TAMULPUR, January 16: Efforts to win the faith of the common people have become the thrust area for the Armymen operating in the strategically important Assam–Bhutan border areas in Nalbari district as the Army has realised the fact that the support of the masses is a must for the success of anti-insurgency operations. Brigadier ND Prasad of the 107 Mountain Brigade of the Army based in Tamulpur told this correspondent that the thrust area of the Brigade is now to establish rapport with the local people to prevent the insurgents from taking shelter in the villages. He said that efforts are on to ensure that the behaviour of the Army to the local people is friendly and instructions have been issued to show due respect to all, particularly the ladies and elders. "Our efforts in this regard have brought the desired results as the allegations of human rights violations has drastically come down in the past one year," he pointed out. (R Dutta Choudhury; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; January 17, 2000)

GUWAHATI, January 16 : The Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT) has accused the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) of forcefully recruiting Bodo youths as its cadres and warned that the outfit (BLT) would not be a silent spectator to this 'disturbing drama'. In a faxed statement issued to newspaper offices, organising secretary of the banned outfit, Zarimin Narzary, alleged that two youths-Haresh Basumatary and Niren Daimari of Dulakashoria village in Sibsagar district-were compelled to join the ULFA and are now undergoing training. "The ULFA never wanted prosperity and development of tribals and has been cheating innocent tribal people in the name of a sovereign Assam. Such negative attitude may create a dangerous situation and the ULFA will be responsible for it," BLT said. The banned Bodo rebel group also accused the surrendered ULFA men of harassing and torturing innocent Bodo people with the help of Assam police. Narzary in his statement warned the Sulfas and asked to desist them from such activities adding, "We will not excuse the Sulfa men if they do not rectify themselves in the near future." The BLT also accused the Prafulla Mahanta government of trying to suppress the genuine demand for a separate state of Bodoland by resorting to repressive measures and creating a 'reign of terror' with the help police and Army personnel. "At present, there is no government in Assam," it said. (Staff Reporter; The Northeast Daily; Guwahati; January 17, 2000)

CALCUTTA, January 16: The Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has stepped up its activities in the Northeast, especially in North Bengal and Assam, Lt General HRS Kalkat, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C), Eastern Command, said on Sunday. Addressing mediapersons here after an investiture ceremony on the occasion of Army Day, Kalkat said ISI was making in roads to the areas through the Siliguri corridor over a period of time. He said with the large immigrant population in the areas, the ground was very fertile for the ISI to operate which was also providing assistance to different insurgent groups in India. Expressing concern over the activities of ISI in the region, Kalkat said, it was making special efforts to prop up militant groups in Assam and cautioned that it is high time to check its sinister activities in India. Referring to overall law and order situation in the Northeast, Kalkat said insurgency continued to be a problem in Manipur while it was at low-key in Assam and Nagaland. Kalkat said to ensure a smooth system of disposal of militants, the Unified Command was considered as the best model which had helped control insurgency in Assam and Nagaland and wondered why some of the states in the north east like Manipur were not inclined to accept this model. Terming the law and order situation in Manipur as the worst, he said there were reports of linkage of politicians with terrorists in that state and advocated for establishing the Unified Command structure there to combat insurgency. He regretted that on several occasions apprehended insurgents had been released by the civil administration despite being confirmed criminals which posed a problem to the Army. (United News of India; The Northeast Daily; Guwahati; January 17, 2000)

SHILLONG, January 16: The West Bengal and Meghalaya governments have stressed the need for specific security policy for the Northeast states. This was discussed at a meeting of Meghalaya minister for information and public relations S H Scott Lyngdoh and West Bengal deputy chief minister Budhadev Bhattacharya during the former’s recent tour of Calcutta, official sources said here today. Bhattacharya expressed concern at the insurgency-stricken Northeast, adding that this state was also a victim of it. Bhattacharya felt that there should be a specific security policy not only for the Northeast but for West Bengal too, besides initiating strategic developmental activities for uplift of the area as a whole. (The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; January 17, 2000)

GUWAHATI, January 17: The safe passage offer given by the state government to the insurgents to enable them to visit their friends and relatives came to an end today. The chief minister, Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, today told this correspondent that the offer would not be extended again. He said that the response to the state government offer was good. However, he could not give the exact number of militants who availed of the offer and said that the government would be able to give the exact number in a day or two. Replying to a question on whether the state government would consider declaring a unilateral ceasefire to bring the insurgents to the negotiating table, the chief minister said, "We shall review the success of the safe passage offer in a day or two and then decide the future course of action" The state government first announced a safe passage offer in the last ten days of last year and the offer was extended till today to enable the insurgents to celebrate the Magh Bihu with their relatives and friends after receiving "encouraging response" from the insurgents. During the first ten days of the offer, more than 250 militants availed the offer to visit their relatives by informing the police and security forces. (Staff Reporter; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; January 18, 2000)

