South Asia Terrorism Portal
Meghalaya: Towards Concord Oyindrila Chattopadhyay Research Associate, Institute for Conflict Management
On March 11, 2022, Meghalaya Government, following Government of India’s (GoI’s) nod, initiated the process to hold formal talks with the banned Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC). An unnamed senior official of the Meghalaya Home Department disclosed that the State Government has appointed retired Indian Administrative Service officer Peter S. Dkhar, and A.K. Mishra, adviser to Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA), as interlocutors to facilitate the talks. HNLC, the militant group operating in the Khasi-Jaintia Hills and purportedly fighting for ‘Khasi interests,’ remains active in the State. HNLC is a product of a 1992 split in the Hynniewtrep Achik Liberation Council (HALC), the first militant tribal outfit in Meghalaya.
In its response to the Meghalaya Government's initiative, HNLC 'general secretary-cum-publicity secretary', Sainkupar Nongtraw, stated, on March 13, 2022,
Earlier, on February 8, 2022, HNLC had expressed its willingness to hold talks with the State and Central Governments without any preconditions. In a statement, Nongtraw noted,
Prior to this, in a letter sent on January 16, 2021 to the State Government, HNLC expressed willingness to enter peace talks with GoI only on the condition of a review and re-examination of the Instrument of Accession and the Standstill Agreement signed in 1948. According to HNLC, the promises made under the Standstill Agreement were not honoured. On August 9, 1947, all 25 'Khasi States' signed the Standstill Agreement with the Governor of Assam, which confirmed that the agreements and administrative practices that existed between a princely state and the British Government would continue in independent India. According to the agreement, 'Khasi States' ceded only some governance rights to India, while the rest were to be exercised by the Khasi chiefs. HNLC also wanted to revisit and review the Instrument of Accession treaty signed between the 25 'Khasi States' and the Government of India between December 15, 1947- March 19, 1948, as HNLC believed that the Khasi Syiems (Khasi Chiefs representing the traditional authorities) had signed the Instrument of Accession at "gunpoint." On August 14, 2021, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma shared the Government's position in public saying,
One of the major reasons which accelerated the talks process was the August 13, 2021, killing of Chesterfield Thangkhiew, former HNLC 'general secretary', and the subsequent violent reactions. Significantly, a combined Police team of East Khasi Hills and East Jaintia Hills had gone to the Mawlai-Kynton Massar locality in Shillong (East Khasi Hills District) to arrest Thangkhiew from his home, but the latter resisted and pulled a knife forcing the police to shoot in self-defense, leading to his death. Significantly, the Police was investigating the surrendered militant leader for two Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attacks claimed by HNLC:
After the Thangkhiew killing, Director General of Police (DGP) R. Chandranathan asserted that the Police had “clinching evidence” of his involvement in the August 10 attack and a tip-off that another blast was being planned.
Despite the Police’s clarification, violence erupted and stone pelting, vandalism and arson rocked several areas of the State. Curfew was imposed and internet services were blocked. To pacify the protestors, State Home Minister Lahkmen resigned on August 15, stating, “I propose judicial enquiry be conducted.”
While the probe is still on, it was expected that the Government would initiate some other measures to pacify the protestors. Indeed, one of the political observers told The Telegraph, “Since the knives are out, the NPP [National People’s Party]-led State Government has to act with tact to douse the fire triggered by the encounter death.”
State Government data indicates that, out of seven IED explosions that took place in the State between February 2018 and January 2022, at least five were suspected to be linked with the HNLC, clearly indicating that the outfit remains a major threat in the State, where militancy was considered to be over in the aftermath of the February 24, 2018, killing of the Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) ‘commander-in-chief’ Sohan D. Shira.
