The recent ethnic carnages in Karbi Anglong must be taken more seriously than the politicians of Assam (and of course, New Delhi) would like one to. The killing of 28 (till the last count) non-Karbis by Karbi militants must be seen not as a mere law and order problem problem caused by some youths gone astray. The ghastly incidents must be perceived from the point of view of the ethnic imbroglio that the Northeast is.

There have been too many gory precedents in the region so as not to apprehend the turn that the Karbi situation might take. The killings of Bengalis/Muslims/Santhals in the Bodo areas. The massacres of Bengalis in Tripura's tribal areas. Outsiders have been at the receiving end, and not surprisingly so. Killings cannot be justified, but such acts can be and should be understood.

But not if politicians can help it. Already, the Autonomous State Demand Committee and the Asom Gana Parishad have seen the unbiquitous Congress hand in the upsurge of violence. And the Bharatiya Janata Party is conviniently twiddling its thumbs because it has not yet seen a religious angle in the recent killings as yet. The United Peoples Democratic Solidarity, coalesced by the Karbi National Volunteers and the Karbi People's Front, has already been branded an extremist, secessionist outfit which is being remote-controlled by the National Socialist Council of Nagalim.

Very soon some proof might surface that these are essentially a ragtag group of extortionists working at the behest of the Inter Services Intelligence. Even if all this were true, the purpose of the politicians would have been solved anyway. Digressions solve the purpose of reaping cheap political capital. The issue is reduced to a subject of academic debate for sociologists, anthropologists and journalists.

But so far none of these demagogues have even dared to say how the demographic equations are fast changing in Karbi Anglong. Very soon the swarming Bangladeshis would have far outnumbered the hapless Karbis. And the Nepalis would be the second-largest ethnic chunk. Every one is aware of the demographic turnnaround achieved by Bangladeshi Muslims in Assam. They are the majority in certain pockets of many other Northeast states. Not many have a word to say about the Nepalis either. Perhaps Hindus cannot be outsiders or foreigners.

The overground groups trying to mobilise opinion on the aliens' issue have been too moderate. Bandhs, demonstrations and processions are not going to stop the Bangladeshis from trooping in. If these groups have not realised it yet, they never will. The euphoria over the Assam movement has long died down. It has also shown that agreements do not necessarily yield results at the ground level. Some people resort to violent means because that is the only form of primeval communication know. But then there are others who resort to the forceful way of communicating when moderate, peaceful methods fail.

Ethnic carnages have, by and large, been the sole domain of militant groups. But the Northeast is also witness to one major incident that was not -- Nellie, 1983. Why is it that only bloodbaths bring grassroots issues to the fore? Even these are ephemeral in their own way. The orphans and kin of victims of Nellie are still written about. What has been forgotten is the anger of the Lalungs.
In a democracy, it is the people who are supposed to matter. But the Indian democratic setup seems hell-bent on pushing the people of the Northeast where the Kalyanpurs and Kokrajhars will be a thing of the past. The Nellies are bound to make a comeback. Maybe not today. But tomorrow, most likely, yes.

GUWAHATI, April 20: At least eleven persons belonging to Nepali community were gunned down in two villages under Baithalangshu police station in Karbi Anglong hill district by militants belonging to the United Peoples' Democratic Solidarity (UPDS) yesterday. Police sources said here that a group of heavily armed militants went to the east Umlaiphar village at around 10 am yesterday and gunned down three persons - Dhan Bahadur Basnet, Bahadur Kathwal and Keshar Kathwal. In the evening, the same group of armed militants raided the west Umlaiphar village and started indiscriminate firing, killing eight persons including two minors on the spot. Those killed in the incident have been identified as Prabhuram Dohal, Motilal Dohal, Ganesh Dohal, Ghanashyam Dohal, Bhim Prasad Dohal, Ganesh Shyam Dohal, Kasiram Dohal and Gobinda Dohal. The militants also set ablaze 20 houses in the village. Sources said that the UPDS has been formed recently after two militant outfits - Karbi National Volunteers and the Karbi Peoples' Front (KPF) and the outfit is being backed by the Issac - Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN). Though the motive behind the massacre is not yet known, police suspects that it was an effort by the insurgents to resort to ethnic cleansing. As the incident occurred in a remote place, the police came to know about it much later. However, senior police officials rushed to the spot to launch a combing operation in the area. It may be mentioned here that it was the second major massacre by the militants in Karbi Anglong within this month. On April 9, eleven labourers of a timber merchant were gunned down by militants at Longetshu forest area. (Staff Reporter; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; April 21, 2000)