GUWAHATI, January 17: In a major breakthrough, the city police on Sunday night seized 10.5 kg of explosives including 7 kg of RDX in a Guwahati-bound bus from Jorabat. A top city police official said that the explosives were kept in an abandoned ginger basket inside a bus (AS-01B-4757) which was coming from Shillong. Police suspect that the explosives were brought from Bangladesh via Meghalaya by the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA). However, nobody has been arrested so far in this connection. He said that the explosives were highly powerful and could have reduced several vital installations like the Guwahati refinery into ashes within minutes. "Perhaps, the militants were bringing the explosives for some sabotage work in the city on the eve of Republic day," the official said. The explosives include three packets of plastic explosives, two remote controlled devices, eight detonators and other ammunition. The recovery of the RDX and other explosives even after tightening of the security measures throughout the state, has created ripples among the police top brass. Following the recovery, additional police pickets have been posted at all vantage points. (Staff Reporter; The Northeast Daily; Guwahati; January 18, 2000)

AGARTALA, January 17: Hundreds of Bengali women villagers blocked a highway near here to press the demand for a security camp. The agitation was in reaction to the kidnapping of three people from Melaghar police station area on Sunday night by suspected National Liberation Front of Twipra (NLFT) militants. The militants set fire to many houses in three villages of West District to create tension. The women, irked by militant activities in their villages, blocked a highway on Monday morning in Sidhai police station area, some 25 kms north of Agartala. They also demanded a permanent security camp in their locality. The agitation began on Monday morning and was continuing till last report came in. Senior police and civil officials were present at the scene of agitation. The women refused to withdraw until their demand was met. Angry agitators also damaged a police vehicle immediately. (Correspondent; The Northeast Daily; Guwahati; January 18, 2000)

AGARTALA, January 17: The erstwhile militant outfit-turned-political party, Tripura National Volunteers (TNV), has demanded banning of United Bengali Liberation Force (UBLF) alleging that UBLF was responsible for several attacks on tribals in the past few months. At least 14 tribals were killed in the attacks, including Friday's incident at Ramchandraghat in Khowai. Two tribals were killed and three were seriously injured when suspected UBLF cadres hurled powerful bombs on a jeep on Friday morning. The assailants left a note at the scene claiming responsibility for the attack. The UBLF had claimed its involvement following two other similar attacks earlier. While the authority is confused over Bengali militant outfit, tribal and other groups have raised demand on stern action against the same. The TNV urged the government to ban UBLF and take action against the outfit. In a statement TNV vice-president, Ananta Debbarma urged the government to take some measures and also ensure that the newly formed outfit could not procure arms. Sources informed that UBLF has been consolidating its hold in Sidhai, Khowai and Kalyanpur police station areas of West district. (Staff Reporter; The Northeast Daily; Guwahati; January 18, 2000)

UDALGURI, January 17: Manab Adhikar Sangram Samiti (MASS), Darrang district committee has levelled serious allegations against the ongoing harassment on innocent villagers of Bhogdal, Chamuagaon and Rowmari under Orang mouza and Orang police station. This was stated in the memorandum of the organisation. Copies of the memorandum were recently sent to the governor and chief minister of Assam, Chairman of Human Rights Commission, Assam branch, MP of Mangaldai HPC, local MLA of Mazbat LAC, chief secretary and home secretary to the government of Assam, director general of police, Assam, deputy commissioner of Darrang and the SDO (civil) of Udalguri subdivision. The memorandum alleged that both police and Army personnel have made the life of one Mohan Baglary (40) of Bhogdal village worse than ever. The organisation said Baglary is a simple farmer of Orang area and has been engaged by People’s Democratic Front (PDF), Orang regional committee, as active executive member in 1996 but later on he joined Congress and took active part in campaigning for the party during last mid-term election. The MASS alleged that Mohan Baglary was forcefully designated as an active member of National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) for last 13/14 years by the police and army and searched his residence for more than 400 times. Till date, the villagers of Bhogdal, Chamuagaon and Rowmari are being harassed by security forces. But even after conducting frequent search operations in these villages including the residence of Baglary, security forces have not been able to unearth any incriminating documents till date. (Correspondent; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; January 18, 2000)

