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United People’s Democratic Solidarity (UPDS)
Formation
The
United People’s Democratic Solidarity (UPDS) was formed in March 1999
with the merger of two terrorist outfits in Assam's Karbi Anglong district,
the Karbi National Volunteers (KNV) and Karbi
People’s Front (KPF).
The
outfit signed a cease-fire agreement for one year with the Union Government
on May 23, 2002. However, this led to a split in the UPDS with one faction
deciding to continue with its subversive activities while the other
commenced negotiations with the Government. Currently, there are two
factions: pro-talks and anti-talks. On May 16, 2004, the UPDS (Anti-Talks)
rechristened itself as the Karbi Longri North Cachar Hills Liberation
Front (KLNLF) and its armed wing as the Karbi
Longri North Cachar Hills Resistance Force (KNPR).
Leadership
Kiri
Rongphar was the founder ‘chairman’ of the outfit. He was arrested on
October 22, 1999. On August 22, 2002, UPDS 'commander-in-chief' Long
Kumar Kiling died of injuries sustained during a feline attack in the
forests of Karbi Anglong district.
At present, the
outfit is headed by its Chairman Longder
Singner alias H E Kathar and General Secretary Haren Sing Bey.
T Nongloda is the outfit's Publicity Secretary and Lindok Ronghang its
Finance Secretary.
The total cadre strength of the UPDS is
estimated to be a little more than 150, of which at least 50 are believed
to be armed with sophisticated weapons.
Areas of Operation
The outfit's main area
of operations is in the Karbi Anglong district, with a relatively minor
presence in the North Cachar Hills district.
Linkages
The
outfit is known to have grown with the active assistance of the National
Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM),
which provied it with arms and ammunition. It is reported to have procured
arms and ammunition from Bhutan and Bangladesh.
The
UPDS also shares a ‘working relationship’ with the National Democratic
Front of Bodoland (NDFB) and the United Liberation
Front of Asom (ULFA).
Funds
Abductions for ransom and
extortion are the main sources of income for the UPDS. The outfit generates
a considerable amount of revenue by targeting the ginger producing Kukis
in the Singhason Hills area. The non-Karbi traders are also targeted
for extortion.
Peace
Talks
The outfit held six rounds of peace
talks with the State and Union Govenrment representatives between 2002
and 2006. Tha last round of talks was held on July 26, 2006. Subsequently,
the outfit pulled out of the talks process complaning of lack of progress
on its core demands.
The outfit's cadres are lodged in one
Govenrment guarded designated camp at Diphu with 60 cadres, two main
camps and several sub-camps.
Incidents
2008
-
April 11: Union Government rejected the demand of
the UPDS for a Karbi state in a meeting with six UPDS leaders.
-
April 6: The UPDS asks to hold the seventh round
of tripartite peace talks with the Central and Assam Governments
in New Delhi on April 10.
-
February 20: The United People’s Democratic Solidarity
(UPDS) set two conditions for renewing the cease-fire that lapsed
on January 31, 2008. In a letter to the Joint Secretary (Northeast)
in the Union Home Ministry, the UPDS ‘foreign secretary’ Klirdap
Kathar said that they would sign a fresh cease-fire agreement only
if the Union Government agreed to hold a round of talks every three
months until a solution was reached. The second condition put by
the outfit is that its demand for self-rule be included in the terms
of reference of the proposed State Reorganisation Commission.
2007
-
August 16: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs stated
that the truce has been extended with the UPDS for another six months
with effect from August 1, following a tripartite meeting of the
representatives of the Government of India, Assam Government and
the UPDS.
-
August 13: The UPDS has charged the ULFA of hatching
a conspiracy with the KLNLF to start an ethnic clash in the Karbi
Anglong district by killing Hindi-speaking people. UPDS publicity
secretary Thung E. Nongloda said: "The ULFA has been killing Hindi-speaking
people in various parts of the State, and now the outfit has started
such killings in Karbi Anglong after coming into an understanding
with the KLNLF."
-
July 19: Two unidentified UPDS cadres are also arrested
from Gautambasti in the Khatkhati area under Bokajan police station.
-
May 30: Four groups - the United People's Democratic
Solidarity (UPDS), Karbi Longri North Cachar Liberation Front (KLNLF),
DHD and Black Widow, reportedly have launched widespread extortion
drives in their respective strongholds in the Karbi Anglong and
North Cachar hill districts making the life of common people, government
staff and traders miserable.
-
March 5: The Communist Party of India-Marxist-Leninist
(CPI-ML) cites a report stating that a section of Congress party
leaders had connived with the UPDS and Black Widow militants in
the abduction of its leader Laktook Phangcho, from Chirilangshu
village near Umrangshu in the North Cachar Hills district, and his
subsequent killing.
