuri who had a population of 543,848 in 2001 census, representing 16.99% of the state population and 54.7% of the scheduled tribe population. The other group of people in order of decreasing population were Chakma (6.5%), Halam (4.8%), Mog (3.1%), Munda, Kuki tribes and Garo Hajong. Bengali is the most spoken language, due to the dominance of Bengali people in the state. Kokborok (Tripuri/Tiprakok) is a common language among Tripuris and lingua franca in Tripura. Several other languages belonging to Indo-European and Sino-Tibetan families are spoken by the different tribe

Tripuri Kshatriya is a Vaishnav caste group which encompasses almost all the members of the Tripuri, Reang, Jamatia and Noatia ethnic groups, most of whom live in the Indian state of Tripura. The Tripuri Royal Family belonged to the Tripuri ethnic group, from the Debbarma clan. Originally the term "Tripur Kshatriya" was used to denote the Tripuri ethnic group only, but in due time, the Maharajah included the remaining three ethnic groups as well, in an attempt to foster a sense of kinship among his people. With the influx of the Bengali immigrants from neighboring places, the Tripuris lost their majority in their own kingdom and the Maharajah's power was taken away by the Indian government. Formerly, the community was organized under the Tripura Kshatriya Samaj, which was headed by the Maharajah of Tripura himself.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indigenous People's Front of Tripura</span> Political party in Tripura, India

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Kamalnagar massacre refers to the murder of 14 unarmed Bengali Hindu villagers in Kamalnagar on 14 August 2003 by the All Tripura Tiger Force insurgents.

Operation Roukhala was an ethnic cleansing operation launched by the All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) for the eviction of Bengali Hindus from Tripura in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The word Roukhala in Kokborok literally means ouster or deportation or driving out. In the early stages of the movement, the ATTF and the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) separately issued quit notices to the Bengali Hindus. The ATTF named it as Operation Roukhala. Later NLFT joined the movement. According to the political leaders in Tripura, the rebels resort to abduction and murder of non-tribals in the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) area as a part of Operation Roukhala.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Insurgency in Tripura</span> Armed conflict

The insurgency in Tripura was an armed conflict which took place in the state of Tripura between India and several separatist rebel organisations. It was a part of the wider insurgency in Northeast India and was fueled by Tripuris.

United Bengali Liberation Front was a militant separatist organisation in Tripura, India. It sought to protect Bengalis from Bangladesh against Tripuri militants and other tribal groups and first appeared in the year 1995, alongside the NLFT and ATTF. There was no official data about its commanders and cadres. UBLF was involved in bomb blasts, murders and Hostage Crises. Its conflict was against Indigenous Tribals and other Tribals of Neighbouring stares. The UBLF came into existence only after the ATTF was formed with the aim of decimating Bengali Hindus living in Tripura. The ATTF carried out multiple attacks against the Bengali Hindus who arrived to India after ethnic cleansing in Bangladesh. The ATTF have been credited with at least 20 attacks on Bengali speaking people. The formation of UBLF was a direct retaliation against these killings of Bengali Hindus.The UBLF was banned by the GoI later.

Yarwng is a 2008 Kokborok feature film produced by Don Bosco Sampari Pictures Tripura, written and directed by Joseph Pulinthanath. The story of the 95-minute feature film revolves round the large-scale displacement which happened in Tripura state, in northeast India, when the newly built Dumbur dam (1970s) submerged huge areas of arable land in the fertile Raima valley about 40 years ago. The film won the first national film award for Tripura at the 56th National Film Awards in (2008)

Anti-Bengali sentiment comprises negative attitudes and views on Bengalis. This sentiment is present in several parts of India: Gujarat, Bihar, Assam, and various tribal areas. etc. Issues include discrimination in inhabitation, other forms of discrimination, political reasons, government actions, anti-Bangladeshi sentiment, etc. The discriminative condition of Bengalis can be traced from Khoirabari massacre, Nellie massacre, Silapathar massacre, North Kamrup massacre, Goreswar massacre, Bongal Kheda, etc. This has led to emergence of Bengali sub-nationalism in India as a form of protest and formation of many pro-Bengali organisations in India.

Bikram Bahadur Jamatia is a Tripuri Indian social worker and the former Akra (Head) of the Jamatia Hoda. He played an important role in promoting an indigenous people’s ‘movement’ against the NLFT, ATTF and other small terror group in Tripura. Jamatia received the Deendayal Upadhyaya National Integration Award Award and the Kalikinkar Debbarma Award for Excellent Performance in Classical Music in 2018. In 2023, he was awarded the Padma Shri (2023), the fourth-highest civilian award in India.