Between November 2009, when GNLA was formed, and February 24, 2018, Meghalaya recorded 126 civilian fatalities, among which at least 94 were attributed to one or the other terrorist group, while 32 remained unattributed. GNLA was found to be involved in 77 of the 94 (i.e., 82 per cent) ‘attributable’ civilian killings. Similarly, during the same period, Meghalaya recorded 36 SF fatalities of which 35 were attributed. GNLA was involved in 30 of the 35 ‘attributed’ SF killings, i.e., 85.7 per cent. Since the killing of Sohan. D. Shira, according to partial data compiled by the South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP), Meghalaya has recorded just four fatalities, including three militants (one in 2018 and two in 2021) and one civilian (in 2019), data till March 20, 2022.
It is consequently expected that the Government would deal with HNLC to consolidate the peace. The beginning of the talks process is a major step in this direction.
Further, the phase wise resolution of the Assam-Meghalaya boundary dispute is also in sight. On March 14, 2022, Chief Minister Sangma announced that a tripartite agreement between the Centre and the State Governments of Assam and Meghalaya to resolve disputes between the two states in six areas, was likely to be signed on March 27, 2022. Six of the 12 areas of difference have been taken up for resolution in the “first phase.”
Further, Chief Minister Sangma informed the State Assembly that the MHA was examining the demand for the implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system in the State. After the introduction of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), a sense of ethnic insecurity prevails in the tribal groups. The introduction of the ILP system, its supporters believe, has become necessary to safeguard the ethnic identities of the tribal communities.
Peace has been established in Meghalaya, and the negotiations with HNLC should be handled in way that ensures that the ethnic balance between the Garo, Khasi and Jaintia tribes is not disturbed. There is also a need to maintain vigil on the ground to stop militants from regrouping and disturbing the hard-earned accord.
Kerala: Maoists on the Margins Deepak Kumar Nayak Research Associate, Institute for Conflict Management
On March 10, 2022, the presence of six armed cadres of the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) was reported from the Seethapara tribal settlement under the Chakkittapara Panchayat (village level local-self-Government institution) in Kozhikode District. The armed Maoists came near the river bank and asked the residents who came to bathe to purchase rice for them. When the residents said that they could not, the Maoists demanded that the residents get the rice from their own homes. They held two people captive and sent the others to fetch the rice. After the residents delivered the rice, the Maoists released the captives and left.
On March 8, 2022, six armed Maoists, including two women, reached Pushupagiri village under the Koduvally Taluk (revenue sub-division) in Kozhikode District, and entered three houses to seize food staples, taking away rice, coconut and bakery products. In one house, they had tea and charged their mobile phones. From another, they took soap and nails.
These are the two reported incidents of Maoist presence in residential areas in 2022, thus far (data till March 20). Through 2021, six such incidents were reported from three districts [Kozhikode (three), Wayanad (two), and Palakkad (one)]. There were two such incidents in 2020 (one each in Wayanad and Kannur). Since March 6, 2000, a total of 34 such incidents have been recorded in the State.
Meanwhile, Kerala has not recorded a single fatality in Maoist-linked violence through 2021. The last fatality in the State in such violence was reported on November 3, 2020, when a CPI-Maoist cadre was killed by the Security Forces (SFs) in an encounter in the forests near Meenmutty in Wayanad District. The slain cadre, identified as Velmurugan from Tamil Nadu, was an expert in weapons’ handling and propagating the Maoist ideology. He had been on the run since 2012 and had cases registered against him in Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
In fact, according to partial data collated by the South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP), since March 6, 2000, when SATP started compiling data on Naxalite [Left Wing Extremism, LWE] violence, the State has recorded a total of nine fatalities (all Maoists) in six separate incidents (data till March 20, 2022). Of the nine Maoist fatalities, one was reported in 2014, two in 2016, five in 2019 and one in 2020.
The Maoists were unable to execute any violent incident in 2021, as against one such incident in 2020. On January 15, 2020, Maoists attacked and vandalized a tourist resort, broke window panes of the resort and set its furniture ablaze, at Attamala town under Meppadi Police Station limits in Wayanad District. Since March 6, 2000, at least four incidents of arson, two of explosion, and two of abduction, have been recorded in the State.