-
March 2: The dead body of a CPI-ML
party leader, Laktook Phangcho, is recovered from a forest. Phangcho
was reportedly abducted by suspected UPDS militants from Chirilangshu
village near Umrangshu in the North Cachar Hills district on November
22, 2006.
-
February 25: Intelligence sources in Haflong, the
headquarters of North Cachar Hills district, said that the UPDS
and DHD are silently expanding their area of operations in both
Karbi Anglong and North Cachar Hills districts, and the February
8-abduction of a DHD militant, Ronald Hojai, who was on his way
from Dhansiri to Diphu, by UPDS militants could be fallout of that
rivalry.
-
February 16: Meghalaya Home Minister R.G. Lyngdoh
refuses to negotiate with UPDS, and says that the issue of 'disputed'
Blocks-1 and II areas along Assam-Meghalaya border will be resolved
between the two State Governments.
-
February 1: The NSCN-K said that the outfit's 'makeshift'
camp at Saijang in the Kohima district was attacked by a combined
force of the NSCN-IM, "PREPAK,
KYKL, KRA,
UPDS and DHD (Anti-talk
party)" numbering about 150 cadres. During the encounter, five militants
of the NSCN-IM are shot dead while two NSCN-K militants are killed
and one weapon is lost, said Anie Konyak, 'Under Secretary' of the
NSCN-K.
-
January 31: Meghalya Chief Minister J.D. Rymbai
responds positively to the offer made by the Assam-based UPDS for
peace talks in the Block I and Block II areas along Assam- Meghalaya
border. The Chief Minister said that it was a positive move on the
part of the militant outfit to recognise the Khasi-Pnar people as
"sons of the soil of Karbi Anglong," which will help in ending the
reign of terror in these two areas since the last five years.
-
January 19: Five suspected UPDS militants kill Kuthor
Hanse, a senior leader of the Autonomous State Demand Committee
(ASDC), at his residence at Hidim Teron village in the Karbi Anglong
district. The militants also assault villagers at Ramsing Terang
and Dikoi Terang under Manja police station in the district.
2006
-
December 29: One UPDS militant, Augustin Kramsa
alias Longki Rongpi, is arrested by the Nagaland Police in Dimapur.
He along with three of his accomplices abducted Robin, a trader
and a civil society activist, from Mentila village in the Karbi
Anglong district on March 5, and later killed him on the same day
at Nahorjan. The abductors also demanded a ransom worth INR one
million for the release of Robin from his wife, Amphu Brahma, before
he was killed. One 7.65 US made pistol, two live bullets and one
vehicle were recovered from Augustin's possession.
-
November 27: An encounter between UPDS cadres and
security forces occurs at Deohari village under Hamren sub-division
in the Karbi Anglong district.
-
November 26: A suspected UPDS militant, Rajib Tisso,
is arrested from the Lahorijan area under Khatkhati police station
in the Karbi Anglong district. One AK-47 assault rifle, one magazine
and 30 live cartridges are recovered from his possession.
-
November 16: Assam Government is working on a "special"
economic package for the twin hill districts of Karbi Anglong and
North Cachar Hills to convince groups such as the UPDS and DHD to
give up their demand for statehood and involve themselves in planning
and development of the backward districts. "We are planning the
package in such a way that it could be close to the budgets of certain
states whose territories are smaller than the two districts combined.
If we draw up an annual budget that is more than that of these states
or at least on a par, we see no reason for its rejection by the
militant leadership. The package could be worth around Rs 500 crore,"
said an unnamed official.
-
November 13: At least seven suspected UPDS militants
are arrested by security force personnel during a counter-insurgency
operation at Kaniya Bey village near Diphu in the Karbi Anglong
district, for violating cease-fire rules. Six AK 56 rifles, 16 magazines,
one 9 mm pistol, one revolver, a single-barrel gun and 650 rounds
of ammunition are recovered from their possession.
-
October 24: The Khasi farmers at Block-II areas
in the Ri-Bhoi district allege that they are being extorted by the
KNV militants. According to these farmers, each of them has to pay
a "tax of INR 100 for each item (agricultural produce) sold at Umlaper
and Umwang market, while INR 50 and above has to be paid for owning
cultivable land in Block-II area." They say, "We are fed up of continued
harassment. We are helpless as there is no one to provide security
and we have no other place to go," by adding that such illegal collection
"goes on throughout the year and aggravates during the harvesting
season." The Khasi farmers further mention, "One who expresses his
inability to pay the tax, the KNV militants threaten to take away
the cultivable land or the crops."
-
October 23: The NDFB, DHD and UPDS are involved
in extortion activities, despite the fact that all these outfits
are under ceasefire agreement with the Union Government, indicates
media reports.
-
October 22: A CPI-ML leader, Lantuk Phangcho, is
abducted by the UPDS from Umrangshu in the North Cachar Hills.
-
October 18: A civilian, Brarlil Lawai, is assaulted
by the KNV militants at Pampret village near Sabuda under Block
I in the Ri-Bhoi district along the Assam-Meghalaya border.