DIPHU, April 20: To demand for immediate introduction of an autonomous state bill for Karbi Anglong and NC Hills in the current Parliament session, the Karbi Students' Association (KSA) and Dimasa Students' Union (DSU) have jointly chalked out an agitational programme on April 27 in New Delhi. The KSA and DSU leaders here on Wednesday accused the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government of failing to take into account the demand for autonomous state as per the constitutional provision of Article 244 (a). The KSA and DSU members and leaders would be participating in the programme, they added. (PTI; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; April 21, 2000)

GUWAHATI, April 21: Tension runs high in East and West Umplaipher villages in Karbi Anglong district where eleven persons belonging to Nepali community were mowed down by militants of United People's Democratic Solidarity (UPDS) on Wednesday afternoon. Official sources informed that vigilance has been intensified by security forces in the area to prevent recurrence of similar incidents. Additional companies of CRPF and Assam Police Battalion personnel have been deployed while more security personnel are being rushed in to the troubled area. The industry minister, Gunin Hazarika and border areas development minister, Binod Gowala today visited East and West Umlaipher villages to take stock of the situation there. The Karbi Anglong district administration is still confused over the motive of the militants involved in the massacre. Sources in the district however, said it would be premature to term the killings as ethnic cleansing by Karbi ultras. Wednesday's massacre was the second incident in the hill district within a fortnight. Earlier, on April 9 last militants of Karbi National Volunteers shoot dead eleven labourers belonging to different communities at Langetshu area inside Dhansiri Reserve Forest in the district. Meanwhile, police have picked up as many as 15 persons for interrogation in connection with Wednesday's killings. The bodies of eleven victims were handed over to their respective families after post-mortem was completed. UPDS is a newly-floated outfit which is a combine of Karbi National Volunteers (KNV) and Karbi People's Force (KPF). It is suspected that the UPDS is backed by NSCN(IM) militants who provide the Karbi ultras with training and arms. Police suspects that the UPDS is trying to show off their strength through mindless killing of innocent people following surrender by 77 KNV militants before the state authority in the forecourts of historic Ranghar in Sivasagar district on April 4 last. Both the KNV and the KPF have been operating in Karbi Anglong and North Cachar Hill districts for several years. However, it is not clear what these outfits are fighting for. These Karbi militants have not come out with their demands so far. Though these ultras have been involved in incidents of killing, extortion and abduction in the hill districts, the state government is yet to move for imposing ban on the KNV and KPF or their combine, the UPDS. The Autonomous State Demand Committee (ASDC) and Karbi Students Association (KSA) have been demanding imposition of ban on both KNV and KPF in view of their growing activities. The matter had come up for discussion in the state Assembly on several occasions in the past. (Staff Reporter; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; April 22, 2000)

