By M.A. Athul*
On June 28, 2018, Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF) militants shot dead a civilian, identified every bit Lanshinthui Kamei, at Gairilong Luangrang hamlet inwards the Noney District of Manipur. The militants alleged that Kamei was an informer for the Security Forces (SFs). On May 3, 2018, 2 ZUF militants were killed inwards an internecine clash inwards the jungle expanse betwixt Khamnang as well as Douban villages nether the jurisdiction of the Mahur Police Station inwards the Dima Hasao District of Assam. According to reports, the clash was betwixt 2 factions of ZUF, 1 led past times S. Kamson as well as the other past times Jenchui Kamei. On March 15, 2018, some other ZUF militant, identified every bit ‘sergeant major’ Gonbi Gonmei, was killed inwards an internecine clash betwixt the 2 factions at Dauban inwards Dima Hasao District. It was non known which of the 2 factions the victim belonged to.
On March 21, 2018, the torso of a old ZUF militant, who was abducted from Longreijang Khun inwards the Jiribam District of Manipur past times unidentified assailants, was recovered from nether a dyad adjoining Digli as well as Ramgaizang inwards the Cachar District of Assam.
According to partial information compiled past times the Institute for Conflict Management (ICM), at to the lowest degree 5 (two civilians as well as 3 militants) ZUF-linked fatalities select been reported from 2 States, Assam as well as Manipur, inwards the electrical flow yr (data till July 8, 2018). Since Feb 25, 2011, the number of such fatalities stands at 54 (six civilians, 3 SF personnel, as well as 45 militants). These fatalities select been reported from 2 states: Assam (three) as well as Manipur (51). Significantly, no ZUF linked incident has been reported from Nagaland thence far.
ZUF was formed on Feb 25, 2011, amongst the proclaimed objective of protecting the interests of the Zeliangrong tribe (a Naga sub-group). The ZUF founding ‘chairman’ S. Kamson, at the fourth dimension of formation, had stated, “we volition defend the solid reason as well as resources of the Zeliangrong people, our culture, our historical values, traditional as well as customary habitats of the Zeliangrong community.” He had declared that that ZUF’s ‘jurisdiction’ falls over the ‘Zeliangrong Naga’ inhabited areas of Assam, Manipur as well as Nagaland. According to an Apr 2017 report, ZUF had a cadre forcefulness of to a greater extent than or less 300. The Zeliangrong Tiger Force (ZTF) is the armed forces fly of ZUF.
The internal split inside ZUF reportedly occurred inwards Apr 2017. In a Press Release issued on Apr 5, 2017, the outfit’s ‘information as well as publicity secretary’ Hemsin Kamson had stated that ZUF ‘commander-in-chief’ Jenchui Kamei as well as ‘finance secretary’ Benjamin aka Gaichampou Pamei, were ‘expelled from the political party for their anti-party activities’ inwards accordance to a determination of ZUF’s ‘central executive council’.
However, inwards a argument on Apr 6, 2017, the faction led past times Jenchui Kamei refuted the reports of the ‘expulsion’ as well as instead claimed that, inwards a articulation meeting, the ‘central executive council’ as well as ‘military council’, held on Apr 3, 2017, Jenchui Kamei was elected ‘chairman’ of ZUF. The argument alleged that ‘chairman’ S. Kamson, Hemsin Kamson, as well as ‘finance secretary’ A. Longmei aka Dihem Longmei deliberately avoided the articulation meeting. This release farther asserted that the trio stood expelled from the outfit.
Since the reported split, according to ICM data, 2 incidents of internecine clashes select resulted inwards 3 militant deaths. Meanwhile, on May 7, 2018, the 2 ZUF factions arrived at a ‘cease burn downwardly agreement’ amongst each other. According to a articulation press release past times the 2 groups, the evolution was a pace paving the means for ‘reconciliation as well as to come upwardly together every bit one’. The press release also stated that the evolution was a motion ‘on the path towards achieving the aspiration of the Zeliangrong people’.