-
September 27: Two Karbi Longri North Cachar Hills
Liberation Front (KLNLF) militants, ‘sergeant major’ Mangal Kiling
and Hemmere Tiso, are arrested from a hideout at Kishanganj village
under Howraghat police station in the Karbi Anglong district. A
cache of arms and explosives, including two AK 47 rifles, hand-grenade,
rocket launcher, one 9mm French-made pistol and 40 rounds of ammunition,
along with INR 5,000 is recovered from the incident site.
-
September 26: Three employees of a manufacturing
enterprise, Vinay Cements Ltd, including its senior manager, Ravi
Shankar Thakur, are abducted by cadres belonging to the Karbi Longri
North Cachar Hills Liberation Front (KLNLF) from a mining site near
Umrangsu in the North Cachar Hills district. Two junior employees,
Prabir Kumar Das and Nahor Singh, are subsequently released. However,
involvement of Kuki militants in the abduction incident is also
suspected.
-
September 11: The UPDS announces its
suspension of peace talks with the Union Government. However, the
outfit says it will continue with the cease-fire.
-
September 7: A bus driver, Pradip Boro,
is shot dead and another, Babujan Hazarika, is abducted by militants
of the Karbi Longri North Cachar Hills Liberation Front (KLNLF)
at Langthang under Samaguri police station in the Nagaon district.
According to police sources, two drivers were waiting near their
buses at Langthang Bazaar, when three cadres of the outfit demanded
ransom from them, and later attacked them on their refusal to pay.
-
September 6: Suspected KLNLF militants
abduct a tea grower, Rajendra Singh, from Bogijan in the Golaghat
district.
-
August 5: Two Karbi Longri National
Liberation Front (KLNLF) cadres are arrested from Silputa under
Bakulia police station in the Karbi Anglong district. They are identified
as William Kathar and Ranjit Teron. Several incriminating documents,
a diary and some arms and ammunition are recovered from their possession.
-
July 5: Meghalaya Chief Minister J.D.
Rymbai accuses the UPDS, of violating the cease-fire rules by indulging
in unlawful activities along Assam-Meghalaya border. The outfit
had signed a cease-fire agreement with the Union Government on May
23, 2002.
-
July 1: Several farmers of Mawlasnai
area in the Ri-Bhoi district, having their cultivable lands in the
Madan Umwang and Khlieh Umwang areas, are served with demand notes
by the UPDS cadres to pay ransom. The farmers were later asked by
the militants to attend a meeting at Madan Umwang, and are threatened
of dire consequences in case of failing to attend the meeting.
-
June 28: Several civil society organisations
and chiefs of traditional local self-governance institutions, Rangbah
Shnongs, urge the Meghalaya Government to create some more police
outposts and deploy more police personnel to prevent the UPDS militants
from harassing Khasi-Pnar families in the Block-I and II areas of
Jaintia Hills district in Meghalaya.
-
June 27: Suspected UPDS cadres attack
a police outpost at Khanduli in the Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya.
While no casualty of police personnel is reported in the incident,
a civilian is wounded by the militants.
-
June 25: Meghalaya Home Minister R.
G. Lyngdoh, while expressing concern in the State Legislative Assembly
over the reported threat of the UPDS in Jaintia Hills, says that
the Assam and Meghalaya Governments are committed to ensuring safety
and security of the people in the border area. "People living in
the border areas in Jaintia Hills have been meted out harassment
by the cadres of certain militant organizations," says the Home
Minister.
-
June 23: The villagers of Moolaber,
Skap, Deinler, Saba, Myntang, Psiar, Lum Moojem, Khatkhasla, Mooshrot,
Mukroh and other adjoining villages near Labang-Nongphyllut in the
Jaintia Hills distict are extorted Rupees 200 each by the UPDS cadres.
The villagers are asked by the militants to stop cultivation and
farming in the area which, the militants claim, falls under ‘Karbi
land’. "The UPDS militants have recently called meetings in each
and every village of the area and asked the local residents to pay
a tax of Rs 200 for each household. Each village in the area has
a minimum of 140 households and thus the militants must have mopped
up at Rs 30,000 from each village," said LD Lakiang, the president
of a civil society organization, Joint Action Committee of Jaintia
Hills.
-
June 21: Three unidentified UPDS cadres
are killed in an encounter with the police at Umkhyrmi in the Block
I area of Jaintia Hills district along the Meghalaya-Assam border.
One AK 56 rifle, two hand grenades, 68 rounds ammunition and one
camera were recovered from the encounter site.
-
June 19: A huge cache of arms and explosives
is seized by the Jaintia Hills district police following an encounter
with at lest ten suspected UPDS militants and Karbi National Volunteers
at Umkhyrmi along the Assam-Meghalaya border. The cache include
one AK-47 rifle, one Chinese rifle, two Chinese hand grenades, three
magazines of AK-47 rifle, 68 rounds of live ammunition and one camera.
According to police sources, while all the militants managed to
escape from the encounter site, three of them sustained injuries.
-
June 15: The Bokajan police recover
the dead body of a Karbi KLNLF cadre, Mirjeng Teron alias Bhupen
Teron, from an interior village in the Karbi Anglong district. According
to the Additional Superintendent of Police (headquarters) Atul Gogoi,
at least six UPDS militants abducted Mirjeng Teron from his residence
at Japarajan and later buried his body in the village after killing
him.
-
June 10: At least 20 suspected UPDS
and Karbi National Volunteers militants enter a village and assault
two persons, Kedrik Phawa and Damon Lamare, near Wanpung under Block
1 in the Ri-Bhoi district of Meghalaya.
-
May 10: Two KLNLF cadres, ‘corporal’
Kolam Sing Engti and Babu Ram Teron, surrender at Diphu, headquarters
of the Karbi Anglong district. They also deposit two 9 mm pistols
and four rounds of ammunition. According to sources, the KLNLF,
which has been set up in 1999 following the split in UPDS, has as
many as 60 cadres currently.
At least 20 suspected UPDS and Karbi National Volunteers militants
enter a village and assault two persons, Kedrik Phawa and Damon
Lamare, near Wanpung under Block 1 in the Ri-Bhoi district of Meghalaya.
-
May 3: A combined team of the Assam
Police and the Nagaland Police arrests the ‘joint secretary (home)’
of the UPDS, Dhonsing Teron, from an unspecified location in Dimapur
town. Two vehicles are recovered from his possession.
-
April 29: A pharmacist, Abdul Salem,
is abducted by militants from Tinglijan medical sub-centre under
Bokajan police station in the Karbi Anglong district. District Superintendent
of Police Anurag Tankha informs, "Yesterday, we interrogated
an autonomous council member and arrested an UPDS (United People's
Democratic Solidarity) activist with the help of Dimapur police.
The findings of a preliminary investigation suggest the UPDS' involvement
in the kidnapping, but we are not ruling out the hand of the Karbi
Longri North Cachar Hills Liberation Front either."
-
April 10: The UPDS 'defence secretary',
Thong Teron, is killed at Satgaon under the Dongkamokam police outpost
in the Karbi Anglong district by the security personnel of Sing
Teron, an executive member of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council,
during an exchange of fire. Subsequently, the UPDS militants killed
two persons in retaliation in the Tongkory area of the district.
-
March 31: A KLNLF cadre, Rongpi, who
surrendered along with three ULFA cadres before the army at Diphu
in the Karbi Anglong district, deposits one country-made revolver,
a grenade and some detonators.
-
January 25: UPDS 'Publicity Secretary'
Tong-Eeh-Nongloda says that the outfit is hopeful of a fruitful
outcome from its fifth round of talks with the Union and the State
Government in New Delhi on January 31. Nongloda also blames the
State Government's lackadaisical attitude in fulfilling its demand
and says, "Therefore, the talks may not yield any good results."
-
January 17: UPDS, active in the Karbi
Anglong district of Assam, decides to drop its main demand for an
autonomous state and instead settles for additional powers to the
existing autonomous council. The outfit's 'general secretary', Saiding
Eh, says that the new set of proposals, which include granting of
special financial, legal and political powers to the existing district
council, will be placed before the Union Government during the next
round of talks tentatively slated for the end of January 2006. "We
want more powers for the council," Eh says. He also says that the
outfit will also seek direct funding from all the ministries instead
of the money being routed through Assam Government and an end to
all interference of the State Government in the council's activities.
-
January 9: Karbi Anglong district police
releases the UPDS 'publicity secretary', Tongeeh Nongloda, and two
other cadres who are arrested on charges of cease-fire violation.
However, the personal security officer for Nongloda, Langroiso Terang,
is still under detention.
-
January 9: Police arrests UPDS 'publicity
secretary', Tongeeh Nongloda, from Dilai in the Karbi Anglong District
for reportedly carrying a 9mm pistol. Nongloda is detained at the
Bokajan police station. Commenting on the arrest, the outfit's 'joint
secretary' Ozaru Mukrang said that 20 members of the outfit are
allowed to carry arms after the cease-fire. "Later, we requested
the government to issue the order to four more cadres and the Special
Branch Headquarters gave the green signal for it, although the licenses
have not been issued as yet" Mukrang claims. He further added that
Nongloda is among the four persons "permitted" by the authorities
to carry arms.
2005
-
December 26: UPDS asks the villagers
of Madan Umwang and other adjoining areas under Block-II near Sabuda
in the Ri-Bhoi district, not to harvest rice without paying 'annual
tax' to the outfit.
-
December 23: UPDS denies carrying out
any extortion drive in Khasi villages in the bordering areas of
Ri-Bhoi district of Meghalaya and Karbi Anglong district in Assam.
