People's Liberation Army of Manipur

Last updated

People's Liberation Army of Manipur
Dates of operation25 September 1978 – Present
MotivesEstablish an independent state of Manipur
Headquarters Manipur
Active regions Northeast India
Ideology Communism
Mao Zedong Thought
Separatism
OpponentsFlag of India.svg  India (PLA is designated as a terrorist organisation by the Government of India [1] )
Battles and wars Insurgency in Northeast India
Naxalite-Maoist insurgency

The People's Liberation Army of Manipur, often shortened to just People's Liberation Army (PLA-MP or PLAM), is a separatist group fighting for a separate independent socialist state of Manipur, a state in northeastern India.

Contents

History

The group founded by N. Bisheshwar Singh on 25 September 1978.[ citation needed ] Since its founding, it has been waging guerrilla warfare as part of the Insurgency in Manipur against the Indian Armed Forces, and has targeted the Indian Army, Indian Paramilitary Forces and the State Police Force.[ citation needed ] However, during the late nineties, it declared a unilateral decision not to target the Manipur Police.[ citation needed ]

The death of some top leaders in combat (like President Thoudam Kunjabehari in 1982), and the arrest of others (like N. Bisheshwar, arrested in 1981) decreased its military activity in the eighties.[ citation needed ] In 1989, a political wing called the Revolutionary People's Front (RPF) was formed. [2] The RPF formed a government in exile in Bangladesh, led by Irengbam Chaoren, and began a restructuring of the organisation. The Organisation become very active. Its operation was divided into four sections: Sadar Valley West Hill areas of Manipur, Sadar Hill areas in the east Valley, Hill areas of Manipur and Imphal valley, each with a commander, and other ranks.[ citation needed ]

Organisation

The PLA has an estimated strength of some 3 800 as of 2008.[ citation needed ]

PLA-MP is also a member of the Manipur Peoples Liberation Front, an umbrella organization of several Manipur separatist groups; namely, the UNLF and PREPAK. On 29 July 2020, three soldiers in the Assam Rifles were killed and six injured in an ambush in Manipur's Chandel district near the Indo-Myanmar border.[ citation needed ]

In 2019, a confession by a PLAM member suggested that PLAM was in touch with People's Liberation Army, China. Sixteen platoons of PLAM returned to Manipur after receiving their training in China. [3]

Through the 2023 Manipur violence, the insurgent groups PLAM as well as Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL) witnessed a surge in recruitment of new and previously surrendered militants. [4]

A report published by the Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation suggested that groups such as Arambai Tenggol and Meitei Leepun are "either patronised or are fronts for Meitei valley-based insurgent groups (VBIGs) like the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and United National Liberation Front (UNLF)". [5]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manipur</span> State in northeastern India

Manipur is a state in northeast India, with the city of Imphal as its capital. It is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west. It also borders two regions of Myanmar, Sagaing Region to the east and Chin State to the south. The state covers an area of 22,327 km2 (8,621 sq mi). The official and most widely spoken language is the Meitei language. Native to the Meitei people, it is also used as a lingua franca by smaller communities, who speak a variety of other Tibeto-Burman languages. Manipur has been at the crossroads of Asian economic and cultural exchange for more than 2,500 years. This exchange connects the Indian subcontinent and Central Asia to Southeast Asia, East Asia, Siberia, regions in the Arctic, Micronesia and Polynesia enabling migration of people, cultures and religions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Insurgency in Northeast India</span> Internal security issues of India

The Insurgency in Northeast India involves multiple separatist militant groups operating in some of India's northeastern states, which are connected to the rest of India by the Siliguri Corridor, a strip of land as narrow as 14.29 miles (23.00 km) wide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Terrorism in India</span> Overview of terrorism in India

Terrorism in India, according to the Home Ministry, poses a significant threat to the people of India. Compared to other countries, India faces a wide range of terror groups. Terrorism found in India includes Islamic terrorism, ultranationalist terrorism, and left-wing terrorism India is one of the countries most impacted by terrorism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United National Liberation Front</span> Militant organization that aims for a sovereign Manipur

The United National Liberation Front (UNLF), also known as the United National Liberation Front of Manipur, is a separatist insurgent group active in the state of Manipur in Northeast India which aims at establishing a sovereign and socialist Manipur.

The People's Liberation Army is the armed forces of the People's Republic of China. It may also refer to:

The People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK) is an armed insurgent group in Manipur demanding a separate and independent homeland. PREPAK was formed under the leadership of R. K. Tulachandra in 1977.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Left-wing terrorism</span> Terrorism motivated by left-wing or far-left ideologies

Left-wing terrorism or far-left terrorism is terrorism motivated by left-wing or far-left ideologies, committed with the aim of overthrowing current capitalist systems and replacing them with communist or socialist societies. Left-wing terrorism can also occur within already socialist states as criminal action against the current ruling government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Communist Party of Turkey/Marxist–Leninist</span> Maoist insurgent organisation in Turkey

The Communist Party of Turkey/Marxist–Leninist is a Marxist–Leninist–Maoist insurgent organization in Turkey involved in the Maoist military strategy of people's war against the Turkish government. It was founded in 1972 by a group of former members of the Revolutionary Workers and Peasants Party of Turkey (RWPPT), organised by İbrahim Kaypakkaya as TKP (M-L), who wished to carry out armed struggle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maoist Communist Party (Turkey)</span> Political party in Turkey

The Maoist Communist Party of Turkey is a Marxist–Leninist–Maoist insurgent organization in Turkey. It is the most significant of the Maoist organisations in Turkey; it upholds the legacy of İbrahim Kaypakkaya. It maintains two armed wings: the People's Partisan Forces and People's Liberation Army . MKP was a part of Revolutionary Internationalist Movement and participated in the Conference of Communist and Workers' Parties of the Balkans.