ZUF comprises breakaway elements from the Isak Muivah as well as the Khaplang factions of the National (NSCN-IM as well as NSCN-K). Factional clashes amongst these formations are, consequently, a regular characteristic inwards the areas of argument betwixt the 3 groups. According to ICM data, since its formation inwards 2011, ZUF has been involved inwards at to the lowest degree 24 incidents of clashes amongst NSCN factions, resulting inwards 37 fatalities [34 militants (three NSCN-K, 12 ZUF, 12 NSCN-IM; affiliation of vii militants non ascertained) as well as 3 civilians].
Two of the close prominent factional clashes (in damage of fatalities) include:
September 25, 2012: Six militants were killed as well as 1 civilian was wounded inwards a clash betwixt NSCN-IM as well as ZUF militants inwards the Tamenglong District of Manipur. The identities as well as factional affiliation of the slain militants were unconfirmed
October 7, 2011: Six NSCN-IM militants were killed as well as 5 wounded inwards a clash amongst the ZUF at Leishok hamlet inwards Tamenglong District.
In the close recent factional clash, on March 3, 2018, NSCN-IM as well as ZUF exchanged burn downwardly close Nungadang inwards Tamenglong District. No fatalities were reported.
ZUF has also been found involved inwards at to the lowest degree nine attacks on SFs. Two of these resulted inwards fatalities, amongst vi killed (two SF personnel, 3 militants, as well as 1 civilian). Further, vii ZUF militants select been killed inwards vi SF initiated operations. Moreover, at to the lowest degree 33 ZUF militants select been arrested past times SFs till date.
ZUF has also been involved inwards vi attacks specifically targeting civilians, resulting inwards 5 civilian deaths.
In the close prominent onslaught till date, on Feb 21, 2017, ZUF militants attacked the convoy of the as well as then Deputy Chief Minister of Manipur, Gaikhangam Gangmei, commencement at the Lubanglong Khunou (Namkaolong) Part II expanse inwards Noney District, as well as 1 time to a greater extent than close the Irang River inwards Noney District. Later, the militants launched the 3rd onslaught targeting the convoy at Lubanglong Khunou Part II (Noney District), when the Deputy CM was at his residence. One Policeman was injured inwards this attack. The 4th as well as lastly onslaught on the same twenty-four sixty minutes menses took identify along the Old Cachar Road (Noney District), close the location where the commencement onslaught was carried out. One Policeman was injured.
Four days later, on Feb 25, 2017, ZUF’s ‘chairman’ Kamson on the occasion of the outfit’s sixth raising twenty-four sixty minutes menses stated,
Our introduce scrap is non seeking secession from Bharat but nosotros are demanding a mutual homeland inside the Union of Bharat for the fragmented Zeliangrong territory which was divided past times the British rulers as well as continues inwards independent India.
The ‘commander-in-chief’ Jenchui added,
The Zeliangrong United Front is ready for talks amongst the Government of Bharat provided it recognizes the need for bringing together the Zeliangrong community scattered across the Northeastern U.S.A. nether a unmarried administrative unit.
This need for course statehood has seat the grouping inwards conflict amongst NSCN-IM. One of the main demands of the latter, which has been negotiating amongst the Government of Bharat (GoI), is the integration of all Naga-inhabited areas nether 1 administrative unit. These include the Districts of Ukhrul, Chandel, Tamenglong as well as Senapati inwards Manipur; some areas of Assam; as well as some areas of Arunachal Pradesh. When ZUF was formed inwards 2011, NSCN-IM had alleged that creation of ZUF was a upshot of at 1 time manipulation past times Government agencies, including Tamenglong-based politicians as well as Assam Rifles (AR). Later, on September 29, 2012, ZUF had alleged that NSCN-IM was an irresponsible outfit, which had failed to protect the Zeliangrong.
Internecine as well as factional clashes amid diverse Naga militant formations continues to rest a root of job organisation inwards an otherwise dramatically improved safety scenario inwards these areas. Despite these ‘turf wars’, the Northeast Region has, according to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, seen a reduction of violence past times 36 per cent betwixt 2016 as well as 2017. Despite the speedily improving safety scenario as well as a potential peace accord betwixt NSCN-IM as well as GoI, internecine hostilities are a continuing impediment to establishing a permanent peace inwards Naga inhabited areas of the Northeast.
*M.A. Athul
Research Assistant, Institute for Conflict Management
Buat lebih berguna, kongsi:
