SOUTH ASIA INTELLIGENCE REVIEW
Weekly Assessments & Briefings
Volume 9, No. 42, April 25, 2011

INDIA

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J&K: Stifled Peace
Ajit Kumar Singh
Research Fellow, Institute for Conflict Management

Maulvi Showkat Ahmad Shah (55), president of the Jamiat-e-Ahle Hadith (JAH), was killed by ‘unidentified militants’ triggering an improvised explosive device (IED) at a mosque gate before Friday’s prayer in the Maisuma area, adjacent to Lal Chowk in Srinagar, on April 8, 2011. Militants had earlier fired at his car in 2006 and hurled a grenade at his house in Lal Bazar on outskirts of Srinagar in 2008.

Maulvi Shah was the third prominent cleric to be killed during 22 years of terrorism in the State. Maulvi Mohammad Farooq, the Mirwaiz (chief preacher) of Central Kashmir, was killed in Srinagar on May 21, 1990, and the Mirwaiz of Anantnag, Maulvi Qazi Nisar, was killed on June 20, 1994.

Maulvi Shah, a close aide of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief Yasin Malik and Chairman of the moderate faction of the separatist All Party Hurriyat Conference – Mirwaiz Umar Farooq (APHC-M), was equally popular among mainstream politicians. The JAH reflects a puritan Wahabi ideology, and receives financial support from Saudi Arabia. Headquartered in Babershah in downtown Srinagar, with about 1.5 million followers, it is the only religious organisation with a following spread across the Jammu & Kashmir (J&K). JAH has 1,200 mosques in the State (814 in Kashmir alone).

Meanwhile, on April 16, 2011, Police arrested three alleged killers – Javaid Ahmad Munshi aka Bill Papa, Nissar Ahmad Khan aka Ishaq and Abdul Gani Dar aka Abdullah Gazalli – associated with a little-known sectarian outfit, Saut-ul-Haq (Voice of the Righteous) and former militants of Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen (TuM).

TuM, formed in 1990, is part of the 15-member, Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK)-based United Jihad Council (UJC), and enjoys close links with groups such as the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT). Elaborating on the conspiracy, Inspector General of Police (Kashmir) S.M. Sahai noted:

The TuM militants, it is reported, were unhappy with Maulvi Shah as he was believed to have ‘closed down’ the terror group [TuM], alleged to have had a long association with JAH. Other reports indicate that his denouncement of the stone-pelting campaign in the summer of 2010, citing Quranic references to justify his stand, as well as his engagement with the Centre's interlocutors, made him a target for the extremists. Maulvi Shah was also among the first to demand a fresh enquiry into the killings of separatist leaders by suspected Pakistan-backed terrorist formations.

Jameel-ur-Rehman, ‘general secretary’ of UJC, was reportedly in touch with the conspirators, while a local LeT ‘commander’ is believed to have provided logistical support for the assassination.

Political assassinations are not new to Kashmir. In a written reply to the Legislative Council on March 31, 2011, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah disclosed that, out of 13,215 civilians killed since 1990 (data till February 25, 2011), 698 were politicians. The highest number, 101 political leaders and workers, was killed in 2002. The most prominent political assassinations were:

May 21, 2002: Senior APHC leader Abdul Gani Lone was shot dead by ‘unidentified gunmen’ at a rally to mark the death anniversary of Maulvi Mohammad Farooq at Idgah ground in old Srinagar city.

December 31, 1993: Professor Abdul Ahad Wani was killed by ‘unidentified gunmen’ in Srinagar.

May 21, 1990: Maulvi Mohammad Farooq was killed by ‘unidentified gunmen’ in Srinagar.

Significantly, each of these leaders was killed by ‘unidentified gunmen’, and a conspiracy of silence surrounded the assassinations, while extremists sought to pin the blame on “Indian Forces”. On January 2, 2011, however, the chief spokesman of the separatist APHC, Abdul Ghani Bhat, cut through the shroud of silence and terror that had enveloped the State for over two decades, to declare:

On March 8, 2009A, a Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) Court jailed Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) ‘commander’ Mohammad Ayub Dar for life for Maulvi Mohammad Farooq’s murder. The conviction and life sentence were upheld by the Supreme Court on July 21, 2010.

