Manipur: The Slippery Slope, Again:The Persistence of Hate::South Asia Intelligence Review (SAIR), Vol. No. 10.6
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SOUTH ASIA INTELLIGENCE REVIEW
Weekly Assessments & Briefings
Volume 10, No. 6, August 16, 2011

Data and assessments from SAIR can be freely published in any form with credit to the South Asia Intelligence Review of the
South Asia Terrorism Portal


ASSESSMENT


INDIA
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Manipur: The Slippery Slope, Again
Veronica Khangchian
Research Associate, Institute for Conflict Management

On August 1, 2011, five persons were killed and eight others injured when militants triggered a powerful Improvised Explosive Device (IED) explosion near a barber’s shop at Sanghakpam Bazaar in Imphal East District. The explosive, planted on a two-wheeler, killed two Manipuri girls and two persons from Bihar – the barber and his son. Later, on August 2, Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh announced that the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak Muivah (NSCN-IM) was behind the blast, and revealed the identity of the fifth person killed in the incident as an active cadre of the NSCN-IM, named Anthony. He noted, further, that the NSCN-IM cadre, who rode the scooter with the explosives, might have had a specific target, but the device may have exploded prematurely. The Chief Minister claimed that the blast was aimed at the members of Autonomous District Council (ADC), who are housed in a nearby guest house complex of District Councils. The explosion reportedly occurred just after the vehicles of ADC members had passed past the spot.

Earlier on July 23, 2011, suspected NSCN-IM militants exploded a bomb in the office of the ADC in Ukhrul District, bordering Myanmar. On May 28, 2011 three persons were injured when a powerful bomb exploded at a sports stadium (Khuman Lampak) complex in Imphal West District. The blast was apparently intended to target members and officials of the ADC, who were functioning from this location due to the threat held out by the NSCN-IM.

Significantly, the United Naga Council (UNC), the NSCN-IM linked apex Naga body in Manipur, had opposed the ADC 2010 elections, held in two phases, on May 26 and June 2, 2010, under the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Councils (3rd Amendment) Act, 2008, since these were not under the 6th Schedule of the Constitution of India. The UNC argues,

'Local adjustment' has been spelt in the form of the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Councils (3rd Amendment) Act, 2008, which has been carefully doctored and stripped off of all the provisions that go into self governance and the rights of the hill people over their land and resources and removing the primacy of the traditional institutions of the tribals which is enshrined in the Constitution of India. The 6th Schedule of the Constitution of India has provisions of self governance and the rights of the hill people over their land and resources and the primacy of the traditional institutions of the tribals.

The UNC’s relations with the State Government have been deteriorating since the killing of two students in Police firing on supporters of NSCN-IM 'general secretary' Thuingaleng Muivah, while they were taking out a rally at Mao Gate in Senapati District, when the State Government blocked Muivah from entering Manipur on May 6, 2010. The situation worsened further with the ADC elections, held after a gap of 20 years, and the UNC announced a severing of ties with the Government of Manipur. The UNC approached the Union Government with the demand for an ‘alternative administrative arrangement', declaring that the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Councils (3rd Amendment) Act 2008 failed to meet tribal aspirations or to provide any sort of autonomy, leaving the ADCs at the mercy and under the control of the State Government.

Subsequently, in a memorandum submitted to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on September 14, 2010, the UNC stated that on July 1, 2010, the Nagas in Manipur had resolved, through their highest decision-making forum, the Naga People’s Convention (NPC), that the Nagas would sever all political ties with the ‘communal’ Government of Manipur and, consequently, the vacuum in governance and administration created as a result, must be filled with an ‘alternative arrangement’ by the Government of India (GoI) in consultation with the Naga people at the earliest possible. It was also asserted that the ‘imposed’ ADC elections were “null and void” and, under no circumstances, would the ADCs be allowed to function in the Naga areas.