GUWAHATI, April 22: The Assam Chief Minister, Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, today said that the state government was considering to request the centre to impose ban on Karbi militant outfits - Karbi National Volunteers (KNV) and Karbi People's Force (KPF) - in view of escalation of violence perpetrated by these two outfits in the hill district under the banner of their joint platform United People's Democratic solidarity (UPDS). Talking to newsmen here this afternoon, the Chief Minister said it would be too early to term recent killing of non-Karbi persons by these militant outfits as ethnic cleansing. He said the government was in possession of different information relating to recent massacres in Karbi Anglong, which are under scrutiny. Mahanta informed that the state government had provided the Union government with documentary evidence to convince it about the sinister design of Pakistani ISI to create disturbance and instability in the state as well as the entire Northeast region. The Centre has been apprised that the ISI is involved in training and arming extremist outfits operating in the region. The state government has requested the Centre to chalk out emergency action plan to counter the grave threat posed by the ISI to the unity, integrity, peace and age-old harmony in the region. The Chief Minister claimed that the Centre was convinced about the dangerous activities of the ISI in the region and had given assurance to take a decision soon to defeat the Pakistani agency's design. The state government has also impressed upon the Centre about the urgency to take up rehabilitation measures to settle all members of militant outfits who have come overground in order to lead a normal life. It has been pointed out to the Centre that 'half-hearted' attention and haphazard manner in which the matter of rehabilitation of surrendered militants were taken up during the previous government resulted in bringing out a lot of complexities rather than solving the problem, the CM informed. In view of the growing unemployment problem in the state, the government has requested the defence ministry to ensure absorption of more youths from the state in the three Services. The Chief Minister said that the defence minister's response to the request was very positive. The state government has also urged the Centre to set up a regional Army headquarter in Guwahati. The Chief Minister informed that the Union Information and Broadcasting minister Arun Jaitley had promised to take necessary steps to introduce a separate channel for the Northeast by Doordarshan. The proposed channel will aim at projecting the rich and diverse cultural spectrum of the region in order to promote a sense of unity and national integration in the minds of the people of the region which is reeling under several secessionist movements launched by various insurgents outfits for decades. (Staff Reporter; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; April 23, 2000)

SHILLONG, April 23: The Army is planning a military operation against Karbi National Volunteers soon following sudden spurt in violence. At least 22 people were massacred during the past fortnight in Karbi-Anglong district. General officer in commanding of 4 Corps, also the operational head of unified command, DB Shekatkar told reporters here that the Army operation would be carried out in selective areas of the hill district in the initial stage. Asked to give reasons why the KNV, which recently merged with the Karbi People's Front forming a new platform namely the United People's Democratic Solidarity, suddenly became so active in the district, killing about 22 people during the past two weeks, Lieutenant General Shekatkar said, "with the declaration of ceasefire in Nagaland, the KNV is not receiving any help from the NSCN now." "So to prove its existence, they are trying to create law and order crisis in the area," he averred. Gen. Shekatkar stressed on banning the organisation, saying, "it is easier to launch an operation against the banned outfit." At present the Assam police and CRPF personnel were jointly operating in the hills district. Even Assam chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta in a press conference in Guwahati on Saturday said he had urged the Centre to ban the KNV. The general also said the Karbi populace were now apprehensive that their identity would be at stake in future as there had been large-scale infiltration from both Bangladesh and Nepal during the past few years. He termed the latest mowing down of the Nepalis as "ethnic cleansing." He, however, said the people would have to react to the killings and should come out openly to protest against such violence. A senior politician from Diphu (Assam) told over phone that the KNV had of late chosen Hojai sub-division of Nagaon district as their base primarily to collect money. He said since Hojai was dominated by the Bangladeshi nationals and also known as business centre, so neither was there any major police nor military operation in that area. (UNI; The Asian Age; New Delhi; April 24, 2000)