Bhat’s declaration appears to have changed the drift of the discourse in the Valley. Soon after Maulvi Shah’s assassination, despite some sections again blaming “Indian Forces” for the killing, voices were raised accusing local terrorists. Significantly, Mohammad Maqbool Akhrani, zila amir (District President) of the JAH, Anantnag, noted on April 13, 2011, "What are we saying? Either the murder is the work of Indian agencies. Or it is Pakistan. Who works for Pakistan here? It's the Lashkar [LeT] and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen. Why can't we just simply state this? Everyone in this room knows that... The killers are within us. They are among us. We should unmask them.”

Civilians have had to bear the brunt of terrorism in J&K. SATP data records a total of 14,612 civilian fatalities in Kashmir since 1989 (out of a total of 43,061 fatalities). Indeed, anyone who opposed, resisted, or even refused compliance to extremist diktats, was targeted. Recently, in a particularly barbaric incident, terrorists dragged two teenaged sisters, Akhtara (18) and Arifa (16), out of their home in Sopore in Baramulla District in the evening of January 31, 2011, and shot them dead. A day later, LeT posters claiming responsibility for the killing declared, “We killed the two girls because their behaviour was improper and they were involved in degraded activities like informing the security agencies.” The LeT also threatened to take action against those who had started raising questions about the murders. Minister of State for Horticulture, Javed Ahmad Dar, later noted, “There have been many such killings in Sopore town. The traumatised people are clueless. Nobody dares to speak up publicly.”

In the most recent incident, unidentified militants shot dead a woman, Hasina Begum (40), a candidate for Panchayat (village level local self-Government institution) elections at Karpora in the Pakherpora area of Charar-e-Sharief in Budgam District. Though there have been other incidents of violence targeting the elections, this is the first political killing in Kashmir related to ongoing Panchayat polls. Despite the violence, a large number of voters are turning in for the 16 phase Panchayat elections held in the entire State after a gap of 45 years. [Elections were held for only 1600 Panchayats out of 2,702 Panchayats in 2001]. According to reports, 76 per cent of voters exercised their franchise in the first round of elections; 82 per cent voted in the second phase; and 79 per cent in the third phase. The elections, which began on April 13, will continue till June 18.

In a related development, following an unexpected meeting between the Centre’s interlocutors on J&K and Ittihadul Muslimeen patron and Shia cleric Maulvi Abbas Ansari, on April 21, 2011, the APHC’s moderate faction suspended him. Ansari is the former chairman of Hurriyat (Mirwaiz) and its founding member, while his party Ittihadul Muslimeen is the founding constituent of the Hurriyat (Mirwaiz). His suspension once again confirms the reality that peace initiative, at the present juncture, lack direction and possibilities of success. Confirming the move, the Chairman of the moderate APHC faction, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq reiterated, “We’re not against seeking a resolution of the Kashmir problem through dialogue, but the Hurriyat Conference is of the view that since the interlocutors have the mandate of only making certain recommendation to the Government of India and can’t take decisions on their own, any engagement with them is tantamount to wasting of time.”

Little hope of a proximate resolution in J&K exists, particularly since the only visible initiative relies on a weak and directionless group of the Centre’s interlocutors. Maulvi Shah’s killing demonstrates beyond doubt that, despite continuously declining trends in terrorist violence in the State, the gun retains its veto, and political assassination will continue to target even the most hesitant voices of dissent and opposition to the extremist cause.

INDIA

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Latehar: The Colour of Fratricide
Deepak Kumar Nayak
Research Assistant, Institute for Conflict Management

Latehar District, which falls under the Palamu Division of Jharkhand State, is one of four Districts in the Division, where a number of Naxalite (Left Wing Extremist) groups are fighting for dominance. Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Deputy Inspector General Bhanu Pratap Singh, stationed in the Palamau region, noted that 60 per cent of Naxalite incidents in Jharkhand were reported from Palamau, Latehar, Chatra and Garhwa: “The reason is that many splinter groups are active in the area and they are fighting a battle of supremacy with each other.”