Shortly thereafter, on October 12, 2010, the Manipur Police Department received intelligence inputs that the NSCN-IM had decided, at the ‘highest level’, to selectively target and eliminate elected members of the ADCs belonging to the Naga community, since they had failed to ‘honour’ the group’s diktats for the boycott of ADC elections and, after getting elected, refused to resign from their posts despite specific ‘directives’.

On June 30, 2011, however, the UNC demand for an ‘alternative administrative arrangement’ for the Nagas living in Manipur received a severe blow, with both the State and Central Governments categorically setting aside this option during tripartite talks held in Senapati District. The outcome of these talks was in line with Chief Minister Ibobi Singh earlier declaration that a separate administrative model for the Nagas of Manipur was out of the question. The State Government indicated that the elected ADCs in the Hill region had enough power to develop their Hill Districts and redress grievances of the tribal people. Moreover, the Joint Secretary (Northeast) in the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, Shambhu Singh, added, “We could not understand what ‘alternative arrangement’ means and the Centre is not going to do anything on the issue.”

Meanwhile, on April 15, 2011, eight persons, including six Policemen, were killed and six injured in an ambush laid by the NSCN-IM on the convoy party of the Phungyar Member of the Manipur Legislative Assembly (MLA), Wungnaoshang Keishing, near Riha village in Ukhrul District. On April 19, 2011, the outfit accused Wungnaoshang of working hand in glove with the Ibobi Government's policy to ‘disintegrate Naga territories’ by creating a new cosmopolitan District, Phungyar. Keishing, who supported the initiative, had been warned of “drastic action” by the UNC, if he did not withdraw his support for the new District. As the demand for the creation of Phungyar District becomes sharper, the UNC, on April 8, 2011, without naming the Phungyar District Demand Committee, stated,

It is implicit that the demand for new District(s) at this point of time in Naga/Hill areas of Manipur is the handiwork of the adversaries to vitiate and derail the 'Alternative Arrangement' process which is in progress peacefully and democratically. The UNC reminded that the Naga people in the State of Manipur have severed all political ties with the Government of Manipur, demanding the intervention of the Government of India for an 'Alternative Arrangement' outside the Government of Manipur.

Despite the threat to his life, Keishing has said that there was no question of his withdrawing support to the demand for the upgradation of the Phungyar Assembly Constituency into a full-fledged revenue District, in the interest of bringing about development and the meeting the aspirations of the people.

In another gruesome incident on July 24, 2011, a young couple was killed at Lungpha village in Ukhrul District. Claiming responsibility for the killing, the NSCN-IM said that Vareignam Mahongnao was killed for his anti-Naga activities as he was allegedly working with the Manipur Naga Revolutionary Front (MNRF). However, on July 28, MNRF denied any links with Vareignam. MNRF, an NSCN-IM splinter group in Manipur, was formed in 2008 under the leadership of Allen Siro, and claims to be an autonomous revolutionary group with the avowed aim of protecting the territorial integrity of Manipur and working for communal harmony between different ethnic groups in the State.

Evidently, the whole issue is intertwined with the NSCN-IM’s larger ambition for the integration of Naga areas under one administrative unit, and this is the cause of the spike in violence by the group in Manipur. According to the partial data compiled by South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP), out of the 43 insurgency related killings in 2011, 15 are associated with the NSCN-IM, including eight civilians and seven Security Force (SF) personnel. In 2010, out of a total of 138 fatalities, the NSCN-IM was involved in only one incident – on May 18, 2010, one of its cadres was killed while the bomb he was planting under a bridge along the stretch of the Imphal-Mao section of the National Highway-39 in Senapati District, blew up accidentally.

On August 2, 2011, the Manipur Chief Minister, disclosed that the State Government has advised the Central Government to revoke the ongoing cease-fire with the NSCN-IM, since it continued to engage in open acts of terrorism in the State. Such advice is, however, unlikely to impact on the ‘peace process’ that has survived continuous breaches of ‘ground rules’ since the ceasefire agreement of 1997.