GUWAHATI, April 24: Escalating violence in the hill district of Karbi Anglong claimed six more lives last night taking the toll of the victims to twenty-eight in the fortnight since April 9 last. Six non-Karbi labourers, employed at a cane mahal at Akhoiphuta village in Chowkihola under Bokajan police station in the hill district, were gunned down by suspected United People's Democratic Solidarity (UPDS) militants at around 8.30 last night. Police sources informed that a group of six to seven heavily armed ultras lined up the labourers engaged in the cane mahal at gun-point before opening indiscriminate fire on them. Five of the labourers were killed on the spot while another died on way to the nearest health centre. However, several labourers managed to escape the fury of the marauding militants. Three houses where the labourers used to stay, were burnt to ashes by the militants. The incident site is located at a very remote area about 75 kilometre away from Shantipur outpost under Bokajan police station. Police received the information about the incident this morning when a person from the violence-hit area came to inform about the massacre. A police team was rushed to the spot in the morning after receiving the information. However, it was informed that the combing operation in the area was hit by incessant rain today and inhospitable terrain, source informed. It is the third incident of massacre within a fortnight in the hill district. On April 9 last 11 labourers were mowed down by the UPDS at Langetshu inside Dhansiri Forest while on April 19 last the same militant outfit gunned down 11 Nepali persons in two separate incidents at east and west Umlaipher area. UPDS pledge : It is learnt from intelligence sources that the UPDS which was formed recently combining Karbi National Volunteers (KNV) and Karbi People's Front (KPF) outfits, observed its Raising Day on March 22 last somewhere in Karbi Anglong hills. In his Raising Day address, the secretary general of the UPDS, Habe Ingti Kathar promised to protest the rights of indigenous Karbi people and their land from the onslaught of outsiders. He also stated that the UPDS would not tolerate any bid to proliferate Kuki or Boroland movement in Karbi Anglong. The organisation issued a press release in Karbi Anglong in this regard. It is for the first time the Karbi militant organisation has stated its intention. Of late, there have been allegations from different quarters including the Autonomous State Demand Committee and the Karbi Students Association (KSA) that the UPDS is being backed by the NSCN(IM) ultras taking advantage of the ceasefire signed by it with the Union government way back in August 1997. (Staff Reporter; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; April 25, 2000)

GUWAHATI, April 24 - The Congress is overtly patronising extremist violence in both Karbi Anglong and North Cachar (NC) Hills districts of the state, while the other two ruling parties, -AGP and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are tacitly approving extremist activities in these two districts, only with the sole object of derailing the Autonomous State Demand Committee (ASDC)-led popular democratic movement on the demand for Autonomous state, reiterated ASDC general secretary and MLA Holiram Terang. Terang, who was addressing a press conference at the Guwahati Press Club here this morning, also apprised the newsmen that the ASDC, Karbi Students' Association (KSA) and Dimasa Students' Union (DSU) have jointly called a 24-hour Karbi Anglong and NC Hills bandh from 5 am of April 26 next in protest against the killing of 24 persons by the Karbi National Volunteers (KNV) and Karbi People's Force (KPF) at Langesto, Langsoliet and Umlaper. Describing the April 19 killing of 11 innocent persons at Umlaper, under Baithalangsu PS, by the militants belonging to the United People's Democratic Solidarity (UPDS) - a joint platform of KNV and KPF, as a retaliation by the militants of the resistance offered to them by the Umlaper villagers about two yeas back in which the hands of an extremist were chopped off and the extremist was handed over to the police by the villagers, Terang said that had the government complied with the demand of the ASDC, KSA and DSU to provide free fire arms to the villagers of extremist-affected areas, such a tragedy could have been resisted. He also demanded that if the government can not give arms to the people of extremist-affected areas then at least licences for the arms should be issued to these people and the arms should be procured with the fund meant for the Autonomous Councils. In view of the threats from the extremists, the ASDC, KSA and the DSU have also decided to form Village Defence Committees and strengthen the People's Guard, Terang said. Moreover, he said, that the ASDC, KSA and DSU demand of the government to provide free arms and training to the Village Defence Committees in line with Jammu and Kashmir. But, even if all such measures are adopted the eventual way out of this imbroglio will be the handing over of law and order to the Autonomous Councils of the districts, he said. Cong-ultra link : The KNV-KPF which were raised in the eighties have no clear cut aims and today these two extremist outfits have been acting only as the armed wings of the Congress(I). They are the new editions of the KAASDOCOM and KANCHASDCOM floated years back by the Congress to counter the Autonomous state demand movement led by ASDC, KVA and DSU. Though these three organisations have been bringing to the notice of the government repeatedly, the links between the Congress and the militant outfits in the two districts, the state government has been turning a deaf ear to all such complaints and as a result situation in the districts has deteriorated, Terang alleged, adding, even the demands for setting up a full-fledged police station at Umlaper and strengthening the Ulukunchi police out post have also fell on deaf ears. Naming Congress leaders Biren Singh Ingti, Sarsing Bongrung and GC Langthasa, among others, as the persons patronising extremist activities in the two districts, Terang also alleged that the Congress office at Amser under Baithalangsu PS is still used by the UPDS as its office and claimed that a search in the residence of Sarsing Bongrung will serve as an eye opener in matters related to Congress(I)-UPDS links. He also said that the NSCN(IM) and the ULFA have also been using the KNV-KPF to ensure a regular income from Karbi Anglong and the Dima Halong Douga (DHD) in NC Hills for the same purpose, besides spreading their tentacles. The Congress is also spreading its tentacles to all the areas like the very inaccessible Chingthong area under Baithalangsu PS, where the UPDS is establishing its sway, Terang said, adding, the ideological meeting point of these militant outfits, Congress(I), AGP and BJP is nothing but political opportunism. (Staff Reporter; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; April 25, 2000)

