J&K: Targeting Hawala:The Nagas: Troubling Fission::South Asia Intelligence Review (SAIR), Vol. No. 10.20
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SOUTH ASIA INTELLIGENCE REVIEW
Weekly Assessments & Briefings
Volume 10, No. 20, November 21, 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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J&K: Targeting Hawala
Ajit Kumar Singh
Research Fellow, Institute for Conflict Management

While the higher echelons of power in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) were consumed by a political debate over the partial removal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from some areas of the State, a more significant development has taken place which could have dramatic bearing on the residual militancy in the State. The terror funding mechanism in the State has been brought under the close scrutiny of enforcement and intelligence agencies.

In August 2011, the Union Minister of State for Home, Jitendra Singh, had stated in the Lok Sabha (Lower House of Parliament), “A multi-disciplinary group at the State and central level has been entrusted with the responsibility of enquiring into the sources of funding of Kashmiri terrorists.”  Officials at the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) further indicated, “Special attention was being paid for terror funding of separatists and terror groups in Kashmir and the constitution of Combating of Funding of Terrorists (CFT) is a step in this direction.” Besides this, a Terror Funding and Fake Currency (TFFC) Cell in the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has also been constituted, to focus on investigating the flow of money into anti-national activities.

Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on November 1, 2011, booked four traders, engaged in business across the Line of Control (LoC), under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), in connection with a hawala (illegal money transfer) racket for the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT). The ED had sent one of its senior officers to the Valley to review hawala cases, and decided to take up this case which dates back to 2009. Notably, J&K Police had uncovered this hawala network in 2009, and had identified traders and businessmen in Punjab and Jammu who allegedly channeled funds to LeT militants in the Kashmir Valley for a fee.

This is the first such case taken up by the ED after cross-LoC trade was opened on October 21, 2008. Significantly, a high-level meeting, chaired by Union Home Secretary R.K. Singh in Srinagar in the evening of October 23, 2011, reviewed all cases related to the funding of terrorist and separatist groups in J&K, and agencies were asked to work in close coordination with the ED for attachment of properties under PMLA.

Terror groups have long taken advantage of the absence of legal banking facilities for trade across the LoC, which is based on a barter system. As the cross LoC trade seems to have improved the relations between the traders on both sides of the dividing line, the same has been misused by many by acting as conduits of passing hawala money into the State, meant for militants and separatist groups,” the State Government  said in the J&K Legislative Assembly on September 27, 2011. Media reports indicate that goods worth INR 2.94 billion have been exchanged on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad route since the trade began.

According to data furnished by the State Government, 48 persons have been found involved in misusing the trade across the LoC and an amount of INR 7.3 million as well as un-cashed cheques worth INR 100,000, have been recovered from these persons in a total of 20 cases since January 1, 2009 (data till July 31, 2011). In the most prominent case, four persons associated with Hizb-ul-Mujahiddeen (HM), were arrested in Srinagar along with INR 2.1 million. A Special Cell unit of the Delhi Police had gone to Srinagar on January 22, 2011, following information that the money from Pakistan was being sent to J&K through a hawala channel via Delhi, for funding of terrorism and secessionists activities.

The numbers become more worrisome when data related to other sources of hawala money are clubbed together with such transactions in the cross-LoC trade. The State Government has disclosed that a total of 98 persons were arrested and an amount of INR 12.3 million was recovered over the January 2009 – July 2011 period, as part of efforts to check the pumping of hawala money into J&K. In addition to Indian currency, the agencies recovered 73,500 Saudi Arabian Riyal, Euro notes of 500 denomination valuing INR 150,000, 2,000 UK pounds and cheques worth INR 50,000. While 28 cases were registered and 66 persons were arrested, with a seizure of INR 7.7 million, in 2009, the number of cases registered in 2010 stood at 10, with 15 persons arrested and a recovery of INR 998,500. Nine cases have been registered in 2011 (till July), with 17 arrests and a seizure of INR 3.6 million.