Further, five incidents of recovery of posters/pamphlets/literature was recorded in 2021, as in 2020. 18 such incidents have been recorded between March 6, 2000 and 2019: 2019 (four), 2018 (three), 2014 (eight), 2013 (one), 2010 (one), and 2009 (one).
Meanwhile, Security Forces (SFs) arrested five Maoists in 2021, in addition to three in 2020. Significantly, on November 9, 2021, the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) of the Kerala Police arrested senior CPI-Maoist leader B.G. Krishnamurthy, the ‘secretary’ of the CPI-Maoist ‘Western Ghats Special Zonal Committee (WGSZC), and Savithri aka Rejitha, the ‘commander’ of the group’s Kabani Dalam (armed squad), from Sulthan Bathery in Wayanad District. 49 Maoists have been arrested in the State since March 6, 2000.
The State recorded its first surrender on October 25, 2021, when P. Lijesh aka Ramu, a senior CPI-Maoist leader, surrendered before Superintendent of Police (SP) Aravind Sukumar without arms in the Wayanad District. Lijesh, a native of Amarakkuni near Pulpally in Wayanad District, claimed that he was the ‘deputy commander’ of the Kabani Dalam of the WGSZC and had worked for the organisation in Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Ashok Yadav, Inspector General of Police (IGP), North Zone, disclosed, “Lijesh is the first Maoist cadre to surrender in the State after the Surrender and Rehabilitation scheme announced by the State Government in 2018.” No surrender had been reported prior to the announcement of the Rehabilitation scheme in 2018.
In 2021, Maoist activities were reported from five of the State’s Districts – Kannur, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Palakkad, and Wayanad – which fell in the ‘marginally affected’ category. In 2020, Maoist activities had been reported from five Districts – Kannur, Kozhikode, Palakkad, Thrissur and Wayanad; while, Wayanad fell in the ‘moderately affected’ category, Kannur, Kozhikode, Palakkad, and Thrissur were in the ‘marginally affected’ category. Kerala has a total of 14 Districts.
Incidentally, in its June 19, 2021, review of the categorization of Districts affected by LWE, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA) identified Wayanad as one among the ‘District of Concern,’ along with another seven Districts across five States in the country. Moreover, three Districts – Malappuram, Palakkad, and Wayanad – were also among the 70 Districts in 10 States that are covered under the Centre’s ‘Security Related Expenditure (SRE)’ scheme which funds focused operations against the LWEs.
The Maoists have been struggling hard to expand their movement in the State and in the region. Significantly, the Maoists deputed Deepak, ‘zonal committee’ member and his wife Sharmila from other ‘guerrilla zones’ to the WGSZC. Deepak, who has the experience of working in Chhattisgarh, was to impart training in jungle warfare and use of explosives. Deepak was arrested in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu in November 2019, and Sharmila returned to her unit in 2018. Since then, the CPI-Maoist ‘state military commission’ in WGSZC, which oversees armed activities, is without a head. However, sources indicate that the Maoists are planning to bring in some experienced and battle-hardened cadre from Dandakaranya region to South India, to overcome their present crisis. At present, according to a November 30, 2021, report, the number of cadres of the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA in the State has come down to 14, from around 40 in 2015, after a series of encounter killings, arrests and surrenders. The Maoists are struggling to counter intensified efforts by the Kerala Police to get Maoists to surrender.
Indeed, the State Government has, so far, succeeded in containing Maoist attempts to spread their influence in Kerala, implementing several measures. For instance, on March 15, 2022, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan handed over a cheque of INR 394,000 and the key of the house, availed on rent till a new house is constructed under the Life Mission scheme, to surrendered Maoist P. Lijesh, in accordance with the State Government’s "surrender-cum- rehabilitation" scheme. Lijesh will also be provided with INR 15,000 as stipend for continuing his education, as well as assistance in joining any Government Industrial Training Institute (ITI) or other institution.