The 2024 Tripura Peace Accord was a peace agreement signed on September 4, 2024, between the Government of India, the Government of Tripura and the insurgent groups NLFT and ATTF, thus ending the 34 year old Insurgency in Tripura.

Dhananjay Reang is a Tripuri (Bru) rebel leader of the organisations National Liberation Front of Tripura, and Tripura National Volunteers (TNV).

References

[14]

  1. ↑ "Tripura: Assessment- 2024". SATP. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  2. ↑ "Indian rebels ban women". 29 November 2002. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  3. 1 2 "The Prevention of Terrorism Act, 2002". Republic of India. South Asia Terrorism Portal. 2002.
  4. 1 2 3 "National Liberation Front of Tripura". South Asia Terrorism Portal.
  5. 1 2 3 Bhaumik, Subir (18 April 2000). "Church backing Tripura rebels". BBC News.
  6. ↑ "Constitution of The National Liberation Front Of Tripura". South Asia Terrorism Portal.
  7. ↑ Subir Bhaumik (2004). Ethnicity, Ideology and Religion: Separatist movements in India's Northeast (PDF). Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies. p. 236.
  8. 1 2 Adam, Jeroen; De Cordier, Bruno; Titeca, Kristof; Vlassenroot, Koen (16 October 2007). "In the Name of the Father? Christian Militantism in Tripura, Northern Uganda, and Ambon". Studies in Conflict & Terrorism. 30 (11): 963–983. doi:10.1080/10576100701611288. S2CID   145364791.
  9. ↑ "Separatist group bans Hindu festivities". BBC News. 2 October 2000.
  10. 1 2 "Tribals unite against conversions in Tripura". rediff.com. 2 August 2001.
  11. ↑ Subir Bhaumik (2004). Ethnicity, Ideology and Religion: Separatist movements in India's Northeast (PDF). Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies. p. 236.
  12. ↑ Subir Bhaumik (2004). Ethnicity, Ideology and Religion: Separatist movements in India's Northeast (PDF). Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies. p. 236.
  13. 1 2 "19 killed in Tripura massacre rerun". The Telegraph. 21 May 2000.
  14. 1 2 "Hindu preacher killed by Tripura rebels". BBC News. 28 August 2000.
  15. 1 2 "Tripura tribal leader killed". BBC News . 27 December 2000. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  16. ↑ "Rebels kill Tripura CPM leader". Telegraph India. 17 May 2005.
  17. ↑ "Conversions with foreign fund". organiser.in. 10 April 2005. Archived from the original on 3 May 2005.
  18. ↑ Bhaumik, Subir (27 August 2005). "India rebels 'making porn films'". BBC News.
  19. ↑ "The eyewitness : tales from Tripura's ethnic conflict / Manas Paul - Catalogue | National Library of Australia". catalogue.nla.gov.au. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
  20. ↑ "Centre signs peace pact with Tripura insurgent outfit NLFT". www.indianexpress.com. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  21. ↑ "NLFT faction seeks talks". www.telegraphindia.com. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
  22. ↑ Bhaumik, Subir (6 May 2004). "Tripura rebels surrender". BBC News.
  23. ↑ "MHA and Tripura govt signs peace accord with banned outfits of Tripura". The Times of India. 4 September 2024. ISSN   0971-8257 . Retrieved 7 September 2024.
  24. ↑ "NLFT faction willing for talks with govt". The Times of India.
  25. ↑ "Policy for Solving Insurgency Problem in NE" (Press release). Press Information Bureau. 18 February 2009.
  26. ↑ "National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) (NDFB)". www.globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 10 April 2019.
  27. ↑ Corigliano, Kelly Marie (2007). Self-worth theory goes to elementary school: An integrative approach to reading motivation (Thesis). ProQuest   1287104045.
  28. ↑ "GTD Search Results". www.start.umd.edu. Retrieved 11 April 2019.
  29. ↑ Casualties in violence by National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) South Asia Terrorism Portal / Institute for Conflict Management. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  30. ↑ National Liberation Front of Tripura signs peace pact to join mainstream Times of India. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  31. ↑ "Constitution of National Liberation Front Of Tripura". www.satp.org. Retrieved 11 April 2019.
  32. ↑ "Peace pact signed with Tripura insurgent group". The Times of India. PTI. 10 August 2019.
  33. ↑ "Historic Peace Agreement Signed Between the Governments of India, Tripura, NLFT & ATTF at New Delhi". Northeast Now. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
  34. ↑ "2 insurgent groups in Tripura sign peace deal; Amit Shah says 'matter of joy for all'". Hindustan Times . Retrieved 4 September 2024.
  35. ↑ "Tripura (India)". www.crwflags.com. Retrieved 11 April 2019.
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