The arrested persons belonged to both separatist groups and terrorist outfits. The separatist groups involved included the All Parties Hurriyat Conference-Geelani (APHC-G), led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani; Kashmir Mass Movement; the Sajad Gani Lone led People’s Conference; Shabir Ahmad Shah’s Democratic Freedom Party (DFP); the Yasin Malik led Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF); the Islamic Students Front; and Mahz-e-Azadi. The terrorist organizations involved included HM, Al-Badr, LeT, Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen (TuM), Al-Umer, Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen (JuM), Al-Burq and Islamic Front.

The most prominent among Kashmir’s separatist leaders, Geelani, has been under scrutiny for a long time. The first First Information Report (FIR) against him, in relation to hawala transactions, was filed in 1997, alleging that he had violated the Foreign Contributions (Regulation) Act (FCRA) by receiving INR 194 million from Saudi Arabia; and a separate donation of INR 100 million from the Kashmir American Council (KAC). These payments, the FIR alleged, were collected from hawala dealers in New Delhi. Significantly, Syed Ghulam Nabi Fai, the Executive Director of KAC, has been charged by US authorities for operating as an agent of a foreign intelligence agency, specifically, Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence (ISI).

Geelani was brought under the scanner again following disclosures made by his close aide, Ghulam Mohammed Bhat, arrested on January 22, 2011, in connection with an alleged hawala racket, used to channel money to HM terrorists in the Kashmir Valley. INR 2.1 million was recovered from Bhatt in this connection. Bhatt told interrogators that he had received INR 4 million from his hawala contact in mid-September 2010. The money was to be delivered to another contact at Srinagar’s Jhelum Valley College “for onward delivery to S.A.S. Geelani”. Bhat also claimed that Geelani received sums of INR 2 million six times between October 2009 and January 9-10, 2011. Meanwhile, the NIA, on July 20, 2011, charge sheeted Bhatt, along with three others (arrested earlier), in connection with this hawala racket. One of the charge sheeted persons, Mohd Sidiq Ganai, had allegedly collected over INR 45.7 million during a period of three years, since January 2008, through hawala channels from Pakistan, to promote terrorist activities in the Valley. The charge sheet stated that funds through hawala channels were being sent to Jammu and Kashmir for funding terror and secessionist acts in the State and Pakistan-based Maqbool Pandit, a member of HM, and Aizaz Maqbool Bhat, at present living in Saudi Arabia, were the key accused behind these operations. Though the NIA has not named Geelani as an accused in their charge sheet, a "further probe" is on into his role.

Another separatist leader, Yasin Malik was arrested by Police on March 25, 2002, on charges relating to hawala transfers. He was booked under the Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance (POTO). The arrest took place following the March 24, 2002, arrest of Mushtaq Ahmed Dar, a JKLF activist, by Udhampur Police at Kud, along with a woman, Shazia Begum, who were carrying USD 100,000 for Yasin Malik. Dar disclosed that about USD 400,000 had been collected by Yasin Malik during his month-long stay in America in October-November 2001, where he had gone for treatment. The money was collected from businessmen of a particular community on the pretext of pursuing the ‘Kashmir cause’. The amount was brought to Nepal from Pakistan by a Kashmir based separatist, Altaf Qadiri, and handed over to Dar at a hotel in Kathmandu (Nepal). All the accused were later released on bail. The case is still going on.

Investigations over the years have also established that, apart from Geelani and Malik, other separatist leaders, including the slain APHC leader Abdul Gani Lone, his two sons, Bilal Gani Lone and Sajid Gani Lone, and Maulana Abbas Ansari, have also received hawala money. 

Recent revelations have further exposed the real colour of the separatist leadership that claims itself as the “true representatives” of the Kashmiri people. A Delhi based hawala conduit, Hira Lal, arrested from a hotel in Srinagar along with Fake Indian Currency Notes on April 15, 2011, told his interrogators that separatists-turned-politicians have been siphoning off ISI funds meant for terrorist activities for their personal use. According to sources, Hira Lal was getting money from the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi and was handing over the money to brothers Bilal and Sajjad Lone. Quoting Hira Lal, an unnamed Police officer disclosed that the conduit had passed on INR 20 to 30 million to the Lone brothers since the killing of their father by the LeT in 2001.

