INSURGENCY

IN NORTHEAST
INDIA

NAME – SERENIA LYNETTE KHARKRANG

ENROLLMENT NO. – 012300100004051
PAPER – CRIME AND SOCIETY (P-3)
COURSE – B.SC - M.SC FORENSIC SCIENCE
SUBMITTED TO – DR. SONIA SHALI
YEAR – 2023

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 INTRODUCTION
Insurgency is defined as an occasion when a group of people attempt to take control of their
country by force, it can also be explained as the violent struggle of a group of people who refuse to
accept their government’s power.

North East India is the region situated in the eastern-most part of India comprising of the eight
states: Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim. It is
linked with the Indian heartland through the 21-kilometre wide Siliguri Corridor, which is commonly
known as “chicken neck”. There are more than 200 different ethnic groups living there, each with its
own customs, dialects and traditions. It’s towering Himalayas, luxuriant green woods and
magnificent hills are just bits of the region’s breathtaking natural features.

The area is crucial for India’s security concerns due to its location; China, Myanmar, Bhutan and
Bangladesh are all neighbours of North East India.

Over the years many ethnic groups in Northeast India have felt marginalized and discriminated
against by the Indian state. They felt that their language, culture and traditions have been
neglected or suppressed that they have not been given a fair share of political power or economic
resources. This region is rich in natural resources such as oil, gas, coal and timber and some
insurgent groups have demanded greater control over these resources. They believe that the Indian
government has exploited the region for the benefit of the rest of India, while neglecting the needs
and interests of the local people. Border disputes, territorial claims and cross border smuggling
have contributed to tensions and conflict in the region.

KEYWORDS
Insurgency

Conflicts

Migrants; Migration

Tribal

Militant; Militancy

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 HISTORY OF CONFLICTS IN
THE NORTH EAST
The roots of insurgency in the North Eastern region of India are fixed in three factors: its geography,
history and a host of socio-economic factors such as language, ethnicity, tribal rivalry, migration,
and control over local resources. Moreover, ninety-eight per cent of the region’s border are
international borders, pointing to the region’s insubstantial geographical connectivity with the rest
of the country. This has resulted in a fragile security situation in the North Eastern states. For more
than half-a- century, this region has seen a ceaseless cycle of violent conflicts dominated by
insurgencies with ranging demands; from outright sovereignty to greater political autonomy.
Insurgency has taken a toll of thousands of lives, both of citizens and security forces, as is clear
from the statistics below:

Conflicts in the region range from insurgency for secession to insurgency for autonomy; from
‘sponsored terrorism’ to ethnic clashes to conflicts generated as a result of continuous inflow of
migrants from across the borders as well as from other states.

The inter-tribal conflicts, the youth unemployment and the inability to compete with non-tribal
businesses, illegal migration from neighbouring States and countries leading to the competition of
resources and land have led to various conflicts and demands of secession.

Northeast India is home to more than 50 ethnic rebel groups – a few demanding complete
secession from India, others fighting for ethnic identities and homelands and some running the
insurgency as an industry to spin easy money without any political ideology.

Archana Upadhyay, “Terrorism in the North East: Linkages and Implications”, Economic and
Politial Weekly, December 2, 2006.

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 EMERGENCE OF THE DIFFERENT
INSURGENT GROUPS IN THE REGION
ASSAM

A movement that started demanding the deportation of the illegal migrants also witnessed the
birth of the militant outfit the United Liberation Front of Assam (U.L.F.A.) in 1979. The other
groups that formed are Bodo Liberation Tigers, National Democratic Front of Bodoland (N.D.F.B.),
the United People’s Democratic Solidarity (U.P.D.S.).

MANIPUR

Militancy originated in protest against the forcible merger of the former Manipur Kingdom with
India. United National Liberation Front formed in 1964, with an objective of ending the
discrimination against Manipur, which was accorded statehood only in 1972 nearly 23 years after its
merger.

Currently, it is the ‘most insurgency ridden’ State with about fifteen violent outfits representing
different tribes/communities active in the State and has become a self-financing extortion activity
particularly in the Valley [Imphal].

Source: ResearchGate; uploaded by BK Sharma 2019

MEGHALAYA

The Meghalaya state was carved out of the Assam state, with an aim to address the unique needs
of the major tribes in the region: the Garos, the Jaintias and the Khasis. The rise of aspirations of
tribal
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autonomy led to the emergence of several insurgent groups in the state, like Garo National
Liberation Army (GNLA) and Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC).

TRIPURA

Migration of Hindus from the British-ruled East Bengal is believed to have been responsible for
reducing the indigenous tribal people in the state to minority status; this development sparked a
violent backlash among the indigenous people.

NAGALAND

Being a part of the larger state of Assam, it was the first to experience militancy in pursuit of a
grant of autonomy. Under the leadership of the Naga National Council (N.N.C.), headed by A.Z.
Phizo, Nagas declared independence around 1951. The N.N.C. split to form National Socialist
Council of Nagaland (N.S.C.N.). The N.S.C.N. further broke into two factions: Isak-Muivah faction
(N.S.C.N.-I.M.) and the Khaplang faction (N.S.C.N.-K.).

MIZORAM

Mizoram was a part of the state of Assam before it was granted statehood in 1987, experienced
militancy after the Union government failed to respond positively to its demand for assistance during
the massive "Mautam famine". The Mizo National Front (M.N.F.), led by the legendary leader
Laldenga, demanded independence for Mizoram in 1966.