SHILLONG, April 24: The Army is contemplating military operation against Karbi National Volunteers soon following sudden spurt in violence. At least 22 people were massacred during the past fortnight in Karbi Anglong district. DB Shekatkar, general officer commanding of 4 Corps, also the operational head of Unified Command, told UNI here on Saturday that Army operation would be carried out in selective areas of the hill district in the initial stage. Asked to give reasons why the KNV, which recently merged with the Karbi People's Front (KPF) forming a new platform namely the United People's Democratic Solidarity (UPDS), suddenly became so active in the district, Shekatkar said: "with the declaration of ceasefire in Nagaland, the KNV is not receiving any help from the NSCN now. So to prove its existence, they are trying to create law-and-order crisis in the area", he averred. Shekatkar stressed on banning the organisation saying: "It is easier to launch operation against the banned outfit". At present Assam Police and CRPF personnel were jointly operating in the hills district. Even Assam Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta in a press conference in Guwahati Saturday said he had urged the Centre to ban the KNV. He also said the Karbi populace were now apprehensive that their identity would be at stake in future as there had been large-scale infiltration from both Bangladesh and Nepal during the past few years. Shekatkar termed the latest mowing down of the Nepalis as 'ethnic cleansing' and said that the people would have to react to the killings and should come out openly to protest such violence. A senior politician from Diphu (Assam) told UNI over phone that the KNV had of later chosen Hojai sub-division of Nagaon district as their base primarily to collect money. He said since Hojai was dominated by the Bangladeshi nationals and also known as business centre, so neither was there any major police nor military operation in the area. Taking that opportunity, the KNV in collaboration with some local ULFA cadres were engaged in collecting money. Meanwhile, report said the UPDS, which killed 22 people, had disowned 67 Karbi militants, who surrendered in Upper Assam's Sivasagar district early this month. All the 67 militants supposedly belonged to the KNV. (UNI; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; April 25, 2000)