Amidst rising NSCN-IM activities in Manipur, reports indicate that major Meitei insurgent outfits in the State are making serious efforts to form a “united front” in pursuit of their own ethnically polarized goals. On August 9, 2011, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs M. Ramachandran told the Lok Sabha (Upper House of Parliament) that these groups included the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), United National Liberation Front (UNLF), Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL), Noyon faction of Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP-Noyon), Vice Chairman faction of People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK-VC), Progressive faction of PREPAK (PREPAK-P) and United People`s Party of Kangleipak (UPPK).

Manipur has experienced rapid improvement in its security scenario as steep declines in fatalities have been recorded in the State since 2008. All this is now in jeopardy, with the NSCN-IM’s rising ambitions, and the ‘reactivation’ of a coalescing Meitei insurgent front. Much of the escalating NSCN-IM violence has, of course, been directed against Naga leaders who have refused to toe the rebel group’s line. Nevertheless, the fundamentals of this violence are directed against the integrationist impetus of the Valley based politics and Meitei insurgent groups. Unless these inherent contradictions are managed – if not resolved – the spiral of violence can only push this unfortunate State back into the cycles of bloodletting that have wracked it for nearly five decades now.

SRI LANKA
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The Persistence of Hate
Ajit Kumar Singh
Research Fellow, Institute for Conflict Management

On August 4, 2011 the Government of Sri Lanka rejected the Tamil National Alliance’s (TNA) two-week ultimatum to come out with ‘devolution’ details saying it is now set to embark on the process of Parliament Select Committee (PSC) to find a political solution to the ethnic conflict that has engulfed the nation for over three decades. The TNA had set the deadline earlier in the day, during the course of 10th round of talks.

The talks between the two sides, which commenced on January 10, 2011, appear to have hit a dead end for now. The TNA, which had publicly dropped the demand for a separate State immediately after the defeat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in May 2009, was hoping to reach what it called an “acceptable political solution”. Alleged to be a proxy of the LTTE, the TNA had even dropped the demand for a federal-style solution and had agreed to talks under the provisions of the controversial 13th Amendment, which excludes any devolution of Police and lands powers.

Meanwhile, elections for 299 of the 335 local authorities in the country were held in two phases on March 17 and July 23, 2011. The elections for another 23 local authorities, including the Municipal Councils of Colombo, Kandy and Nuwara Eliya, which were postponed under the Public Security Ordinance (PSO) due to the Cricket World Cup and other reasons, as noted by Election Commission, are now scheduled to be held on or before October 17, and the tenure of these local authorities has been extended up to December 31, 2011. Surprisingly, all, except one in Ampara, of the postponed elections fall outside the Tamil dominated Northeast region. Elections to another two local authorities in Mullaitivu District are due, but have been repeatedly postponed due to alleged delays in resettling internally displaced persons (IDPs). The elections to the remaining 11 local authorities in the Northeast were held in 2008-09, and were not due in the present cycle. Local authorities are elected for a term of four years, which can be extended up to five. The last round of these elections for all other constituencies was held in 2006, when elections were conducted for 288 of the then 330 local authorities. Elections were not held in the remaining constituencies due to the then ongoing civil war.

The ruling United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) dominated the elections and won 249 local authorities, (including two contesting as the National Congress). The TNA won 32 local authorities (including two contesting as the Tamil United Liberation Front, TULF); the United National Party (UNP) won 9; the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) won 4; and a UPFA-backed independent group won one local authority. There was no overall control in the four remaining local authorities, but the UPFA was the largest group in three, and the Up-Country People's Front (UPF) in one. The UPF, which represents Tamils of Indian origin, is an ally of UPFA.

Predictably, the UPFA swept the polarised elections in the South. It also dominated the elections in the Eastern Province, winning 23 out of 35 local authorities, leaving just 7 for the TNA, 4 for SLMC and 1 for UNP. However, in the Northern Province, unsurprisingly, the TNA – as was the case in the 2010 General Elections when it won 14 out of 24 parliamentary seats in the North and East in the 225-seatre Parliament – swept the local bodies’ elections this time as well, winning 25 local authorities out of 30 and thus leaving just five for the UPFA.

