Arunachal Dragon Force (ADF)

Formation

The Arunachal Dragon Force (ADF), also known as the East India Liberation Front (EILF), is reported to have come into existence during the latter part of the year 1996 in the State of Arunachal Pradesh.

Objectives

The purported objectives of the outfit are the following:

(i) To create the pre-British era ‘Teola country’ of the Tai-Khamtis, an indigenous tribe of the State’s eastern provinces. The proposed map of the ‘Teola country’ comprises of the Lohit and Dibang districts of Arunachal Pradesh as well as the Sadiya subdivision in Tinsukia district in Assam.

(ii) To resist the domination of the Adi tribe, who have been accused of cornering the benefits of the developmental process in the State.

Leadership

Its ‘commander-in-chief’, Chaw Nawmee Namsoon, leads the outfit.

Areas of operation

The ADF is active primarily in the Lohit district. However, it also operates sporadically in the adjacent districts of Upper Dibang Valley, Tirap and Changlang.

Cadre strength

The current strength of ADF is estimated to be approximately 60. Cadres are primarily drawn from the Khamti, Tsingpho and Tangsa tribes of the Lohit district.

Linkages

The ADF maintains links with other outfits like the Isak-Muivah and Khaplang factions of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) and the Assam-base United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA). Some of the ADF cadres have reportedly undergone training at the ULFA camps in Bhutan and have also procured arms and ammunition from ULFA. According to some reports, ADF is trying to expand its linkages with other outfits based in India’s Northeast and with some foreign agencies in China.