GUWAHATI, January 18: The United states of America (USA) has evinced a keen interest in funding projects aimed at combating narco-terrorism in the northeastern states and other regions. The US government is also exploring the possibilities of entering into ties with the Indian government to extend its co-operation in containing terrorism, more particularly trans-national terrorism in the region. Two US government officials based in India are scheduled to visit the northeastern states this week to assess the ground situation of narco-trafficking to the region from the infamous Golden Triangle. Various official organs of the White House have started gathering information about the prevailing law-order-situation vis-à-vis activities of the various insurgent outfits in the Northeast. The US officials are also collecting information about the influx problem in Assam and the stands of various political parties and groups. The Mizoram government has already expressed its willingness to initiate a project to combat the menace of narco-terrorism in the state. Mizoram chief minister Zoramthanga had reportedly conveyed this to the US ambassador to India when the latter told him about the US government's interest in funding such projects provided a formal agreement is reached between India and the United States. Meanwhile, the US Consulate General Christopher J Sandrolini who is currently on a tour to the state exchanged views with senior Congress leader and the leader of the Opposition, Silvius Condopan. He also paid a visit to the state BJP headquarters discussed about the prevailing political situation in Assam with the state Bharatiya Janata Party president Narayan Chandra Barkotoki. Condopan later said that Sandrolini had wanted to know from him about the influx problem vis-à-vis the controversial Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunals) Act apart from the reasons behind the present unrest among the youths in Assam which had led to the formation of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and their insurgent activities. (Staff Reporter; The Northeast Daily; Guwahati; January 19, 2000)

NEW DELHI, January 19: Joint action to check the movement of outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) as well as other Northeast based militants, wiping out their training camps, unabated infiltration and providing transhipment facilities for goods bound for the region, are some of the key issues that are likely to figure during the first bilateral goodwill visit by minister of state for external affairs, Ajit Kumar Panja, to Bangladesh later this week. The minister’s scheduled visit from January 20 to 22 will see him meeting top leaders of Bangladesh government including the Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, and his counterpart, Abdul Basan Choudhury, among others. "The visit underscores our desire for close friendly and mutually beneficial relations with Bangladesh," a spokesman of the ministry of external affairs said. The spokesman further disclosed that the Indian foreign secretary, Lalit Man Singh has invited his counterpart for a meeting. And he is likely to come down to India shortly. Also in the pipeline is the joint working group meeting of the ministries of home affairs of both the countries that is scheduled for January 24 to 26 at Dhaka. This meeting will be followed up by a meeting between the home secretaries of both the countries in New Delhi on February 7 to 9, the spokesman added. Meanwhile several of the crucial issues particularly concerning the northeastern region are likely to figure during Panja’s visit and high among them is the issue of cross-border terrorism and illegal immigration from across the border. (Staff Correspondent; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; January 20, 2000)

SHILLONG, January 19: The Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) has denied the existence of any camp of insurgent groups from the northeastern states on Bangladesh soil. The denial came at the three-day border conference between the Border Security Force (BSF) and BDR which began here today. The BSF had sought BDR’s cooperation to counter militant activities of Northeast outfits based in Bangladesh. BSF sources here said that the attention of the BDR team was brought to the fact that militant groups like the ULFA, NDFB and the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN) were operating from Moulavi Bazar and Srimangal in Sylhet district of Bangladesh with impunity. The conference, normally held twice a year, is being held after a gap of nearly two years. The last talks were held at Sylhet in March 1998. The BDR team here is led by Brig Shah Md Mohiuddin, Deputy Director General while the BSF delegation is headed by V S Sirohi, inspector-general, BSF, Shillong. Border crimes like smuggling specially of forest products are a major concern for the BSF and the issue will be coming up prominently during the conference which concludes on January 21. BSF patrol parties have been on several occasions been attacked by groups of criminals from Bangladesh when challenged. During 1999, the BSF had arrested 183 smugglers, most of whom were involved in smuggling of forest products. Infiltration from across the border is also an agenda point of discussion between the two security forces. As many as 324 infiltrators were nabbed by the BSF last year while illegally crossing the international border. (Special Correspondent; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; January 20, 2000)

GUWAHATI, January 19: The leaders of United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) have issued instructions to the cadres of the outfit to target their ‘enemies’ on the Republic Day. Police sources said that recently one letter written to the ULFA cadres by the deputy commander-in-chief of the outfit Raju Baruah was recovered. In the letter to the cadres, the deputy commander-in-chief issued a set of instructions to be carried out on the Republic Day. In the letter, Raju Baruah instructed the cadres of the outfit to identify targets to ‘attack the enemies’ on January 26. He asked the cadres to keep in touch with Drishti Rajkhowa and Bidyut Kachari and assist them. He also called upon the cadres to "continue attacking the enemies" whenever possible. Baruah further said that the cadres should send monthly reports of their activities to the control room. He also instructed the cadres to send detailed reports on surrenders. The ULFA, along with six other militant outfits operating in the region, have already given a call to the people of the region to boycott the Republic Day and to observe a general strike on that day, and police sources pointed out that the instructions issued by the deputy commander-in-chief of the outfit proved that the outfit would try to create disturbance on the Republic Day. Police sources said that after lying low for some time, the insurgent outfit would definitely try to do something on the Republic Day, not only to make their presence felt, but also to give a boost to the morale of the cadres. (Staff Reporter; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; January 20, 2000)