The latest results have simply confirmed the deep and unchanging ethnic divide in the country, and will have an inescapable impact on TNA’s stand and politics. Indeed, immediately after the election results, the TNA stepped up its bargaining with the Government. In a Press Statement on August 4, 2011, it served its two weeks’ ultimatum on Colombo to come out with ‘devolution’ details, the structure of governance, the division of subjects and functions between the Centre and the devolved units, and on fiscal and financial powers. The statement argued, further, “As no response has been forthcoming for several months from Colombo’s side, no meaningful or purposeful discussion could be held on the discussion papers tendered by the TNA.” In addition, “Immediate concern was resettlement and rehabilitation of the IDPs, removal of High Security Zones, disarming the para-military forces operating in the North and East and the issue of political prisoners and detainees.” The TNA had talked about almost same set of demands in its Election Manifesto for the General Elections of April 2010.

The Government’s response has been far from encouraging. On August 4, 2010, the Government rejected the TNA’s demands, alleging that the Tamil party’s ultimatum for future talks reflected the attitude of the LTTE. UPFA parliamentarian Sajin Vas De Gunawardane, who is also the Secretary of the UPFA delegation, declared,

It is certainly not possible, nor is it consistent with the national interest, to make a final pronouncement on all these crucial issues, hastily and without wider consultation, at this stage. As much as the SLFP does not solely represent any community in particular, the TNA also does not solely represent the Tamil community. In the circumstances which have now arisen on account of the demarche of the TNA, the government will proceed with the appointment of a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC).

The proposed PSC will comprise 31 members, including 19 nominated by the UPFA and 12 by the Opposition. In response to TNA’s allegation that this was no more than a delaying tactic, President Mahinda Rajapakse argued that the PSC could work within a time frame to reach its mandated conclusions, avoiding any undue delays. 

As of now, the PSC has not even been constituted. Even if it is assumed that, once constituted in the proximate future, it would come out with a report within a given (yet to be decided) time frame, its possibilities of success are already in question, with focused opposition coming from the TNA. Even if it were able to arrive at a consensus, its implementation would remain in question, as was the case of the Final Report of the much talked about All Party Representative Committee (APRC), submitted on July 19, 2010. The Final Report, based on a total consensus among all members on a power sharing solution within a “unitary” constitutional framework, has been swept under the carpet by the Rajapakse Government, and is now all but forgotten.

Meanwhile, international pressure to start a war crimes’ probe as well as to reach a political solution to the ethnic problem has increased, in the expectation that this would force Colombo to reason. The impact, however, has been far from salutary, provoking an even further hardening of stances. On August 9, 2011, Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne noted that, although the LTTE no longer existed in Sri Lanka, pro-LTTE organizations such as the Global Tamil Forum (GTF), Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE), British Tamil Forum (BTF), Tamil National Council (TNC) and anti-Sri Lankan NGOs, backed by western countries, were working under an agenda to tarnish the Sri Lankan image. With TNA and other political parties seeking to secure political benefits out of the international demands and pressures, the Government has become more inflexible.

Unsurprisingly, any solution to the ethnic conundrum in Sri Lanka remains as elusive as ever. Colombo evidently feels it has a mandate which cannot be challenged. Asked for his comments on the TNA winning a majority of local authorities’ elections in the Tamil areas and the consequent necessity of devolution of powers, Basil Rajapakse, Senior Advisor to the President, declared, brusquely, “The President has a bigger mandate not to give those powers. They are talking of the mandate, how about ours, one accepted by a larger majority in the country?” Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse, claiming that that the “political solution talk is simply irrelevant”, observed, “We don't have to talk about solution and various things any longer, because we have ended this terrorism in Sri Lanka. We have a Constitution. If there is further amendment needed then Government can speak with the elected representatives. Now we have representation from these areas.”

At least some residual problems do, however, persist. Despite resettling almost 95 percent of the IDPs (28,5000 out of 30,0000) and over 8,000 ex-LTTE cadres, out of 11,664 who were arrested or surrendered, the country is still under a state of emergency. Moreover, reports continue to emerge that LTTE cadres are in the process of re-grouping in Tamil Nadu (India), Canada and Europe. Cells of the Tigers allegedly survive in France, Great Britain, Norway and several Asian countries. A concerned Government has requested the European Union to ban all LTTE front organisations.