Nasir Shafi Mir, a resident of Budgam District, who ostensibly used the carpet trade and later a money exchange business in Dubai for transferring hawala money to Hurriyat leaders and other separatists in Kashmir, is said to be the "financial brain" behind funding of separatist activities in Kashmir. His name cropped up when the Government was examining the role of KAC’s Gulam Nabi Fai. Fai was arrested by the FBI on July 19, 2011, on charges of illegally lobbying the US Government for Pakistan over Kashmir. Fai was released on bail on July 27, 2011.

Hawala, the informal transfer of money, has been in existence for almost three centuries in India and other Asian countries. In the recent past, Kashmir has emerged a prominent locus for such transactions, as extremist outfits in countries grouped under the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) send money to terrorist groups in the State. Intelligence agencies estimate that about 90-95 percent of extremist funding comes through this channel, with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia the primary sources of these illegal flows. Praveen Swami noted in a 1997 article, “Since the 1991 arrests of Ashfaq Lone and Shahabuddin Ghowri in New Delhi on charges of channelling hawala funds to Kashmir terrorist groups blew the lid off the Jain brothers' hawala scandal, it has been known that illegal inflows have been central to sustaining terrorism in Kashmir.”

Unsurprisingly, intelligence reports indicate that hawala money was used to fuel the summer unrest of 2010, the effort by separatist formations to supplement rapidly declining terrorist capabilities in the State with violent mass mobilisation.  After the arrests of three hawala conduits on January 23, 2011, and the seizure of INR 2.1 million from them, it was discovered that this money was being sent to J&K via Delhi by the ISI for ‘stone-pelters’ – violent street demonstrators – to sustain unrest in the Valley. During interrogation, the hawala operatives revealed that “the money is delivered to several leaders in Jammu & Kashmir to further give it to local politicians to stage violent protests and create law and order problems. As per their disclosure, approximately Rs 20 lakh [INR 2 million] is sent every month, over one crore [100 million] every year. This money is given to conduits here in Delhi by the Delhi-based dealer and then it goes to Jammu & Kashmir.” Officials said that, during unrest in Valley, between June and September each year since 2008, stone pelters were hired using money sent by ISI.

Measures taken by the Government has resulted in some decline in the number of hawala cases, which have come down to 10 in 2010 and nine in 2011, at the time of writing, as against 28 in 2009. Some of the prominent steps initiated by the Government include the installation of modern equipment to monitor the LoC trade and travel points; the issue of guidelines to enforcement and banking agencies to track and check suspicious bank accounts; and the establishment of nakas (barricades) at various places in the State for effective checking of the movement of contraband, including illegal funds. The ED has dispatched officials to the State to fast-track the probe into 18 hawala related cases and to detect possible violations of PMLA – perhaps the first time the ED has deputed senior officials to the Valley for such investigations. The establishment of CFT and TFFC also suggests a renewed seriousness on the part of the Centre.

At a time when terrorism is at its lowest ebb in J&K, an effective blockade against illicit fund transfers to terrorist and separatist organizations could have a decisive impact on the possibility of constructing an enduring peace in the State. There are clear indications of a measure of determination to address this issue, and it is imperative that this should be sustained. In the past, investigations and prosecutions have been undermined or indefinitely deferred on extraneous political considerations, and it can only be hoped that this will not be the case again. The comprehensive dismantling of the hawala networks in J&K could inflict a death blow on terrorism and separatism in J&K.

INDIA
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The Nagas: Troubling Fission
Veronica Khangchian
Research Associate, Institute for Conflict Management

Cadres of the Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF), a new Naga outfit, and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM) were involved in an exchange of fire for almost two hours at Thanagong village in the Tamenglong District of Manipur on November 10, 2011. Though both groups separately claimed to have killed one rival cadre, the Manipur Police failed to ascertain whether there were any casualties on either side.