The bodies of two villagers, identified as Harbar Singh and Chetu Singh, executed by a kangaroo court of Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres, were recovered at Baresand village in the Latehar District of Jharkhand on April 12, 2011. The victims, accused by the Maoists of collecting levy in the name of the Maoists, had earlier been abducted from their homes on April 10.

A day later, on April 13, 2011, two former CPI-Maoist cadres were executed by the Maoists and their bodies dumped near the railway crossing in the Atikheta forest of the Latehar District. Superintendent of Police (SP) Kuldip Diwedi disclosed that the deceased, Nirmal Singh and Birendra Singh Kharwar, had been members of a Maoist ‘firing squad’ till 2008, before parting ways to join the Jharkhand Janmukti Parishad (JJP), a CPI-Maoist splinter group.

These are just the most recent incidents in a Maoist struggle for undisputed dominance in their strongholds in this mineral rich region. After a particularly daring attack on March 4, 2011, in which over 50 Maoist cadres tried unsuccessfully to overrun a Police Base Camp at Amrawadih village under Balumath Police Station, SP Kuldip Diwedi noted, “The Maoists have formed a new guerrilla company called Company-6 and are trying to regain lost ground in the bordering areas of the two districts [Latehar and Chatra], where a splinter group, Tritiya Prastuti Committee (TPC), has gained influence."

Carved out of the old Palamu District, Latehar was created on April 4, 2001, with Palamu to its North, Chatra at its East, Lohardaga and Gumla Districts in the South, Garhwa at its North West, and Surguja, in Chhattisgarh, to its South West. Spread across an area of 4,211.25 square kilometres, of which nearly half (2010.22 square kilometres) is under dense forest, Latehar’s hilly terrain makes it a perfect destination for the creation of a Maoist hub. Terror also reigns supreme in Latehar due to its proximity with other Maoist-hit Districts of Jharkhand, as well as its proximity to Chhattisgarh, the State currently ranked second among those worst afflicted by Left Wing extremism (LWE).

The Maoist terror in Latehar, listed among the 34 worst Naxal-affected Districts by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, is immense. After the hijack of the 627Up Barkakana-Dehri-Mughalsarai (BDM) passenger train on April 22, 2009, a report had noted that the Railway Protection Force (RPF) contingent, which arrived at the Latehar Railway Station to sanitise the railway route at around 11.30 AM, remained there, unwilling to move to the location of the hijacked passenger train. An unidentified RPF trooper had stated, "There is no use entering the train hijack zone as the hijack drama was over. Moreover, it is risky given that the Maoists target people like us who are in uniform." The train had been overpowered by the local villagers and a group of armed Maoists at around 7.30 AM the same day, at Hehegara Railway Station and was ‘released’ at 11.50 AM. The report further noted that Police officers, including the SP, preferred to work from their residences or some location other than their offices, fearing Maoist attacks.

School children did not hoist the national flag on Republic Day (January 26, 2011) following a Maoist threat. Instead, Maoists hoisted black flags and put up posters with anti-Government slogans and threats.

According to data compiled by the South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP), a total of 176 persons, including 56 civilians, 50 Security Force (SF) personnel and 70 extremists have been killed in the District since its creation in 2001. Jharkhand State recorded a total of 1,284 fatalities during this period. Though no definite trend in fatalities has been established, the sway of Maoist violence in the District is inescapable. The District recorded the third highest number (29) of Maoist related incidents in 2010, after Ranchi (44) and East Singhbhum (34).

Fatalities in LWE Violence in Latehar District: 2001-2011

Latehar has also recorded 14 major incidents (involving three or more killings) since April 2001. The most prominent among these include: 

July 16, 2010: Five Police personnel were killed and five were injured in a Maoist landmine blast targeting a patrol van carrying Jharkhand Jaguar Force personnel at Kutmu More.

April 16, 2009: Maoists blew up a Border Security Force (BSF) bus ferrying personnel from Ladhup to Arah, killing seven BSF personnel, one helper and the civilian driver of the bus.

April 15, 2009: Maoists triggered a landmine blast at Varnia Ghati in the hilly tracts of Barwadih, blowing up a bus ferrying CRPF personnel. In the resulting exchange of fire with the SFs, two CRPF personnel, a civilian driver and five Maoists were killed.

January 17, 2009: Six Policemen were killed in a landmine blast triggered by Maoists at Do-Pahani village.

October 28, 2007: Five people were abducted from Boda village and killed by Maoists in the nearby forest. They had been accused of supporting the TPC, a breakaway Maoist faction.

May 29, 2007: Jharkhand Liberation Tigers (JLT) cadres shot dead four TPC supporters, identified as Arjun Ganjhu aka Tasala Ganjhu, Jahru Ganjhu, Sukhan Ganjhu and Paras Ganjhu, at Barwa Toli near Salechnawa village under the Balumath Police Station area.

April 9, 2007:  Eight TPC cadres were killed in a clash with 100 Maoist cadres near Bhadgao in the Balumath Police area. One Maoist cadre was also killed and several others were injured in the gun battle.

January 23, 2005: Six Naxalites were killed during an armed clash between members of the CPI-Maoist and the Sangharsh Jan Mukti Morcha (SJMM) in Boda village.

The internal frictions between various rival LWE groups in Latehar are the principal reason for current violence in the District. The various groups engaged in this fratricidal struggle include the Swatantra Jan Sangharsh India Morcha (SJSIM), SJMM, Jharkhand Sangharsh Janmukti Morcha (JSJM), People's Liberation Front of India (PLFI), TPC, Jharkhand Prastuti Committee (JPC), JJP, JLT, Chhattisgarh-Jharkhand Simant Committee (CJSC) and Bal-Dasta (Children’s Strike Force), in addition to the CPI-Maoist. Most recently, a 50-member splinter group, Jharkhand Jan Mukti Parishad (JJMP), was formed on February 6, 2011, with its cadres trained in operating sophisticated weapons. Police sources disclosed that the new outfit had organised a training camp for its members in the jungles bordering Latehar and Lohardaga Districts.

The CRPF has 13 Battalions and two Combat Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) units in the State, but the Force is far from sufficient to contain the troubles. CRPF Inspector-General Alok Raj noted, on April 18, 2011, “While we have strengthened our base, the same has been done by rebels in Chatra, Latehar, Palamau, Khunti and Dumka. So, the need is to raise more Battalions.”  

Earlier, on July 17, 2010, Jharkhand Director General of Police (DGP) Neyaz Ahmed, while admitting to the Maoist menace, declared, "The anti-Maoist operations in Latehar District will be intensified and combing operations are in progress in different areas." There are, however, no significant indicators of such ‘intensified’ campaign on ground though, in one encounter, the SFs killed nine Maoists at the Luhur forest on January 28, 2011.

The reality is that SF capacities in Jharkhand are far from what is required to confront the Maoist threat, and this, rather than incidental lapses on the part of SF personnel, is the principal case of the progressive Maoist dominance since 2007.

Some tentative steps are, however, being initiated by authorities. Locals in Latehar have raised anti-Maoist village defence committees with the help of the Police, to patrol the highway by night and to give protection to vehicles. These Committees, provided with spears, shoes, raincoats, whistles, etc. for patrolling, are hardly a foil for the Maoists, but do cut into their recruitment base, since villagers get some employment and are paid daily wages. Further, in a recruitment drive that ended on March 2011, the SP, Latehar, along with the SPs of neighbouring Garhwa and Palamu Districts has also recruited some 850 Police troopers.

Jharkhand has had a particularly poor record of fighting the Maoists, with efforts constantly undermined by political ambivalence and a lack of effective Police capacities. Unsurprisingly, the extremist consolidation in the State continues apace, and the only significant check on this has been the internecine violence between a multiplicity of Maoist factions. This, however, can only provide cold comfort; inevitably, one or the other factions will come to dominate – most likely the CPI-Maoist. Unless the State is infinitely better prepared than it currently is, to confront that inevitable challenge, Latehar, the wider Palamu region, and Jharkhand, can only sink deeper into a Maoist consolidation.

Civilians

Security Force Personnel

Terrorists/Insurgents

Total

INDIA

Jammu & Kashmir

Left-wing Extremism

Bihar

Chhattisgarh

Jharkhand

Maharashtra

Odisha

West Bengal

Total (INDIA)

Nepal

PAKISTAN

Balochistan

FATA

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Sindh

Total (PAKISTAN)