Colombo rightly sees no imminent danger from the surviving fragments of the LTTE, but this is poor grounds for the continued neglect and alienation of a large segment of the country’s population. Over time, the present orientation can only produce increasing frustration among the Tamils, and will eventually come to jeopardise the peace that has been won at tremendous cost, even as it slows down Sri Lanka’s recovery and the quantum and quality of support that would otherwise flow from the international community.



NEWS BRIEFS

Weekly Fatalities: Major Conflicts in South Asia
August 8-15, 2011

 

Civilians

Security Force Personnel

Terrorists/Insurgents

Total

INDIA

  

Assam

2
0
1
3

Jammu & Kashmir

0
0
6
6

Meghalaya

0
0
4
4

Left-wing Extremism

  

Chhattisgarh

1
0
0
1

Odisha

1
0
0
1

Total (INDIA)

4
0
11
15

PAKISTAN

  

Balochistan

28
3
0
31

FATA

7
8
55
70

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

11
3
4
18

Punjab

1
0
0
1

Sindh

49
0
0
49

Total (PAKISTAN)

96
14
59
169
Provisional data compiled from English language media sources.



BANGLADESH


Government won't allow its land for use of terrorism, states Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed on August 10 said that the present Government will not allow anyone to use land of the country for terrorism. Hasina added, "Terrorists have no borders they are the problems of the whole world. We all have to fight against terrorism in a united form as it is not possible to eradicate this problem by solo effort." Financial Express, August 11, 2011.


INDIA


Nearly 40000 persons killed in Jammu and Kashmir in militancy-related violence since 1990, says Union Government: Nearly 40,000 people have been killed in militancy-related violence in Jammu and Kashmir in the last two decades, the Government said on August 10. Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Jitender Singh told the Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Parliament) in reply to a question that 39, 918 persons have been killed in Jammu and Kashmir in violent incidents between 1990 and 2011(April). 13,226 civilians were killed and 5,369 Security Force (SFs) personnel lost their lives. All together 21,323 terrorists were killed SFs during the same period, the Minister said.

In the first six months of 2011, 52 terrorists attempted to infiltrate into the Indian Territory from the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) as against 489 in 2010, the Rajya Sabha was informed on August 10. Replying to a question on infiltration in Jammu and Kashmir, Defense Minister A. K. Antony said, "As per the assessment of Multi Agency Centre (MAC), till June 2011, 52 terrorists attempted to infiltrate as compared to 489 in 2010." PTI; Daily Excelsior, August 11, 2011.

Intelligence inputs suggest al Qaeda planned to target India: The Centre on August 10 said intelligence inputs have suggested that al Qaeda and one of its terrorists Ilyas Kashmiri were planning to target India. Minister of State for Home Jitendra Singh stated, "There are some intelligence inputs, though not specifically, regarding plan to target India by al Qaeda and Ilyas Kashmiri, an al-Qaeda-HUJI operative and his group". Times of India, August 11, 2011.

Manipur militants coming together to form 'united front': There are reports to suggest that major Meitei insurgent outfits in Manipur are making serious efforts to form a "united front", the Parliament was told on August 9. Minister of State for Home Affairs M. Ramachandran told the Lok Sabha (Upper House of the Parliament) that these groups included the Revolutionary People's Front/People's Liberation Army (RPF/PLA), United National Liberation Front (UNLF), Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL), People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK), Noyon faction of Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP-Noyon), (PREPAK-VC), Progressive faction of PREPAK, and United People's Party of Kangleipak (UPPK). Sentinel, August 11, 2011.

ISI has reactivated terror camps in PoK, says Minister of State for Home Affairs Jitendra Singh: The Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) has 'reactivated' terror camps in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) with some 2,500 terrorists present there. "The Government is aware that the ISI has reactivated terrorist training camps in Pakistan occupied Kashmir," Minister of State for Home Affairs Jitendra Singh told the Lok Sabha (Lower House of Parliament) in a written reply. IANS, August 10, 2011.