On November 14, ZUF claimed that the clashes erupted when its cadres went in to protect the helpless Thanagong villagers, who were allegedly “tortured mercilessly” by NSCN-IM cadres on November 9, 2011. ZUF also alleged that villagers, including children, were taken hostage by the NSCN-IM and tortured at Soubunglong (Leishok) village in the Nungba Sub-division on November 8. A Press release issued by the outfit's ‘joint secretary’, Aihong Remroi Inpui, accused the NSCN-IM of betraying their own people and inciting bloodshed among the Nagas, contrary to their claim of being 'freedom fighters’.

Meanwhile, on November 11, 2011, the NSCN-IM claimed that ZUF was formed to “challenge the (Naga) nation”. The NSCN–IM declared, “It is the duty of the Naga Army to check anti-national elements caused by the ZUF in which certain section of the people, particularly Suobunglong villagers have been cooperating and feeding the ZUF. Therefore, the Army Cadres of the NSCN who were on duty had taught them (villagers) a lesson not to continue their support to the ZUF.” Further, the NSCN-IM rejected the ZUF allegations against them as ‘totally unfounded’.

Earlier, on October 18, 2011, an almost four hours encounter took place between NSCN-IM and ZUF cadres in a forest at Guiteng Chingkao village under Khoupum Police Station in Tamenglong District of Manipur. The incident happened when some ZUF cadres intruded into Guiteng village, which was already occupied by the NSCN-IM. The firing reportedly began due to ‘miscommunication’ between the cadres on the spot. However, on October 19, the ZUF alleged that around 50 cadres of NSCN-IM attacked a ZUF hideout, which led to the encounter. ZUF warned NSCN-IM, declaring that the group would be responsible for any ‘unfortunate incident’ that occurred in future in the ‘Zeliangrong region’(the Zeliangrong Naga inhabited areas of Assam, Manipur and Nagaland). The ZUF is against NSCN-IM operations in the area, which it claims as its own.

The October 18 incident occurred just a few days after six cadres of the NSCN-IM were killed and five injured during an ambush by ZUF cadres on October 7 at Leishok village in the Nungba Sub-division of the same District. About 60 NSCN-IM cadres were travelling to the village in two trucks, when they came under attack.

Referring to the October 7 shootout, the ZUF stated, on October 13, that it was a ‘sad incident’ caused by an intrusion by ‘outsiders’ (NSCN-IM), which had disturbed the peaceful atmosphere: “It is natural for us to protect our land and we are doing it with our own volition.” ZUF has argued that NSCN-IM only imposes its ‘military rule’ in the Zeliangrong region, while there are many Naga areas that are untouched by the latter outfit.

ZUF was created on February 25, 2011, when around 10 NSCN-IM cadres, who deserted the group along with arms and ammunition, joined up with some National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang (NSCN-K) cadres. The outfit also has an armed wing, the Zeliangrong Tiger Force (ZTF). Jenchui Kamei is the 'commander-in-chief’ of ZUF; Aihong Remroi Inpui, its 'joint secretary' (or ‘secretary in-charge’); Hensin Kamson, its 'finance secretary'; and Nickson Thoitak, its ‘deputy commander-in-chief’.

ZUF claims that its primary objective is to protect the interests of the Zeliangrong tribe, with the slogan "Zeliangrong Ringtelo" – ‘Long live the Zeliangrong people’. The 'chairman' of the outfit, Kamson thus pledged, "We will defend the land and resources of the Zeliangrong people, our culture, our historical values, traditional and customary habitats of the Zeliangrong community." He stated, further, that ZUF would strive to protect the interests of other minority groups and tribes in the region. Claiming that ZUF's jurisdiction falls over the 'Zeliangrong Naga' inhabited areas of Assam, Manipur and Nagaland, he declared, "ZUF shall strive to maintain good relations with other revolutionary movements in the north eastern states."

Furious with the formation of the ZUF, a joint meeting of NSCN-IM, NSCN-K and the Naga National Council (NNC) was reportedly held on February 26, 2011, at the Atinga village in Khoupum Valley in the Tamenglong District. Later, NSCN-IM served notice on the ZUF to surrender to the former by March 10, 2011, or face ‘strong resistance’. However, NSCN-IM chose to ignore its own March 10 surrender deadline and began ‘operations’ against ZUF on March 5, 2011. Poule Nkoume, a cadre of the outfit’s armed wing, ZTF, was killed in a clash with NSCN-IM cadres near Khoupum Khunou village in Tamenglong District on that day.