The outfit's 'publicity secretary', Tungeh Nongloda, claimed, "Our
senior cadres went to the villages to carry out an investigation
regarding the matter and found that none of our cadres were resorted
to extortion as reported." Nongloda, however, disclosed that the
outfit collects Rupees 100 as "annual collection" from each house
in Karbi Anglong district. "Besides, we collect donation from ginger
planters and traders, but we don't coerce anybody", he added.
-
December 21: UPDS says that the outfit
will not attend the Joint Monitoring Group meeting unless the nine
arrested UPDS cadres are released from police custody. The 'publicity
secretary' of the outfit Tong-Ehh Nongloda said, "Government is
adopting an irrational policy which will stymie the peace process."
-
December 13: DHD announces a cease-fire
with the UPDS in the Karbi Anglong and North Cachar Hills districts
of Assam during Christmas festivities. DHD's military wing chief
Pranab Nunisa in an interview says that the outfit has extended
a hand of friendship to the Karbi outfit in view of the forthcoming
festive season. He further claims that his outfit is not involved
in the recent violent activities in the two districts.
-
December 6: UPDS militants issue threats
to villagers in Mawlasnai and surrounding areas in Block-II bordering
the Ri-Bhoi district. In a letter issued to a villager, the outfit
asks a farmer to vacate his plot of land as it does not belong to
him.
-
December 4: Unidentified militants
set ablaze 300 houses in different villages in and around Diphu
in the Karbi Anglong district. The State Government, meanwhile,
deploys army personnel in the district instructing them to "mount
an offensive on militant groups indulging in violence as well as
to enforce the ground rules of ceasefire." Chief Secretary S. Kabilan
says that operations under the Unified Command have already started
and shoot-at-sight orders have been issued against any person, other
than security force personnel, found wearing army uniform and carrying
arms. The UPDS and DHD cadres are asked to remain within their designated
camps, he added.
-
December 1: Police arrests six cadres
of the Black Widow group led by Jewel Gorlosa along with UPDS militants
from a place near Bokolia under Howraghat police station in the
Karbi Anglong district. Currency notes amounting to Rupees 61,450
are recovered from their possession.
-
October 21: In the continuing ethnic
clashes between Karbi and Dimasa tribals in Assam's Karbi Anglong
district, suspected DHD militants kill nine UPDS cadres at Tamulbari
under Diphu police station. A group of 12 UPDS militants is reported
to have set 12 houses ablaze in the Kakubasti and seven houses in
the Kishibam village. Subsequently, during their attempt to enter
Tamulbari village, DHD militants ambush the group and nine UPDS
cadres are killed on the spot.
-
October 19: Assam Government says that
in the ethnic violence between the Karbis and Dimasas in Karbi Anglong
district, a total of 72 persons, including 60 Karbis, nine Dimasas
and two Nepalis have died and 1014 houses set ablaze since September
26. Government spokesperson Ripun Bora says that 50 relief camps
have been set up sheltering 22,469 people displaced from 43 villages.
-
October 10: UPDS asks the Assam Government
to shift the designated DHD camp in the Dhansiri subdivision of
Karbi Anglong district, to North Cachar Hills.
-
October 9: Six persons from the Bura
Fanchu and Longsing Engti villages are killed and hundreds of houses
are torched by unidentified terrorists in separate incidents on
under Diphu and Bokajan police stations in the Karbi Anglong district.
The other affected villages are identified as Monsing Ingti, Bura
Terang, Kangthar Kro, Norik Teron, Diliram Terang and Longso. N.
N. Goswami, Additional Superintendent of Police in Karbi Anglong
district, said the killings are a result of the clash of interests
between the UPDS and DHD.
-
August 17: UPDS alleges that the KLNLF
is trying to stall the peace process between the Government and
the outfit. Accusing the KLNLF of involvement in the recent attacks
in Karbi Anglong district, the outfit's 'publicity secretary' Tungeh
Nongloda says that, "It was a handiwork of the KLNLF which cares
little about the life and welfare of the innocent people".
-
July 20: The cease-fire between the
Union Government and UPDS is extended for a year, up to July 31,
2006. An agreement to this effect is signed at the BSF sector headquarters
at Patgaon in Guwahati by representatives of the UPDS, the Union
and Assam Governments.
-
July 12: UPDS opposes the setting up
of a designated camp for NDFB cadres in the Karbi Anglong district.
The outfit's joint secretary Mukharng says: "We are not opposed
to any movement, but setting up of a designated camp in Karbi Anglong
will only pave a way for other NDFB cadres from Nagaland and Meghalaya
to take shelter in our areas."
-
May 24: UPDS denies its involvement
in the killing of KLNLF 'general secretary', H S Timung. The UPDS
'publicity secretary' Tung-eh-Nongloda claims: "The accusations
by the KLNLF against us for the killing of Timung and his family
members are baseless and malicious and figment of their imagination."
-
May 4: Three UPDS cadres are captured
by the residents of Kordoiguri village under Bokajan subdivision
in the Karbi Anglong district recently.
-
April 4: Assam Government announces
the extension of the general amnesty offer to the cadres of the
ULFA, NDFB, UPDS and the DHD up to April 30 to "enable them to surrender
and join the mainstream."
-
March 30: UPDS revokes its threat to
call off the cease-fire with the Government from April 1, citing
"outpouring of public sentiment on the peace process." Following
the appeal by three Karbi organisations, the UPDS 'publicity secretary',
Tong eh-Nongloda, says in Diphu, "They offered moral support to
our demand and promised to stand by us on the issue of political
negotiations. That is why we have decided to withdraw the March
31 deadline."
-
March 23: The pro-talks faction of
the UPDS reportedly threatens to take up arms again if the on-going
talks between the UPDS and the Government failed to yield any result.
Observing the sixth 'foundation day' in the forest area under Hamren
subdivision in the Karbi Anglong district of Assam, the UPDS leadership
blames the State Government's apathetic attitude towards the problems
of the UPDS for the failure of the talks. Reiterating its demand
for a separate State with Karbi Anglong and NC Hills districts,
the UPDS leadership alleges that though the Central Government and
the Union Home Ministry have asked the State Government to submit
the charter of demands of the UPDS, it is yet to submit it till
date.
-
March 10: UPDS and KNV militants attack
and injure four persons in the Lamalong market at Mawhati in Ri-Bhoi
district.
-
March 5: Suspected cadres of the UPDS
and KNV indulge in looting at Moolber in the Block-I area of Jaintia
Hills district of Meghalaya. They also reportedly decamp with a
rifle of a police personnel posted in the area.
-
February 1: A joint team of the Karbi
Anglong Police and Army arrests a UPDS cadre, identified as Elwin
Rongphar, from Hatigarh near Bokajan in the Karbi Anglong district
of Assam on. One .9 mm pistol along with five rounds of live cartridges
and Rupees 2, 20,250 are recovered from his possession.
-
January 19: The third round of tripartite
talks held between a five-member delegation of the UPDS, the officials
of MHA and Assam Government in New Delhi remains inconclusive, in
the wake of Assam Government seeking three months' time to table
the report of the State Cabinet Sub-Committee.
-
January 18: Security force personnel
arrest two UPDS cadres belonging to its anti-talks faction from
Heidipi under Bokajan police station limits in the Karbi Anglong
district recently. Two SBBL guns, two AK-47 live rounds, two 7.65
mm live rounds and two fired SBBL cartridges, along with incriminating
documents are recovered from the duo.
-
January 6: Police arrests four ULFA
and three UPDS cadres from an unspecified place in Assam.
2004
-
December 31:
The Assam Police recover bodies of two persons, identified as Umesh
Mahato and Babul Biswas, suspected to have been shot dead by UPDS
terrorists for defying its ban on cutting bamboo from Silvetta in
the Karbi Anglong district.
-
December 24:
Briefing newsmen at Diphu in the Karbi Anglong district, the ‘general
secretary’ of the pro-talks faction of the UPDS, Saiding-Eh, threatens
to ‘drive out’ illegal Bangladeshi migrants who had come to the
twin districts of Karbi Anglong and North Cachar Hills after being
evicted from neighbouring Nagaland.
-
December 12:
The UPDS imposes a ban on bamboo trade in the twin districts of
Karbi Anglong and North Cachar Hills districts with effect from
December 12, cutting off the supply of raw materials to Hindustan
Paper Corporation Ltd’s (HPCL) Jagiroad mill in Morigaon district.
The outfit in a statement said that the HPCL would be permitted
to use the bamboo gloves in the twin hill districts again after
two years provided the company makes an effort to rejuvenate the
green cover within the period.
-
December 9:
The UPDS accuses Union Government of violating the cease-fire ground
rules and threatens to take up arms. Its ‘publicity secretary’,
Tong-Eh-Nongloda, alleged that the security forces’ are still carrying
on counter insurgency operations against its cadres despite the
cease-fire agreement.
-
November 30:
The KLNLF announces a weeklong campaign against the controversial
pact that was signed between Holiram Terang led faction of the Autonomous
Sate Demand Committee (ASDC) and the Kuki National Assembly (KNA)
that promises a separate ‘homeland’ to the minority Kuki tribe within
the Karbi Anglong district on December 4, 2000.
-
November 30:
The KLNLF announces a weeklong campaign against the controversial
December 4, 2000 pact, signed between Holiram
Terang led faction of the Autonomous Sate Demand Committee (ASDC)
and the Kuki National Assembly (KNA) that promises a separate 'homeland'
to the minority Kuki tribe within the Karbi Anglong district.
-
November 11: One person is killed and
four others injured in a grenade attack by the KLNLF terrorists
in Umrangsho in North Cachar Hills district.
-
November 11: One person is killed and
four other injured in a grenade attack by KLNLF terrorists in Umrangsho
in North Cachar Hills district.
- November 7: UPDS threatens to launch
an ‘all-out operation’ to ‘root out’ KLNLF from the twin districts
of Karbi Anglong and NC Hills.
- November 5: A clash between KLNLF and
UPDS terrorists is reported from Tokopahar under Bokajan police station
in Karbi Anglong district.
- September 24: Suspected KLNLF terrorists
kill one person and injure two others at the Dalamara Tea Estate in
Karbi Anglong district allegedly for their refusal to pay extortion
money.
- August 13: UPDS terrorist, Deori Phangcho
and his accomplice, Bimal Phangcho, are lynched to death by a mob
at Bhaksong in Karbi Anglong district.
- August 11: The UPDS (pro-talks faction)
threatens to take up arms if the Government fails to protect the Karbi
people from Kuki militants.
- August 3: Six cadres of the KLNLF, including
a ‘commander’, surrender before Army authorities at Mariani in Jorhat
district.
- July 30: The Union Government extends
its cease-fire with the UPDS for another year up to July 31, 2005.
- July 6: UPDS (pro-talks faction),
in a press release, warns its breakaway faction to "return to
its fold or face its military strength."
- July 4: Suspected cadres of the
KLNLF kill a tribal youth and injure four other members of his family
at Doigrung village under Bokajan police station limits in Karbi Anglong
district.
- June 26: The KLNLF militants open fire
on an ambulance at Silbheta under Howraghat police station in Karbi
Anglong district. However, no casualty has been reported.
- June 5: Normal life in Karbi Anglong
district is paralysed as a result of a 72-hour general strike called
by the pro-talks faction of the UPDS in protest against the killing
of three of its cadres on May 30 by the army personnel.
- April 25: Six people, including a former
MLA, injured in a grenade attack by suspected militants of the UPDS-
anti talk faction at a crowd at Diphu in the Karbi Anglong district.
- March 29: One UPDS cadre is killed in
an encounter with the security forces at Ramtokbigaon under Howraghat
police station in Karbi Anglong district.
- March 19: UPDS cadres kill four Kukis
including a woman and a child at remote Thengbong village atop Singhason
Hills in the Karbi Anglong district.
- March 3: Security forces arrest three
women cadres of the UPDS-anti talk faction at Khomen Ingti Gaon under
Howraghat police station in the Karbi Anglong district.
- February 27: The anti-talk faction of
the UPDS in a statement issued by its general secretary, H E Kathar
agrees to initiate a dialogue with KRA if NSCN-IM ‘acts as the mediator
and guarantor’.
- February 21: Suspected UPDS cadres abduct
two tea executives from a private tea garden located within the Bokajan
police station limit of the Karbi Anglong district.
- January 21: Security personnel recover
dead bodies of two persons belonging to the Kuki tribe, suspected
to be killed by the militants of the anti-talks faction of the UPDS
at Kanjan, in Karbi Anglong district.
- January 20: Two villagers are injured
in an attack by UPDS terrorists at the Singhasan hill area in Karbi
Anglong district.
- January 17: The anti-talk faction of
the UPDS kill four woodcutters and injure another at the Rangadubi
reserve forest in the Karbi Anglong district.
- January 5: Suspected UPDS cadres attack
a ginger laden truck at Phuding in the Karbi Anglong district, killing
a Kuki tribal on the spot and injured another two.
2003
-
December 24:
UPDS (anti-talks faction) welcomes the offer of peace talks proposed
by the KRA.
-
December 12:
UPDS (anti-talks faction) rejects KRA's peace proposal.
-
December 2:
UPDS (anti-talks faction) declares a movement against the Kukis
in Karbi Anglong.and North Kachar districts of Assam.
-
November 17:
UPDS (anti-talks faction), in a press release, asks the KRA to release
eight abducted Karbi youths by December 1 and threatens to launch
'Operation Search' if the outfit fails to meet the deadline.
-
November 14:
UPDS (pro-talks faction), in a press release, demands the KRA 'to
immediately hand over 13 Karbi hostages'. It also urges the anti-talks
faction to hand over three abducted Kukis from the Singhasan Hills
area.
-
November 16:
Karbi Anglong district police recovers nine bullet-ridden bodies
of Kuki tribals, suspected to have been killed by UPDS terrorists
in the Singhasan Hills area.
-
November 14: UPDS (Anti-Talks faction)
terrorists kill nine Kuki civilians and set ablaze 70 houses in
Gangjam village in Singhasan hills area of Karbi Anglong district.
- November 12: UPDS (Anti-Talks faction)
terrorists set ablaze five Kuki houses killing three children at Lenmol
village in the Diphu district.