ISI trained ULFA, says ULFA's 'Foreign Secretary' Sashadhar Choudhury: During the last two decades United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) received help from Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) and Bangladeshi agencies. ULFA 'Foreign Secretary' Sashadhar Choudhury, who joined ULFA in 1985, said, "Pakistan's ISI trained ULFA. In 1991, I was part of the first batch of ULFA members to go to Pakistan for training in small arms, including main battle rifles." Times of India, August 9, 2011.

Pakistan and China flooding FICN into India: A secret report prepared by Research and Analysis Wing, Intelligence Bureau and the Department of Revenue Intelligence and the Central Bureau of Investigation reveals that the infusion of Fake Indian Currency (FICN) into India to destabilize the economy and fund terror activities were being actively supported by Pakistan's High Commissions in Dhaka (Bangladesh) and Kathmandu (Nepal) through Inter Services Intelligence (ISI). It has also been reported on August 12, that China was emerging as a major staging post for FICN flooding into India. DNA, August 13, 2011.

Government extends SoO with Kuki militants by another year: A meeting of the Joint Monitoring Group of Suspension of Operation (SoO) on August 11 approved the extension of the agreement by another year on August 11. It had been approved earlier by the state cabinet during a recent meeting. Kangla Online, August 12, 2011.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announces new surrender package for Maoists: Renewing her appeal to the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres to give up arms and return to the national mainstream, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on August 12 announced a fresh financial and rehabilitation package for those who surrender. The package includes a revised incentive for every weapon laid down. The Hindu, August 13, 2011.

Nearly 1,300 Pakistanis missing in India: Nearly 1,300 Pakistanis on visit to India are traceless after their visa expired, and the Government has created an online data sharing system to track every person travelling from Pakistan, the Government said on August 10. Minister of State for Home Affairs Jitendra Singh said "As per information available, 1,283 Pakistani nationals remain untraced and missing as on June 30, 2011". Times of India, August 11, 2011.


NEPAL

"I resigned for sake of peace, statute, National unity Government", says Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal: Prime Minister (PM) Jhala Nath Khanal on August 15 said that there was no alternative to National unity Government. PM Khanal stepped down on August 14. ekantipur, August 15-16, 2011.


PAKISTAN

55 militants and eight SFs among 70 persons killed during the week in FATA: A soldier was killed when a landmine planted by terrorists exploded, while six terrorists were killed in a retaliatory attack in Orakzai Agency of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) on August 14. In addition, three paramilitary soldiers were killed and 25 others injured in a rocket attack on their camp in Miranshah, the main town of North Waziristan Agency (NWA).

Six militants were killed and five others injured during a search operation conducted by Security Forces (SFs) in Sholaam area of Sarokai tehsil (revenue unit) in South Waziristan Agency (SWA) on August 13.

Five persons, including three women and two children, were killed and one minor was injured as a result of a landmine explosion in the house of peace lashkar (militia) commander Shah Jee, in Zaka Khel village in Tirah Valley of Khyber Agency on August 11.

A US drone strike killed at least 25 suspected Haqqani Network militants near Miranshah in NWA on August 10. Also, nine persons, including five militants, were killed in clashes between local tribesmen and militants in the Shawal area of SWA.

A United States (US) drone fired two missiles killing at least seven militants of the Haqqani Network and injuring three others near Miranshah in NWA on August 10. Separately, five Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants were killed and two others received injuries in a roadside explosion in Mamozai area of Orakzai Agency.

Six militants were killed and four others injured when SFs targeted their hideouts in upper tehsil of Orakzai Agency on August 8. Dawn; Daily Times; The News; Tribune, August 9-16, 2011, 2011.

49 persons killed in Sindh during the week: A total of 49 persons were killed in Sindh. Seven persons were killed in Karachi on August 8; another five on August 9; nine on August 10; one on August 11; five on August 12; eight persons on August 13; six on August 14 and eight on August 15. Dawn; Daily Times; The News; Tribune, August 9-16, 2011, 2011.