In June 2011, ZUF shot at and injured an NSCN-IM cadre, Poushindai Gonmei, as a ‘last warning’ for his ‘crime’. On June 9, ZUF claimed responsibility for the act, arguing that Gonmei was involved in the March 5 shootout in which Nkoume was killed.

The formation of the ZUF and its subsequent clashes with NSCN-IM have been opposed by various Naga civil groups. On October 11, dismayed by the October 7 ambush on NSCN-IM militants by ZUF, United Naga Council (UNC), the apex Naga body in Manipur, appealed to different Naga militant groups to refrain from fratricidal acts. Further, lamenting the March 5 factional clash between the ZUF and NSCN-IM, the Zeliangrong Baudi (ZB), the apex organization of the Zeliangrong people of Assam, Manipur and Nagaland issued an appeal for peace, non-violence and restraint ‘from all concerned’, on March 6. ZB president Raitu Chawang underlined the need to work unitedly and in a selfless manner to strengthen the ongoing Indo-Naga peace process and Naga reconciliation under the aegis of the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR). He said that ZB would not encourage the formation of any new outfit/ organization/ faction at this critical juncture of the Naga peace process, in the larger interests of the ‘Naga nation’; adding further that ZB and the Zeliangrong people would render service to bridge the gap among various factions of Naga underground outfits.

Nevertheless, on March 9, ZUF harshly condemned the NSCN-IM, declaring that the former’s revolutionary spirit could not be dampened by simply trying to overpower the outfit. “There has not been any fresh bloodbath amongst the Nagas for a long time. ZUF has since [March 5] been confined in their camp at Sinai… But the NSCN-IM has disturbed the peace by attacking and ambushing our camp.”

A further division took place in the NSCN-K on June 7, when a group of top leaders led by Khole Konyak formed a new group by expelling Khaplang. In a war of words, the NSCN-K on September 2, said Khole and Kitovi Zhimomi (leaders of the new faction after the NSCN-K split) had become ‘prisoners of the NSCN-IM’. Earlier on July 10, the Khole Konyak and Kitovi Zhimomi faction of NSCN had described S.S. Khaplang as a Burmese national and asked him not to interfere in Naga affairs.  

Though, leaders of three Naga factions – Isak Chishi Swu and Thuingaleng Muivah of NSCN-IM; 'General' Khole Konyak and N. Kitovi Zhimomi of the newly formed NSCN-Khole-Kitovi; and 'Brigadier' S. Singnya and Zhopra Vero of NNC – have resolved “in principal” to work towards the formation of one “Naga National Government” in order to better solve Naga political issues, the proliferation of new Naga groups and their escalating rivalry complicates the peace process.

At a time when the Union Government has asked Naga rebel leaders to formulate a “higher working system” and commit to unite in order to reach an agreement for a permanent solution, the clashes between the newly formed ZUF and NSCN-IM, the developing rivalry between the NSCN-K and its breakaway NSCN-Khole-Kitovi, the age-old rivalry between the NSCN-K and NSCN-IM [since April 30, 1988], undermines the entire peace process and marginalizes the FNR, which is spearheading the reconciliation process among Naga factions. Evidently, the Naga peace talks, which began in 1997, are running into rough weather again, and peace, conspicuously, remains a distant dream.



NEWS BRIEFS

Weekly Fatalities: Major Conflicts in South Asia
November 14-20, 2011

 

Civilians

Security Force Personnel

Terrorists/Insurgents

Total

BANGLADESH

  

Left-wing Extremist

0
0
1
1

INDIA

  

Arunachal Pradesh

0
0
3
3

Jammu and Kashmir

0
1
1
2

Manipur

0
0
2
2

Nagaland

1
0
0
1

Left-wing Extremism

  

Chhattisgarh

0
2
0
2

Jharkhand

1
0
1
2

Odisha

3
0
0
3

West Bengal

2
1
2
5

Total (INDIA)

7
4
9
20

PAKISTAN

  

Balochistan

3
2
0
5

FATA

9
7
163
179

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

1
0
2
3

Sindh

4
3
7
14

Total (PAKISTAN)

17
12
172
201
Provisional data compiled from English language media sources.