GUWAHATI, January 20: The banned United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) has decided to unleash large-scale violence with instructions being issued to cadres to target their "enemies" on Republic Day, a senior police official said on Thursday. Police has recovered a letter by the outfit's deputy commander-in-chief, captain Raju Baruah, carrying instructions for the cadres to carry out disruptive activities during the run-up to the Republic Day, the police official said here. The letter also carried instructions to disrupt the Republic Day celebrations throughout the state, and to "identify and continue to target enemies whenever possible", according to the official. In the letter, the deputy commander-in-chief had also directed the cadres to keep contact with self-styled 'second lieutenant' Drishti Rajkhowa and self-styled 'Sergeant' Bidyut Kachari. The ULFA, along with six other militant outfits of the Northeast, has already given a boycott call of the Republic Day and a general strike on that day. (Press Trust of India; The Northeast Daily; Guwahati; January 21, 2000)

AGARTALA, January 20: Jawahar Saha, a Congress MLA in Tripura, has alleged that 20 Muslim women were gangraped by militants at gun point at Raibari in South Tripura district recently. "The atrocity on women was committed for days in front of the menfolk who cold not dare protest as the trigger-happy militants threatened them of creating mayhem like Panchabati," Saha said in his letter which was faxed to the Prime Minister Wednesday. Saha, a former minister, alleged that the ruling CPI(M) was trying to "hush up’ the incident and putting pressure on the victims for keeping "mum". He also expressed apprehension that the incident might spark off communal flareup in the state. Official sources said no FIR was lodged in any police station. But, Radakishorepur Police Station, under whose jurisdiction the area falls has taken a suo motu cognisance of the matter and begun investigations. (Press Trust of India; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; January 21, 2000)

womenAGARTALA, January 21: A day after police formally admitted rape of Muslim women at a South Tripura village by militants, police shot dead one of the main accused in the incident Halflong Jamatia after a brief encounter. On Thursday night, Tripura’s director general of police KTD Singh, in a statement, admitted rape of women at Muslim dominated Raiyabari village under Killa police station. Singh, however, contradicted a newspaper report which said thirty women were raped. His statement revealed name of two young housewives and a girl raped on December 25 last by two NLFT cadres – Halflong Jamatia and Afurai Jamatia. The police statement appeared amid political cry and massive media coverage over the incident. Opposition political parties demanded CBI probe into the sensational case. Congress even sought Prime Minister's intervention in the matter. The police in South Tripura was armed on Friday by a FIR lodged by one Suraj Mia, grandfather of Sumani Begam (16), who complained that Haflong and his two associates forcefully raped Sumani at gun-point some twenty five days back. Following the FIR, South Tripura additional superintendent of police Arindam Nath rushed with a police party to Raiyabari. Nath said when they were nearing the village they were fired upon by Halflong and his associates. He said police immediately retaliated killing Halflong on the spot. His associates fled the scene. Police for the first time on Friday said three "gangrape" victims of South Tripura's Raiabari had informed them of the crime "committed by a group of NLFT insurgents" and investigations in this case were continuing. Superintendent of police (operation), Joydev Das in a press statement said when asked three women of a minority community informed the police about the role of NLFT militants behind the heinous crime committed on them. Police was already continuing further investigations in the matter for which no FIR had however been filed at Radhakishorepur police station under which the area falls, he said. The investigations were initiated after taking suo motu cognisance of the matter following media reports. Das said a group of militants were using the Raiabari village as a safe hideout and befriended some locals in course of their stay. According to reports the militants, with the help of locals, gangraped the three women, he said. Meanwhile, Tripura National Volunteers (TNV) president Bijoy Kumar Hrangkhawl has lambasted militants involved in rape and molestation of women in Raiabari village in South Tripura recently. Hrangkhawl said such incident was a crime against humanity and women folk. He said, the guntoting militants involved in the atrocity on women have no right to call themselves revolutionists. They (women) are our mothers and sisters and any sort of crime against them should be stopped," Hrangkhawl said. Hrangkhawl was of the view that since the persons involved in the atrocities are underground elements it may not be easy to track them down. "But they (accused) would be "punished by people." (Staff Reporter; The Northeast Daily; Guwahati; January 22, 2000)

SHILLONG, January 21: Mizoram chief minister, Zoramthanga, on Friday said he was prepared to mediate with any insurgent groups to bring about a solution to the region's violent militancy. Zoramthanga a former rebel leader, said he would accept the role of an intermediary only if his "services were sought by to both the insurgent groups and the government of India". "I am ready to mediate only if I am acceptable to both the insurgents and the government of India", he said. On asked if he would be taking up the role of an intermediary without being officially entrusted by the centre, Zoramthanga said, "I shall be able to concentrate on other issues only after I sort out the problems in my own state, like economic development and other related subjects". (Special Correspondent; The Northeast Daily; Guwahati; January 22, 2000)

AGARTALA, January 21: The police on Friday said three "gangrape" victims of South Tripura’s Raibari had informed them of the crime "committed by a group of NLFT insurgents" and investigations in this case were continuing. Superintendent of Police (operation), Joydev Das in a press statement said when asked three women of a minority community informed the police about the role of NLFT militants behind the heinous crime committed on them. Police was already continuing further investigations in the matter for which no FIR had however been filed at Radhakishorepur police station under which the area falls, he said. The investigations were initiated after taking suo-motu cognisance of the matter following media reports. Das said a group of militants was using the Raibari village as a safe hideout and befriended some locals in course of their stay. According to reports the militants with the help of locals, gangraped the three women, he said. (Press Trust of India; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; January 22, 2000)

GUWAHATI, January 22: The Assam chief minister, Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, today said that insurgency and terrorism are national problems posing a threat to the security and integrity of the country. Addressing the meeting of the governors and chief ministers of the northeastern States, which was presided over by the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, at Shillong today, Mahanta said, "Alienation of land, mounting unemployment and a backward economy can be cited as some of the reasons for militancy in Assam." He said that extensive and porous frontier with Bangladesh and Bhutan and proximity to other insurgency affected states are some other factors contributing to the present situation. He also pointed out that most of the militant outfits have their operational bases in the neighbouring countries. The chief minister expressed the view that the Unified Command structure in Assam has been successful in dealing with insurgents and since May, 1996, about 600 militants have been killed and about 5,000 have been apprehended. He said, "the state government desires a peaceful solution to the problem. Though the lower level functionaries of the outfits in general have favoured discussions with the Government, the top level leaders are yet to show positive response." He said that in spite of such attitude of the leaders, the state government offered a safe passage to the militants, which received positive response. Mahanta said in the year 1999, as many as 913 militants came overground. However, at the same time, he called for amending the rehabilitation package as the present package is not adequate to encourage the insurgents to come to the mainstream. He suggested that to make the package more attractive, a margin money scheme should be added to it and the Centre can also announce a recruitment policy for appointing surrendered militants in the armed forces – CRPF, BSF and the PSUs. He also called upon the Centre to launch special recruitment drives in Assam. The chief minister said that the designs of the Pakistani Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) to create disturbance has added a new dimension to the problem of insurgency in the State. He said that there is strong evidence to suggest direct link between the ISI and the terrorist groups operating in the State. He said that to contain the activities of the ISI, the government of India may consider empowering the state under Foreign Contribution Act to ensure proper inspection, audit and utilities of foreign funds. The chief minister also called for a grant of Rs 446 crore for the modernisation of the police force, the proposal for which has already been submitted to the Centre. He said that the guidelines for reimbursement of the security related expenditure should be amended to include POL among the expenditures and stressed the need for strengthening the GRP to guard the railway lines. (Staff Reporter; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; January 23, 2000)

SHILLONG, January 22: The Tripura chief minister, Manik Sarkar, has asked the Centre to prevail on Bangladesh to either destroy the camps or insurgent outfits like the National Liberation Front of Twipra (NLFT) and All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) in that country or allow joint operations by security forces of the two neighbours to demolish the camps. Citing intelligence reports and interrogation of surrendered militants and others, Sarkar said, "It is clearly established that the NLFT and ATTF have established camps in Bangladesh. The location of such camps in Bangladesh provides a tactical advantage to the militants to strike and retreat," he said at a meeting with governors and chief ministers of the region at Hotel Pinewood yesterday. Sarkar has urged the Centre to make up for the neglect and loss of the past by giving the northeastern states more than just the due share of the total investment in the country. "The investment in the region, in the past, by the Union government or from private sectors was much below the desired level," he said. Sarkar made a strong plea for a time-barred implementation of the recommendations of the Shukla Commission after reprioritisation of the suggestions. Pointing out that implementation of the recommendations will not be feasible within the Plan outlays of the States, he urged the Prime Minister to earmark separate allocation for the same. (Bedabrata Lahkar; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; January 23, 2000)

AGARTALA, January 22: The banned National Liberation Front of Twipra (NLFT) guerrillas gunned down five people, including four CRPF jawans, shot at seven others and looted arms in Dhalai district today. Police sources said the militants ambushed a Central Reserve Police Force party, which was escorting an Ambassa-bound passenger vehicles, killing four jawans and the civilian driver on the spot. Before leaving, the militants took away four sophisticated arms and as many grenades from the slain jawans. Seven injured jawans were shifted to the hospital. Senior police and paramilitary officials along with additional security forces have rushed to the spot and launched a combing operation to nab the militants. The slain jawans — A Lance Nayak and three constables — have been identified. The jawans could not properly retaliate the attack as the militants sprayed bullets from either sides of hill tops. The incident occurred at Barabari under Gandachara police station, about 100 km away from here, at about 7.15 am. This is the second major attack this year by the militants and first on the security forces. On January 8 tribal guerrillas shot dead five people and injured four at Karangichara under Khowai sub division in west district. The authorities have sounded a special alert and asked the security forces in north and Dhalai districts to maintain strict vigil and intensify counter insurgency operation. (United News of India; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; January 23, 2000)