Further, to get hold of Maoist elements in the State, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted searches in Wayanad District on February 25, 2022, in connection with a case of recruitment of vulnerable youth by the CPI-Maoist. During the searches, various incriminating documents, digital devices and SIM cards were seized. The case related to providing training to new CPI-Maoist recruits, for their induction into the group’s front organisations; organising terrorist camps; and threatening the unity, integrity and sovereignty of India. Earlier, on October 12, 2021, NIA officials launched a series of raids across locations in Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, to unearth suspected CPI-Maoist training camps and hideouts. The raids were triggered by specific intelligence inputs on people being indoctrinated into the party’s ideology through propaganda material. Officials seized videos that were used to train cadres.
The Maoist threat in Kerala remains peripheral, but there are critical gaps in capacities and deployment of the Kerala Police that could be clear future vulnerabilities. According to the latest Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) data, as on January 1, 2020, Kerala had 152.49 Police personnel per 100,000 population, which is below the inadequate national average of 155.78. Further, with a sanctioned strength of 62,571, the State Police has just 53,723 personnel in position, a deficit of 14.14 per cent. The sanctioned strength of the apex Indian Police Service (IPS) Officers in the State was 172, but just 126 officers were in position, a deficit of 26.74 per cent.
The Maoist are making sustained efforts to extend their activities in Kerala, bringing in experienced leaders from places like Bastar in Chhattisgarh, to coordinate and lead the task of revival. State Police forces have been successful in containing the threat, and an unrelenting effort to ensure that the Maoists do not succeed in their efforts is an imperative.
Weekly Fatalities: Major Conflicts in South Asia March 14-20, 2022
Civilians
Security Force Personnel
NS
Total
AFGHANISTAN
INDIA
Arunachal Pradesh
Jammu and Kashmir
INDIA (Left-Wing Extremism)
Chhattisgarh
India (Total)
PAKISTAN
Balochistan
KP
PAKISTAN (Total)
Total (South Asia)
IS-KP re-constituting itself, will ramp up attacks in summer, says US Central Command General Frank Kent McKenzie: The Commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM) General Frank Kent McKenzie said on March 16 that Islamic State-Khorasan Province (IS-KP) is re-constituting itself and will be able to conduct attacks out of Afghanistan in 12 to 18 months. The CENTCOM commander warned that IS-KP will ramp up it attacks in the summer even in Kabul. The Khaama Press, March 16, 2022.
Taliban establishes Commission to invite Afghan figures in exile: The Interim Government of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan on March 16 approved the establishment of an exclusive commission aimed at inviting and getting Afghan figures in exile returned to Afghanistan. The commission is named "Repatriation and Connection" and was ratified at the cabinet meeting. The Khaama Press, March 16, 2022.
Amir Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada issues a decree asking the IEA Forces to deliver equal services to all citizens: The Amir (supreme leader) of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada, recently decreed that the IEA Forces should not consider racial, ethnic and language differences, and should seek to deliver equal services to all citizens. In the decree, which had fourteen articles, Mullah Hibatullah told government forces to respect the property belonging to the entire nation and to avoid interfering in people's privacy. According to the decree, any behavior that harasses the people should be avoided, and the citizens have the right to receive services equally, without discrimination. Tolo News, March 15, 2022.
10 Jamaatul Muslimeen cadres including its 'chief' Middat Hossain arrested in Khulna District: Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) on March 19 arrested 10 of Jamaatul Muslimeen cadres, including its 'chief' Middat Hossain, in Khulna District. The arrests were made after a raid in an under-construction house at the Khulna city's Khalishpur area. Dhaka Tribune, March 19, 2021.