<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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naxalite–Maoist insurgency</span> Armed conflict in India between the state and Maoists

The Naxalite–Maoist insurgency is an ongoing conflict between Maoist groups known as Naxalites or Naxals and the Indian government. The influence zone of the Naxalites is called the red corridor, which has been steadily declining in terms of geographical coverage and number of violent incidents, and in 2021 it was confined to the 25 "most affected" locations, accounting for 85% of Left Wing Extremism (LWE) violence, and 70 "total affected" districts across 10 states in two coal-rich, remote, forested hilly clusters in and around the Dandakaranya-Chhattisgarh-Odisha region and the tri-junction area of Jharkhand-Bihar and-West Bengal. The Naxalites have frequently targeted police and government workers in what they say is a fight for improved land rights and more jobs for neglected agricultural labourers and the poor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zomi Revolutionary Army</span> Nationalist insurgent group

The Zomi Revolutionary Army is an armed Zomi nationalist insurgent group formed in 1997, following an increase in ethnic tensions between the Kuki people and the Paites tribe in Churachandpur district of Manipur, India. Its parent organisation, the Zomi Revolutionary Organisation, was founded in April 1993.

Secession in India typically refers to state secession, which is the withdrawal of one or more states from the Republic of India. Whereas, some have wanted a separate state, union territory or an autonomous administrative division within India. Many separatist movements exist with thousands of members, however, some have low local support and high voter participation in democratic elections. However, at the same time, demanding separate statehood within under the administration of Indian union from an existing state can lead to criminal charges under secession law in India. India is described as an ‘Union of States’ in Article 1 of the Indian constitution I.e "Indestructible nation of destructible states" by its father of constitution Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar where a state or Union territory of India can't secede from India by any means and the Central Government have more powers then the respective state governments and can forcefully change the name, boundaries of the states without their permission at any time when needed for self interest and for the maintenance of integrity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Human rights abuses in Manipur</span> Aspect of the separatist insurgency in Manipur, India

Human rights abuse is an ongoing insurgency in Manipur, a northeastern Indian state. The issue started in the 1960s due to a separatist conflict. The Indian army, paramilitary, and police personnel are responsible for killings and torture within Manipur. Human rights violations by Indian security forces are said to have fueled the armed opposition groups in Manipur. Insurgent groups have kidnapped children to train them as child soldiers against the Indian government. Manipur was declared a “disturbed area” by the Indian government in 1980 in the Armed Forces Special Powers Act of 1958.

Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup is a Meitei separatist group in the state of Manipur in India formed in January 1994 by the unification of splinter groups like Ibopishak faction of the Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP) along with United National Liberation Front (UNLF) led by Namoijam Oken and the People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK) led by Meiraba. It was banned by the Government of India. The group displays a strong ethnonationalist and nativist rhetoric in their announcements.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kangleipak Communist Party</span> Political party in India

Kangleipak Communist Party is a Maoist militant group in Manipur, India. Named after Kangleipak, the ancient name of Manipur, it was initially led by the communist ideologues — Ibohanbi and Ibopishak. The Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP) had been engaged in an armed conflict separatist insurgency in Manipur against the government of India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maoist Communist Party of Manipur</span> Political party in India

The Maoist Communist Party of Manipur is a Maoist political party in Manipur which aims "to establish a communist society through armed revolutionary war." The Maoist Communist Party of Manipur also intends at liberating the people of Manipur from whom they view as "colonial India."

Marxism–Leninism–Maoism (MLM) is a political philosophy that synthesizes and builds upon Marxism–Leninism and the thought of Mao Zedong. Marxism–Leninism–Maoism was first formalized by the Shining Path in 1982.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Insurgency in Manipur</span> Ongoing armed conflict between India and multiple separatist rebel groups

The Insurgency in Manipur is an ongoing armed conflict between India and a number of separatist rebel groups, taking place in the state of Manipur. The Insurgency in Manipur is part of the wider Insurgency in Northeast India; it displays elements of a national liberation war as well as an ethnic conflict.

References

  1. "Banned Terrorist Organisations". National Investigation Agency (NIA). Archived from the original on 10 January 2016.
  2. "People's Liberation Army: Incidents and Statements involving People's Liberation Army: 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2000-2012". South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP). Archived from the original on 21 January 2018.
  3. "How Manipur conflict fits into broader game plan of China". Firstpost. 13 September 2023. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  4. Saikia, Arunabh (2 September 2023). "The return of Meitei insurgents marks a new turn in Manipur conflict". Scroll.in. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  5. Manufacturing Ethnic Segregation and Conflict: A Report on the Violence in Manipur (PDF). Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation. 2023. p. 74.