GUWAHATI, January 23: The Border Security Force (BSF) and Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) have expressed concern at the growing activities of the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) of Pakistan along the international border and decided to step up vigilance to curb its activities. The decision was taken at a high-level four-day long biennial security meeting between India and Bangladesh which concluded in Shillong on January 21 last. The meeting which was attended by the inspectors-general of the BSF VS Sirohi and VC Goel besides deputy inspectors-general of the Northeast states discussed in details about the reported intrusion of four ISI members across the Indo-Bangladesh border and urged the Bangladesh delegation to initiate action in this regard. The Bangladesh delegation, which was led by the deputy director-general of the BDR, Brigadier Shah Md Moiuddin also expressed concern of the ongoing activities of the ISI members along the international border and assured full help to the BSF to contain their activities. (Staff Reporter; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; January 24, 2000)

GUWAHATI, January 23 : In stepped-up militant violence, suspected National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) militants burnt down two buses and damaged another bus and a truck at Garopara under Bogaribari police station of Dhubri district in the wee hours of Sunday, while suspected ULFA militants blew up an gas pipeline of the Oil India Limited at Jaipur near Duliajan on Saturday night. Meanwhile, the city police recovered has recovered 1.5 quintals of explosives from Kalitakuchi village of Sonapur in the outskirts of Guwahati and arrested two persons late Saturday night. Police said that suspected ULFA rebels blew the exposed pipeline which is located on the back-side of Jaipur OCS (oil collecting station) and just 3 K.M. away from the Jaipur police station. (However, a PTI report says that an LPG pipeline caught fire due to high pressure about half a kilometre from Joypur police station on Saturday night.) The pipeline caught fire after the blast which blew up a metre of the line, causing extensive damage to the OIL site and also made a dent in the nearby parallel oil pipeline. A high-power transmission line was also damaged. The fire was put off after midnight with the help of fire tenders from Naharkatia and Duliajan. (Staff Reporter/Correspondent; The Northeast Daily; Guwahati; January 24, 2000)

IMPHAL, January 23: Altogether 10 people including five women and two CRPF jawans were seriously injured and ruling Manipur state Congress Party office was severely damaged in separate explosions in the state capital on Saturday. Official sources said a powerful bomb planted in a car in front of the MSCP office went off at 3.15 pm injuring eight people — mostly party workers including five women. Half of the office was completely destroyed in the blast. In another blast at 9 am at Lamshang area, about 15 km west of here, two CRPF jawans were seriously injured. Deputy chief minister Leishangthem Chandramani Singh who visited MSCP office soon after the blast instructed the police to provide security to all party offices with immediate effect. chief minister W Nipamacha Singh was away in Shillong to attend a meeting of chief minister s and governors of northeastern states with the Prime Minister. Police was investigating to find out whether RDX was used because the car in which the bomb was planted was thrown away by at least thirty feet. They were also probing the involvement of hill-based and valley-based underground organisations. A joint operation has also not been ruled out. The car bore a Delhi number and some youths who came by the car spoke a Naga language and they were accompanied by one or two Meitei youths, eye witnesses said. This was the second blast reported in the party complex after September last bomb explosion by a valley-based underground group. (Press Trust of India; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; January 24, 2000)

GUWAHATI, January 24: The United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) received a severe blow as a top leader has disassociated himself from the organisation and came overground, official sources said. Lohit Deori, who was chief supervisor of the banned organisation, severed his relations with the organisation recently following serious differences with other top leaders of the organisation. Deori was a student leader when he joined the organisation in 1984. He was one of the first batch of ULFA members who went for arms training in Kachin in 1986. In '88, he took charge as commandant of the arms wing in Nalbari. (United News of India; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; January 24, 2000)

IMPHAL, January 24: A high-level security meeting on Sunday reviewed the law-and-order situation in view of the stepped up underground activities in Manipur barely three weeks before the February state assembly polls, official sources said. The meeting, which was presided over by state director-general of police, Leireniam Jugeswar Singh, expressed concern over the intensified underground attacks at public places, they said. Saturday’s bomb blast in the office complex of ruling Manipur State Congress Party also figured in the security meeting, which also discussed intensification of patrolling at all vulnerable points at Imphal and surrounding areas, they said. The meeting, attended by senior police and security officials, also decided to take extra precautionary security measures in view of the militant-sponsored boycott call of Republic Day celebrations in the Northeast, including Manipur, they said. Earlier, a senior police official said the blast in the MSCP office complex was intended to disrupt the assembly poll process now under way in the State. The bomb, planted by undergrounds, was not only intended to cause panic and fear among political workers but also targeted to cause maximum casualty among political workers and destruction, he told PTI (Press Trust of India; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; January 25, 2000)