Two JMB cadres jailed over blasts carried out in Dhaka city in 2015: The Dhaka Anti-Terrorism Special Tribunal on March 15 jailed two Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) cadres over the blasts carried out at Shia headquarters Husaini Dalan in Dhaka city in 2015. Tribunal chair Mojibur Rahman awarded 10-year imprisonment to Mohammad Arman alias Monir (27) and seven-year imprisonment to Kabir Hossain alias Rashed alias Asif (28). According to the case statement, JMB cadres on October 24, 2015, exploded a number of bombs at Husaini Dalan, killing two people and injuring many others. New Age, March 15, 2021
Naxal violence has fallen 77 per cent, Government informs Lok Sabha: Naxal [Left Wing extremism, LWE] violence in the country has reduced by 77 per cent, from an all-time high of 2,258 in 2009 to 509 in 2021, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai told the Lok Sabha (Lower House of the Indian Parliament) on March 15. The Minister said, "The incidents of LWE violence have reduced by 77 per cent from an all-time high of 2,258 in 2009 to 509 in 2021. Similarly, resultant deaths - civilians and security personnel - have reduced by 85 per cent from all-time high of 1,005 in 2010 to 147 in 2021". The Pioneer, March 15, 2022.
104 SF personnel killed during last two years in Jammu and Kashmir, says government: The Union Government on March 15 said that 62 Security Force (SF) personnel lost their lives and 106 were injured in terrorist violence, including encounters during infiltration, in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) in 2020, while 42 SF personnel were killed and 117 injured in such incidents in 2021. Also, according the available information, there were 99 attempts of infiltration in 2020 and 77 in 2021 while 19 terrorists were killed in such infiltration attempts in 2020 and 12 terrorists were killed in 2021 and one was arrested. Daily Excelsior, March 15, 2022.
Smugglers arrested in Mundra haul case linked to Pakistan terror groups, says NIA: On March 14, National Investigation Agency (NIA) informed the special court in Ahmedabad of Gujarat that those arrested in Mundra haul case have links with terror groups in Pakistan. In a statement, NIA stated that a chargesheet has been filed against 16 people, including 11 Afghan nationals, four Indians and an Iranian in connection with the case. On September 21, 2021, nearly three tonnes of Heroin worth USD 2.7 billion was seized at Mundra port (Kutch District) in Gujarat. The Indian Express, March 14, 2022.
New campaign launched to make party revolutionary, says CPN-Maoist Centre Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal: Chairperson of the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist Centre (CPN-Maoist Centre) and former Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on March 20 said a new campaign has been launched to make the party revolutionary. According to him, a new form of party is possible with its transformation. My Republica, March 20, 2022.
EC asks to register candidates for local level election on April 24 and 25: Election Commission (EC) on March 18 asked to register candidates for the local level election on April 24 and 25. According to the election program passed by the EC, the name of the candidate will be made public on April 28 after completing the process including registration of complaint and investigation. The final list of candidates will be published on the same day from 5 to 6 p.m. Nepal News, March 18, 2022.
Baloch student group to boycott classes across Pakistan on March 21 against enforced disappearances: Baloch Students Council announced on March 16 to boycott classes across Pakistan on March 21 against the enforced disappearances. The council urged students from all over Pakistan to boycott classes on March 21 to record their protest for the safe recovery of Hafeez Baloch. ANI, March 16, 2022.
Colombo District Court sets May 2 as final date for defendants to respond in Easter Sunday attack: The Colombo District Court on March 16 set May 2 as the final date for the defendants including former President Maithripala Sirisena to respond to 109 cases filed seeking compensation for the dead and permanently disabled in the terrorist attack on Easter Sunday in 2019. The cases were taken up before Colombo Additional District Judge Chathurika de Silva. Accordingly, the Additional District Judge for the last time set a date to the respondents to file the relevant submissions on May 2. Colombo Page, March 16, 2022.
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
To receive FREE advance copies of SAIR by email Subscribe. Recommend South Asia Intelligence Review (SAIR) To A Friend