BANGLADESH

ULFA chief Paresh Barua and 10 others indicted in arms haul case: A Bangladeshi court on November 15 indicted chief of Anti Talk Faction of United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA-ATF) Paresh Barua and 10 others, including former Junior Home Minister Lutfozzaman Babar, Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) leader Matiur Rahman Nizami and former top bosses of the Bangladesh's intelligence agencies, in the country's biggest weapons smuggling case when 10-truck loads of arms for ULFA were seized on April 2, 2004. The hearing (of the main trial) will start on November 29, 2011. Times of India, November 16, 2011.

ICT accepts War Crime charges against BNP leader Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury: The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) took into cognizance the War Crimes (WCs) charges against Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Salauddin Quader Chowdhury. The three-member tribunal headed by Justice Nizamul Huq asked authorities concerned to produce Salauddin before it on November 24 to pass a further directive. Daily Star, November 18, 2011.


INDIA

GNLA is handled by ISI, says Director General of Meghalaya Police: Director General of Police N Ramachandran on November 17 said that the Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) is handled by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Ramachandran said, "We have information that the money collected through extortion is siphoned off by the ISI through the GNLA for purchase of arms and it is a well-known fact that the ISI is in touch with various insurgent outfits of the North East to foment trouble in the region". Nagaland Post, November 18, 2011.

Supreme Court partially lifts ban on SPOs for anti-Naxal operations: Supreme Court lifted its July 5 ban on central funding of anti-Naxal [Left-Wing Extremism] and anti-insurgency operations through Special Police Officers (SPOs) in all States except Chhattisgarh. The court on July 5 had clamped a complete ban on central funding, which accounted for a major chunk of the budget for anti-Naxalite and anti-insurgency operations in many states on a petition filed by Nandini Sundar alleging illegal recruitment of tribal youths as SPOs in Chhattisgarh and large-scale illegalities committed by them. Times of India, November 19, 2011.

No move to grant 'supra state body' status to Nagas, says Union Government: The Centre informed Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh that there was no move to grant a 'supra state body' status to Nagas settled across the North-East and the negotiators, who have been talking to the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM), had never promised the outfit any such arrangement that may have severe inter-state ramifications. The 'clarification' comes in response to the objection from all the three States that sought the Union home ministry's views over certain reports on the purported 'move'. Times of India, November 20, 2011.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee requests interlocutors to continue parleys with the Maoists: Six Government-appointed interlocutors for talks with the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) in Jungle Mahal, who had wanted to be relieved of their responsibilities, were requested to continue their parleys by Chief Minister (CM) Mamata Banerjee. "The chief minister has requested us to continue the peace process and we have accepted it," Sujato Bhadra, who heads the team of interlocutors, told reporters after a meeting with the CM. Times of India, November 20, 2011.

Central Government to induct 7,000 more troopers in Maoist affected areas: The Centre has sanctioned seven Battalions of 'specialized' force, who will execute basic infrastructure projects, including construction of roads, under their protection, in Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) infested States. States will soon start the process of raising the 'force'. The new force - called Specialized India Reserve Battalions (SIRBs) - will have two components. While one unit will have engineers and technical staff, another will consist of security personnel. Times of India, November 18, 2011.

Naxals biggest violators of human rights, says Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram: Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram who was on a tour of Chhattisgarh to review the Maoist situation there called the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) the "biggest violators of human rights". Chidambaram said that anti-Maoist operations in Chhattisgarh seemed to be losing momentum though incidents of Maoist violence have come down. DNA India, November 16, 2011.


NEPAL

Regrouping process starts in PLA cantonments: The regrouping of the members of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) started in three of the seven main cantonment sites (MCS), located in Nawalparasi, Chitwan and Kailali Districts. In the four other cantonments, the process started oon November 19. Nepal News, November 19, 2011.