GUWAHATI, January 27: Any person giving any information facilitating the arrest of the accused in Sanjoy Ghose murder case will be rewarded by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) at the rate of Rs 50,000 for each of the wanted persons, said a CBI release here today. The accused include, Bhaskar Baruah, alias Mridul Hazarika, son of late Khageswar Baruah of village Ratanpur, Majuli, Phatik Hatimota, alias Saikia, son of Dimbeswar Hatimota of village Bangaon, Majuli, Pradip Baruah, alias Rajib Das, son of Thaneswar Baruah of village Pakajra, Majuli, Anjan Borthakur, alias Khirod Bhuyan of Bongaon, Majuli, Babu Saikia, alias Trideeb Dutta, son of late Modoi Saikia of Bongaon, Majuli and Paresh Baruah, son of Dwijen Baruah of Jeraichukali, Bhariagaon, Chabua in Dibrugarh district. (Staff Reporter; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; January 28, 2000)

SHILLONG, January 27: A policeman was killed and a superintendent of police injured when militants belonging to the Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) ambushed a patrol party at Mawlai Nonglum in the city on the Republic Day eve, official sources said. The militants opened fire at the police patrol party from AK-47 and M-16 rifles around 9.30 pm on January 25 injuring an armed branch constable, BG Momin and Superintendent of Police, fire services, H Marbaniang. The patrol party immediately returned the fire but the militants managed to escape under cover of darkness. Momin died on way to the hospital. His body was yesterday taken to his home in Mendipathar in Garo Hills district. Police said that the identity of 4 militants involved in the ambush has been established. (Special Correspondent; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; January 28, 2000)

Guwahati, January 27: Suspected militants gunned down three persons, blew up two electric towers and a gas pipeline, detonated a bomb and engaged in encounter with security forces in separate incidents of violence in different parts of the state on Republic Day. Suspected National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) rebels gunned down three woodcutters near the Nangalbhanga river at Narayanguri under Kokrajhar district on Wednesday morning. The woodcutters – Motleb Ali (65), Kamaluddin (45) and Aftab Ali (78) – went to the reserve forest near the river to cut wood when the rebels gunned them down from close range. Police rushed to the spot soon and recovered three empty cartridges of AK-47 rifle from the spot. Combing operations were launched to nab own the culprits. No one had been arrested till the filing of this report. In another incident, militants blew up a portion of 132 KV Gossaigaon-Gauripur single circuit electric tower with remote-control devices at Joldapara in Dhubri district on Wednesday night. Militants also blew up another tower of the Power Grid Corporation at Gharagaon on Darrang district on Thursday morning. Meanwhile, suspected United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) militants blew up a gas pipeline of the Oil India Limited at Gathupathar in Sasoni under Naharkatia police station in Dibrugarh district on Wednesday night. The line carried gas from the Salmari oilfield to the gas collecting station number one. In another incident, a hardcore ULFA militant was killed by security forces in an encounter in the upper-Dihing range of the Lakhipathar reserve forest of the district on Thursday. (Staff Reporter/Correspondents; The Northeast Daily; Guwahati; January 28, 2000)

AGARTALA, January 27: Twelve persons, including two children, have been kidnapped by armed National Liberation Front of Twipra (NLFT) militants from two different places in Tripura, police said here on Tuesday. A group of about 25 armed insurgents raided Sadhuchandrapara under Fatikroy police station of North Tripura district on Monday evening and kidnapped 11 persons including a student of class four, the police said. Enraged by the incident, a group of people set ablaze three tribal huts in the area. A large contingent of state police and Tripura state Rifles (TSR) rushed to the spot to defuse tension. In a separate incident, a group of militants raided a house at Patichhari in South Tripura district on Monday night and kidnapped a girl student of class five. The militants also injured her elder sister with gunshots when she tried to resist, police said. (Press Trust of India; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; January 28, 2000)

NEW DELHI, January 27: In a bid to achieve optimum results in combating insurgency in the Northeast, Prime Minister’s Conference on Security in Shillong has decided that Army, paramilitary forces and the state police from now would act in synergy and not independently, it was officially stated on Monday. An additional amount of Rs 1,420 crore would be pumped in by the Centre to allow these states to effectively fight insurgency and infiltration from across India’s eastern borders, an official spokesman told reporters here. The Centre has also decided to sanction an additional Rs 1,335 crore for building roads and bridges along the 4,094-km-long Indo-Bangladesh border and construct border fencing. "It is hoped that these measures will help in effectively sealing the porous border and curb Bangladeshi infiltration and movement of insurgents in the region," he said, adding, only certain riverine, forest and marshy areas would be left out. The two-day conference, chaired by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, was attended among others by home minister LK Advani, defence minister George Fernandes, finance minister Yashwant Sinha, Planning Commission deputy chairman KC Pant and governors and chief minister s of the seven northeastern states and Sikkim. (The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; January 28, 2000)