GUWAHATI, April 25: The Autonomous State Demand Committee (ASDC) NC Hills District Committee and the Dimasa Students' Union (DSU) have alleged in a white paper on insurgency in NC Hills that Congress which is facing alienation from the masses of the people in the hill district in the wake of the popular democratic movement on the demand for an Autonomous state, has been sponsoring insurgent activities in the hill district. The white paper was released by Jyotirmoy Khersa, president of the NC Hills District Committee of the ASDC at a press conference at the Guwahati Press Club here this morning. The move to vitiate the political atmosphere in the district was initiated by former Congress minister of the state GC Langthasa by raising the demand for Dimaraji at Harangajao in 1993. And the Dimasa National Security Force (DNSF) was also floated by the desperate Congress leaders precisely at this time to smash the ASDC, DSU and the North Cachar Hills Students' Front (NCHSF)-led Autonomous state demand movement, the white paper alleged. All Dimasa Students' Union (ADSU) and Dimaraji Revival Demand Committee (DRDC) were also floated by the Congress to effect a rift among the people of NC Hills. Interestingly, one Bharat Langthasa from Nagaland was made the head of the DNSF and 90 per cent of the DNSF, ADSU and DRDC were from places outside the NC Hills, the white paper said. However, the DNSF was mainly engaged in Mmustering support to the Congress in general and to G C Langthasa in particular. Administrative patronage was also provided to the DNSF in matters of purchase of arms. The DNSF nexus with the Congress came to the open when Bharat Langthasa made a startling disclosure before his interrogators after his arrest in March 1994, the white paper said, adding, but no action was taken against the Congress leaders by the state administration and Bharat Langthasa was made to "surrender". Later on the insurgent outfit Dima Halam Daoga (DHD) came to the fore with the help of the NSCN(IM) and in October 1995 Congress Executive Member of the NC Hills Autonomour District council Samir Kemprai was killed by the DHD at Maibang. Kemprai was reportedly a treasurer of the DHD and the outfit killed him for his allegedly misappropriating the DHD fund. And, significantly the Congress did never raise a voice of protest against the incident of killing of Kemprai, the white paper said. The Congress also remained a mute spectator when the DHD killed an ASDC supporter at Sengyungpur village and burnt down the house of the chairman of the NC Hills Autonomous Council. The DHD by now has joined United People's Democratic Solidarity (UPDS), a joint platform consisting of Karbi National Volunteers (KNV) and Karbi People's Front (KPF), - the other two militant outfits sponsored by the Congress. The Congress organising secretary for NC Hills district is also on record that the Congress leaders used to go to Dimapur for negotiation with the insurgent outfits during the Parliamentary and Assembly elections, the white paper claimed, among others. (Staff Reporter; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; April 26, 2000)

NEW DELHI, April 27: Over twenty demonstrators belonging to the Karbi Students Association (KSA) and Dimasa Students Union (DSU) sustained injuries when the Delhi Police resorted to lathicharge to prevent them from marching to the Parliament. The two students bodies were staging a demonstration to highlight the rise in insurgency related killings in the Hill district of Karbi Anglong. The injured students were rushed to the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital from where they were later released. (Staff Correspondent; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; April 28, 2000)