PAKISTAN

163 militants and nine civilians among 179 persons killed during the week in FATA: At least 10 militants were killed and four injured during an operation in Orakzai Agency Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) on November 20. In addition, six dead bodies of Lashkar-e-Islam (LI) militants were found in the Bara tehsil (revenue unit) of Khyber Agency..

At least 10 militants were killed and several others injured as helicopter gunships pounded hideouts of militants for hours on November 19 in Adokhel, Mir Kalamkhel, Jabba, Sama Bazaar and Mamozai areas of Upper Kurram Agency.

At least eight militants and a Policeman were killed in clashes between Security Forces (SFs) and militants in Wacha Wana of Orakzai Agency on November 18. In addition, SFs killed a militant and injured another during a clash in Spinwam area of North Waziristan Agency (NWA).

22 militants were killed and 10 others injured during the fighting with SFs in Ghaljo and Sheena Warai areas of Upper tehsil in Orakzai Agency of on November 17. Also, nine militants were killed during clashes with SF personnel in Amlok village in Central tehsil of Kurram Agency. Further, US drones fired four missiles at a home in the Razmak area of NWA, killing eight alleged militants.

One Army major, Major Sikandar, and 20 militants were killed during a clash when about 60 militants attacked the Marazan check post in the central Kurram Agency on November 16. Separately, five US drones fired up to 10 missiles into a sprawling compound in the Baber Ghar area of South Waziristan Agency (SWA), killing 18 militants. Also, nine militants were reportedly killed in Koranchi and Dapar Parari areas of Upper tehsil in Orakzai Agency. Six tribesmen were killed and two others sustained injuries when a vehicle ran over a roadside landmine in Spori area of Khyber Agency.

At least 28 militants were killed and 12 others injured during clashes with SFs in the Dabori area of Orakzai Agency on November 15. In addition, a drone strike drone strike targeting a house killed seven people in Miranshah Bazaar of NWA. Further, five Frontier Constabulary (FC) personnel were killed and six others injured when militants first attacked a check-post and later an FC convoy in Bara tehsil of Khyber Agency. SFs killed three militants and injured four who intruded into Mohmand Agency from Afghanistan overnight. Dawn; Daily Times; The News; Tribune, November 14-20, 2011.

TTP Chief Hakimullah Mehsud warns of attacks in Pakistan: Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Chief Hakimullah Mehsud on November 14 warned that his fighters were planning attacks against the Government and the military to wrest control of areas that they had lost in the country's northwest. In an Eid message posted on the TTP website in English, Urdu, Pashto and Arabic, Mehsud claimed his fighters had withdrawn from certain areas as part of a "war strategy" and were planning attacks to regain areas they had lost control of in Swat, Malakand and the tribal areas. Indian Express, November 16, 2011.

Federal Minister for Interior Rehman Malik urges TTP to surrender and work for the future of children: Federal Minister for Interior Rehman Malik on November 19 advised Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to furnish the children with pen and book, instead of preparing them for suicide attacks. He asked them to surrender by disarming themselves and refrain from playing into the hands of the enemy. Dawn, November 20, 2011.

US working to contain LeT in South Asia: The United States is working to contain Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) in South Asia, a top US commander, Admiral Robert F. Willard said. "We find ourselves working with partners in Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Maldives to build their capacities to deal with this organization independently," Admiral Robert F. Willard told reporters attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Conference in Hawaii. Deccan Chronicle, November 16, 2011.


SRI LANKA

Former Army commander Sarath Fonseka sentenced to three years of imprisonment: A three-member trial-at-bar of the Colombo High Court that heard the controversial 'White Flag' case against the former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka on November 18 found him guilty of the charges and sentenced to 3 years in prison along with a fine of LKR 5000 imposed upon him. The former Army Commander was accused of three counts including inciting violence. Colombo Page, November 19, 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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K. P. S. Gill

Editor
Dr. Ajai Sahni


A Project of the
Institute For Conflict Management



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