GUWAHATI, January 29: The Assam Police now has definite proof of the Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) supplying plastic explosives like the RDX to the insurgent groups operating in Assam to carry out subversive activities, highly placed police sources said. Recently, police recovered 10.50 kgs of plastic explosives including RDX and PEK from the Sonapur area in the outskirts of Guwahati city. Sources said that the explosives were brought from Bangladesh by the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) to carry out subversive activities in three districts of Kamrup, Nalbari and Barpeta on the Republic Day but due to timely recovery of the explosives the danger was averted. Police sources said that unlike the conventional explosives like gelatine, the plastic explosives are not found easily as these are made by only a handful countries of the world including India and Pakistan. Sources revealed that the laboratory tests proved that the plastic explosives recovered so far from the militants were not made in Assam, but these were made in Pakistan. Though the explosives generally recovered from the militants in Assam were brought through Bangladesh, those must have been brought from Pakistan as Bangladesh does not make plastic explosives. It may be mentioned here that just a few days before the Independence Day last year, a joint team of Assam and West Bengal police recovered large amount of plastic explosives from a place near the Indo-Bangladesh border. (Staff Reporter; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; January 30, 2000)

AGARTALA, January 29: Tension prevailed in Chelikhola and neighbouring villages of West Tripura district following torching of shops and huts by tribal insurgents and counter attack by non-tribals while a CRPF camp was raided by NLFT militants, police today said. A group of armed insurgents raided the Chelikhola market under Bishalgarh police station and set ablaze a few shops and houses last night but fled when a police patrol arrived. Enraged by the incident, a group of non-tribal people then attacked tribal inhabited areas of the village and neighbouring four villages setting fire to at least 50 huts, police said. Superintendent of police Rajib Singh and additional SP Pradip Paul rushed to the spot with reinforcement and launched a combing operation. The situation was stated to be under control. Meanwhile, a group of NLFT militants attacked Dataram village market and adjacent CRPF camp in the same district yesterday. The jawans retaliated the attack by opening fire. No injury was reported from either side in the 15-minute-long encounter, police said. There was tension in the area and about 100 people fled. Police intensified their patrol to maintain peace. (Press Trust of India; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; January 30, 2000)

GUWAHATI, January 30 — The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 4 Corps, Lt Gen D B Shekatkar, who is the operational head of the United Command Structure in Assam, said that killing of insurgents is not the solution to the problem of insurgency and stressed the need for adopting a multi-pronged strategy for rooting out insurgency. Shekatkar pointed out that killing of a few insurgents would not solve the problem of insurgency and "we have to find out the root cause of the problem and try to solve it." He said that efforts should be made to motivate the militants to give up the wrong path as "after all they are our own brothers and we should try to bring them back to the mainstream." Shekatkar revealed that many of the youths have joined the militant outfits not because they follow the ideology of the outfits but because of economic factors. He expressed the view that efforts should be made by all concerned to provide meaningful self-employment avenues to the youths of the state so that they are not lured away by the insurgent outfits and go in the wrong path. (R Dutta Choudhury; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; January 31, 2000)

IMPHAL, January 31: Even as hectic preparations for the Assembly elections in Manipur are in progress, various militant organisations have also become active by launching a series of attacks on ministers at various places. Higher education minister Moirangthem Kumar and tourism and family welfare minister M Babu Singh escaped militants’ attacks at their own home grounds on Saturday. M Kumar had a great escape on Saturday night around 8.40 when suspected insurgents lobbed a hand grenade at his residence here at Sagolband Salam Leikai, about 4 km from Imphal police station. The Manipur Rifles personnel opened five rounds of fire during the incident. The grenade exploded near the main house of the Minister. It was not immediately known if the youths had suffered any injuries. The bomb damaged one car and a Gypsy parked near the house of the Minister. Meanwhile, according to a different version, M Babu Singh survived an assassination attempt on Saturday by a combined party of KYKL(O) and the NSCN(I-M) near Wangoo Nupa Marup in Thoubal district. One of the minister’s workers was killed on the spot. The attackers, however, decamped with seven guns and assorted ammunition from the escort party of the minister. The incident took place at Wangoo while the minister was hoisting party flag during a campaign for the forthcoming elections. It is also said that the villagers, who were not pleased with the unkempt promises, pelted stones and disrupted the function. At this the security guards beat up three villagers. Enraged by it, hundreds of persons surged towards the minister. The minister immediately jumped into a car and sped away from the scene. Seven guards also followed the minister’s vehicle. But four police personnel, who could not make it, had been overpowered by the villagers, sources said. All the four persons were badly mauled by the irate villagers. (Correspondent; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; February 1, 2000)