ARUNACHAL PRADESH

The state remains under peace more or less in history but the proximity of state with Myanmar
and Nagaland border is gradually being afflicting insurgency in recent time. The only case of
indigenous insurgency movement in Arunachal Pradesh was the rise of the Arunachal Dragon
Force (ADF), which was rechristened as East India Liberation Front (EALF) in 2001.

Source: Ministry of
Home Affairs; Report of
Insurgency in North
East.

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 CASE STUDY
A History of Chinese Support to Northeastern Insurgents
Declassified US intelligence reports document how China has long used Indian separatists to
destabilize its former ally. An April 1968 report noted that Chinese state organs were promoting
Indian insurgencies in the spring of 1967, and a June 1968 report highlighted China’s provision of
weapons and training to multiple guerilla groups. The 1976 death of Communist Party Chaiman, Mao
Zedong, led to changes in China’s foreign policy, and the country ended its official support to Indian
rebels.

But while direct Chinese support decreased in the decades following Mao’s death, ties between
guerilla groups and Chinese military and intelligence services continued. In 2009, a captured
insurgent claimed that sixteen platoons had been trained by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army
(PLA). In 2015, Indian intelligence intercepted phone calls from a Chinese PLA officer to Naga
separatists. That year, regional expert, Bertil Lintner, wrote of Chinese intelligence officers engaging
representatives of the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), Naga groups, and rebels from
Manipur in the Burmese village of Taga. An Assam-based journalist published similar reports of
liaison meetings between Chinese intelligence and rebels in Taga until the camp was dismantled
by the Burmese military, also known as the Tatmadaw, in 2019. Under increased pressure in 2020
many guerilla leaders reportedly fled to Chinese safe houses and hospitals. By November 2020,
Indian intelligence agencies concluded that multiple northeastern groups received training and
weapons from China.

Regional analysts believe that Chinese state-owned enterprises (SOEs) regularly sell arms to
northeastern insurgents. One such shipment – over four million dollars’ worth of Chinese
manufactured assault rifles, grenades, and ammunition – intended for the UFLA was seized in
Chittagong, Bangladesh in 2004. A 2011 Indian indictment of the chief arms procurer for a Naga
group highlighted hid visit to the Beijing headquarters of the China North Industries Corporation
(better known as NORINCO), where he negotiated a 500,00 USD purchase order. The origins of
shipments to rebels over the past several decades are often unclear. Some appear to have direct
PLA sponsorship, whereas other gray-market sales from SOEs may have arisen from the persistent
corruption in China: enterprising managers may be engaging with security officials in profitable
illicit trafficking.

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 OBSERVATION AND
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, it could be said that there are still feelings of separatism in India’s borderland
regions, but to what extent these feelings constitute a real threat to India, is debatable. It seems
clear that the insurgents are a minority, and will not be a major challenge to India in the years to
come, unless there is external help from other countries like China, Bangladesh and Myanmar. The
same probably applies to India’s other disputed borderlands like Kashmir. Because the infiltration of
foreigners and militants is a problem, border patrolling needs to be tightened. This will obviously
be a very challenging task for India since the region is mountainous.

As corruption is part of the problem, border officials and security forces need to be paid higher
salaries, so that they do not accept bribes from people who want to cross over into India from the
other side. The market town of Moreh in Manipur is a place where people can easily cross the
border and come into India from Myanmar after paying the border security officials some money.
This is most certainly a matter of concern for India. Obviously if people coming from Myanmar are
sympathetic to the needs and aspirations of the insurgents, then the insurgency is likely to gain in
strength.

Apart from strict border patrolling, other issues which need urgent attention include issues of
infrastructure development, governance, and corruption. The northeast lacks basic infrastructure
and is vulnerable to environmental disasters.

Power cuts are common, and public buildings often do not have running water. Democracy is not just
about political democracy and free and fair elections, but it is also about economic and social
democracy. The people of these regions often lack access to basic health care, education,
transportation and other facilities which people living in India proper enjoy.

Identifying insurgents will of course prove to be a major challenge, but once identified, it would be
important to bring the disgruntled groups to the negotiating table. The conflicting views from
different groups would need to be heard, and paid attention to. Also, there needs to be better
communication between the different sides. After considering all of the above, hopefully something
positive will begin to emerge.

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 REFERENCES
1. Insurgency, Cambridge Dictionary
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/insurgency
2. North East Insurgency, Drishti
https://www.drishtiias.com/to-the-points/paper3/north-east-insurgency
https://mdoner.gov.in/contentimages/files/ARC_7thReport_Ch12.pdf
3. Insurgency in North East, Ministry of Home Affairs
https://mdoner.gov.in/contentimages/files/ARC_7thReport_Ch12.pdf?shem=sswnst
4. Insurgency Movement in North-East India, Shodhganga
https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/362100/1/10-chapter-2.pdf
5. Northeast Insurgency, Legal Service India
https://www.legalserviceindia.com/legal/article-11461-northeast-insurgency.html
6. North East India – Insurgency and Other Issues, ClearIAS
https://www.clearias.com/north-east-india-insurgency-issues/ - recommendations-to-solve-
north-east-india-problems
7. Insurgency in the Indian Northeast: Student Voices from Kolkata
https://eprints.lancs.ac.uk/id/eprint/85995/2/India_s_Borders.pdf
8. Clowns To the Left of Me, Jokers to The Right: The Threat of Increased Insurgency in India’s
Volatile Northeast, Christopher D. Booth, 2022
https://mwi.westpoint.edu/clowns-to-the-left-of-me-jokers-to-the-right-the-threat-of-
increased-insurgency-in-indias-volatile-northeast/