GUWAHATI, April 27: Militant outfit United People's Democratic Solidarity (UPDS), which was formed by the unification of two militant outfits-Karbi National Volunteers (KNV) and the Karbi People's Front (KPF) have become very active and started targeting the non-Karbis. At least 28 persons were killed by the outfit in the Karbi Anglong hill district in three separate incidents of mass massacre, giving rise to the demands for the banning of the outfit. The attacks on non-Karbis came just weeks after the militant outfit observed its raising day, in which the outfit issued a warning to all those who were trying to settle non -Karbis in the hill district. The Autonomous State Demand Committee (ASDC), which is ruling the hill district councils, has accused the Congress of backing the militants in the hill districts, a charge, which the Congress vehemently denied. According to records available with the security forces, both the KNV and the KPF were formed in 1994 and as the commander-in-chief of both the outfits were childhood friends, they decided to join hands to form the UPDS last year. The UPDS was formed in a meeting between the leaders of both the outfits held in Dimapur on May 22 last year. The UPDS has been demanding the right for self determination, a total federal structure with the right to secede etc. The UPDS observed its raising day on March 22 this year, in which the outfit issued a warning to the non-Karbis and the massacres started just a couple of weeks after the warning, which clearly proved that the outfit was out for an ethnic cleansing in the hill district. As per records available, the KNV was formed on March 22, 1994 with Predip Terang as the chairman, HI Kathar as the general secretary and Klertop Kathar as the commander-in-chief. The basic objectives of the KNV were to consolidate the people's struggle for the right to self determination, to liberate Karbi Anglong from the suppression of the imperialist forces and to build up people's militant resistance against the state machinery. The outfit, which had about 200 members including 50 armed cadres, divided the hill district in seven zones for operation. The outfit collected almost Rs 1.50 crore from different persons till date, of which Rs 85 lakh was collected in the year 1996-97 alone. The outfit also collected a number of sophisticated weapons including AK series rifles, LMGs etc. Police sources said that in June 1997, the outfit, in its executive meeting, decided to establish links with the ULFA and soon thereafter, the leaders of the outfit met senior leaders of the ULFA in Nagaon district. In the same year, the outfit decided to establish links with the Isak Muivah Faction of the NSCN and to procure weapons from the NSCN. Sources said that the KNV suffered a setback when a senior leader of the outfit David Crow was arrested by the security forces on October 21, 1998, which led to the surrender of 15 militants of the outfit in a surrender ceremony held at Tamulpur in Nalbari district on January 21, 1999. Karbi People's Front : At the same time, the KPF was formed on September 12, 1994 with Gandhiram Terang as the chairman. Police sources said that the initial aim of the KPF was to counter the growth of the Autonomous State Demand Committee, and it is suspected that the outfit had the blessing of section of leaders of the Congress. In October, 1994, the outfit sought the help of the NSCN(IM) and the NSCN leaders took the leaders of the KPF to Dhaka for a series of meetings. The outfit suffered a serious set back when the police busted the head office of the outfit on December 6, 1998, in which senior leader Longsing Hanse was killed, which forced the KPF to keep a low profile for quite some time. Sources said that the outfit started its activities again in 1999 and imposed a ban of selling of land to outsiders in the Khotkhoti area of the district. In July, 1999, the militants belonging to the KPF, in collaboration with a group of NSCN militants, attacked a police party in the Borlangphar area and managed to snatch away a number of weapons. Sources said that even after the unification of the outfits, the UPDS has been maintaining links with both the NSCN(IM) and the ULFA, which is unusual because the ULFA is maintaining links with the Khaplang faction of the NSCN, which is bitter rival of the NSCN(IM). PROBLEMS OF SECURITY FORCES : Police sources pointed out that the terrain in Karbi Anglong has helped the UPDS to carry on its activities. Sources pointed out that it is not possible to provide adequate security to all the interior villages and in fact, in the three incidents of mass massacres, the police came to know about the incidents much later. Moreover, the Karbi Anglong district has boundaries with Nagaland, which also acted as a big help to the militants. However, there is possibility of launching Army operations against the UPDS in Karbi Anglong if the situation continues to deteriorate and the Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta recently told newsmen that the state government might consider recommending a ban on the outfit. DIMA HALONG DAOGAH : Police sources said that another major militant outfit operating on the hill districts, particulary in the North Cachar hill district, Dima Halong Daogah (DHD) has been lying low for some time. The outfit, which has the backing of the NSCN(IM) has been demanding "Dima Raji", that is a separate land for the Dimasa people living in the hill district. The outfit was quite active till last year but after the posting of an Army brigade in the district, the activities of the outfit could be controlled to a large extent, sources added. The ASDC recently published a white paper on the insurgent activities in N C Hills, in which the party alleged that senior Congress leaders had links with the DHD. However, the state Congress committee president Tarun Gogoi denied the allegation. (R Dutta Choudhury; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; April 28, 2000)

GUWAHATI, April 30 : The Army has alleged that the funds of the NC Hills Autonomous District Council are being siphoned off to the personal accounts of the council members and the militants through dubious means. In a faxed statement here, the Army levelled the allegation while referring to the alleged victimisation of a school headmaster by the NC Hills Inspector of Schools, PL Jidung, because the former had approached the Army authorities to help in repairing the school building. The release said the headmaster of the Longmang ME School, after failing to get the dilapidated school repaired by the concerned authorities, approached the Army for help. The Army authorities met the Schools Inspector over the matter but he pleaded helplessness, saying that his department has received very little of Rs 4 crore released by the state government for the education sector as it was merged by the council with the PL Account. The concerned EM, Mohit Hojai, when approached, told the Army officials that there was no money for school repair. The release said the Army went ahead witht the repair project on its own with the help of labour provided by a local contractor, AB Bardhan. Since then, the Schools Inspector has been harassing the headmaster, the Army alleged. (Staff Reporter; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; May 1, 2000)