Guwahati: Despite the sustained counter-insurgency operations and government’s overtures to bring militant groups to negotiation table, insurgency has just refused to leave the troubled territory Assam.
While several major insurgent groups including a faction of the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), two factions of National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), United People’s Democratic Solidarity (UPDS), two factions of Dima Halam Daogah (DHD), Karbi Longri North Cachar Hills Liberation Front (KLNLF) etc. have responded to government’s offer of olive branch in recent times a few breakaway factions of some of these outfits are still creating trouble to jeopardise the peace efforts.
According to a security source 14 militant groups based in Assam are now under ceasefire agreements with the government and are engaged in dialogue.
The anti-talks breakaway factions of the ULFA and the NDFB continue to pose security threat in the State while a number of small but new militant outfits have cropped up in recent times thereby keeping the state disturbed.
Two senior police officers – a Superintendent of Police and an Additional SP—of the state were killed by some f these militant groups in this year besides continuing with their extortion spree and other criminal activities like abduction etc.
Among the breakaway factions, the Songbijit faction of the NDFB and the ULFA (Independent) have the potential to strike terror in the state dodging sustained vigil by security forces.
Moreover, a number of new militant outfits have come into existence in the hill districts of Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao in the state.
Among the new militant outfits, United People’s Liberation Army (UPLA) was formed in February last year, the United Karbi People’s Front (UKPF) in October last year, Naga Rengma Hill Protection Force (NHPF) was in January last year, United Dimasa Kachari Liberation Front (UDKLF) came into existence in November last year, Dima Jagi Nyso Army(DJNA) was formed in October, 2012, Karbi National Liberation Army (KNLA) was floated on September 6 last year and the United People’s Liberation Front (UPLF) was formed on January 4 last year.
Assam police claims that the UPLA was involved in the killing of SP Nityananda Goswami.
The outfit was formed mostly with former members of the United People’s Democratic Solidarity (UPDS), which has already signed a peace pact with the Government.
Some of these new outfit or splinter groups of some of the major militant outfits in truce are suspected to be maintaining links with some of the militant groups which are now engaged in peace process with the government.
For instance, the UPLA is suspected to have procured weapons from the UPDS which has signed peace pact with the government.