28 civilians and three SFs among 31 persons killed during the week in Balochistan: A blast at a hotel on the National Highway close to Dera Allah Yar town in Jaffarabad District of Balochistan killed 15 persons and injured 23 others on August 14.

Four people, including to two Bugti tribesmen, were killed in a gun battle between two groups in the Eastern Bypass area of Quetta on August 8. Dawn; Daily Times; The News; Tribune, August 9-16, 2011, 2011.

168 children killed in drone attacks, reveals Bureau of Investigative Journalism: EAmerica's covert drone war on al Qaeda and the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has killed up to 168 children in Pakistan over the last seven years, an independent study released on August 11 said. The London-based Bureau of Investigative Journalism said its research showed there had been many more Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) attacks on alleged militant targets, leading to far more deaths than previously reported. It said 291 CIA drone strikes had taken place in Pakistan since 2004, and that under President Barack Obama there had been 236 strikes - one in every four days. Dawn, August 12, 2011.

Over 3,000 terrorists arrested over the past three years in Pakistan: Pakistani Law Enforcement Agencies arrested 3,143 terrorists over the past three years, with a majority of the arrests being made in the restive northern Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province. A total of 4,240 weapons were seized from the arrested terrorists, including rocket launchers, missiles, suicide jackets, bombs, grenades, mines and anti-aircraft guns. Times of India, August 12, 2011.

Security agencies struggle to dismantle Hizb-ut-Tahrir network: Security Agencies are trying to dismantle a 'multi-faceted' communication network of Hizb ut-Tahrir (HuT) but there has been little headway so far, an unnamed senior military official said on August 8 after some mid-ranked army officers were detained for alleged links with the organisation. The revelation came three months after Brigadier Ali Khan, a serving army officer, and some other unnamed personnel were detained for their alleged links with the HuT, an organisation that seeks to establish a caliphate in Pakistan by overthrowing the democratic Government. Tribune, August 9, 2011.

Karachi will be de-weaponised in phases, says Federal Minister of Interior Rehman Malik: Federal Minister of Interior Rehman Malik on August 8 said that no arms licences, except issued by National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), would be valid after August 31 while all the arms licences issued by the Ministry of Interior would stand cancelled with effect from September 1. He said that Karachi would be de-weaponised in phases and extensive measures would be taken for the purpose. Daily Times, August 9, 2011.

Pakistani intelligence officer passed the information of Osama bin Laden's whereabouts to US, says report: A Pakistani intelligence officer, who wished to secure American citizenship for his family, gave details of Osama bin Laden's whereabouts to the US, in a deal worth USD 25 million, a Daily Mail report said. The Pakistani officer also informed the US officials that Saudis were paying off Pakistan and ISI to keep bin Laden hidden in the Abbottabad compound. Indian Express, August 4, 2011.


SRI LANKA

150 rehabilitated LTTE cadres to be released on August 12: Sri Lankan authorities are making arrangements to release another batch of 150 rehabilitated Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) cadres on August 12 in Vavuniya District upon their completion of the rehabilitation program. The former combatants were given training vocational, language and communication training to improve their skills and their educational knowledge. Colombo Page, August 10, 2011.

All Ceylon Makkal Congress calls for devolution of Police and land powers: An ally of the ruling United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA), the All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC), called for the devolution of land and Police powers to the provinces. ACMC General Secretary Y.L.S. Hameed said that the Muslim community was concerned over the Central Government handling all these subjects and the party was supportive of a joint commission to handle land and Police powers. Colombo Page, August 9, 2011.


The South Asia Intelligence Review (SAIR) is a weekly service that brings you regular data, assessments and news briefs on terrorism, insurgencies and sub-conventional warfare, on counter-terrorism responses and policies, as well as on related economic, political, and social issues, in the South Asian region.

SAIR is a project of the Institute for Conflict Management and the South Asia Terrorism Portal.

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