- November 11: Suspected UPDS (Anti-Talks
faction) terrorists abduct and kill four Kuki students from Hidim
Teron village near Manja in the Karbi Anglong district.
- November 11: Suspected UPDS (Anti-Talks
faction) terrorists kill six Kuki civilians and set ablaze 70 houses
at Gangjam village in the Singhasan hills area of Karbi Anglong district.
- November 9: UPDS and KNV terrorists
kill a Khasi civilian at Deinler village in Block I area along the
Meghalaya-Assam boundary.
- November 4: UPDS and KNV terrorists
killed a Khasi civilian at Psiar village in Block I area along the
Meghalaya-Assam boundary.
- October 8: Suspected UPDS (Pro-Talks
faction) terrorists rape three schoolgirls, abduct five persons of
the Bodo tribe during a raid on two villages—Daldali and Kathalbari
near Diphu in Karbi Anglong district.
- October 6: Police arrest five pseudo
UPDS terrorists from the Hidipi Bazaar area in Karbi Anglong district.
- August 21: UPDS terrorists kill five
persons, including four women of the family of a migrant, at Manja
village in the Karbi Anglong district.
-
July 26: Anti-talks faction of the
UPDS asks ‘aliens’ to quit Karbi Anglong and North Cachar Hills
districts.
Media reports indicate that the
Karbi Anglong North Cachar Hills Peoples’ Resistance (KNPR), armed
wing of the UPDS, planned strikes under ‘Operation Longri’ (homeland
safe guard) against security forces.
-
July 24: UPDS terrorist killed in an
encounter at Longkiranghang in Karbi Anglong district.
-
July 12: UPDS
terrorist is killed in an encounter at Langlakso, under Howraghat
police station limits in Karbi Anglong district.
-
July 9: Six
persons are injured when suspected UPDS terrorists throw a hand
grenade near a Cinema hall in Diphu, the headquarters of Karbi Anglong
district.
-
June 30: UPDS's
anti-talks faction drafts a manifesto and a map of its proposed
"Karbi Anglong and North Cachar Hills self-rule territory". UPDS'
camp destroyed and five cadres arrested at Denkek Langso in Karbi
Anglong district.
-
June 27: One
UPDS terrorist of the anti-talks faction is killed during an encounter
at 19 Kilo, near Umrangchu in Assam's Karbi Anglong district.
-
June 24: Leader
of the UPDS' anti talks faction HE Kathar offers to mediate between
the Dimasas and Hmars in Cachar and North Cachar Hills district
of Assam.
-
June 14: UPDS
terrorists kill three persons and injure three more at village Langki
Ranghang Bihari Basti in Karbi Anglong district. Death toll later
rises to four.
-
June 9: Police
in Bokajan, Karbi Anglong district recover dead body of a trader
from the forest area of Bhetagaon killed allegedly by UPDS terrorists
for not paying the extortion sum demanded by them.
-
June 3: Report
says that the UPDS has issued death threats to the residents of
Mukroh and Saba villages in Meghalaya's Jaintia Hills district over
the payment of a ransom of Rupees 500,000.
-
April 27: UPDS
terrorists open fire on a Guwahati-bound moving train near Diphu
in the Karbi Anglong district injuring two passengers.
- April 25: UPDS begins its rail-road
blockade in Karbi Anglong and North Cachar Hills districts.
- March 13: A report indicates that the
UPDS has served extortion notices on the teaching staff of a local
school at Bokajan, Karbi Anglong district.
- March 7: A report indicates that the
UPDS has renewed its demand for the ‘self-determination’ of the Karbis
(a tribe) and other ‘indigenous people’ living in Karbi Anglong district
of Assam.
- February 18: A UPDS terrorist surrenders
in Bokakhat, Jorhat district.
- February 6: UPDS terrorists kill civilian
near Kramsagaon, Karbi Anglong.
- January 25: Four persons, including
a woman of a migrant family, killed by UPDS at Diphu, Karbi Anglong.
- January 20: Suspected UPDS terrorists
trigger bomb blast derailing Howrah-bound Kamrup Express train at
Diphu, Karbi Anglong.
- January 7: Karbi Anglong North Cachar
Hills People’s Resistance (KNPR), armed wing of UPDS, calls for boycott
of Republic Day celebrations.
- January 6: UPDS sets free three abducted
government employees in Karbi Anglong district.
- January 5: UPDS calls for seven-day
economic blockade commencing January 12 in certain areas of Karbi
Anglong and North Cachar Hill districts to protest alleged destruction
of forests by ginger cultivators.
2002
- December 19: UPDS terrorists abduct
three employees of the Agricultural Engineering Department at Katrijangaon,
under Diphu police station-limits in Assam's Karbi Anglong district.
- November 3: Five UPDS terrorists are
arrested from Silanijan, Borpathar police station-limits in Assam's
Karbi Anglong district, while trying to extort money from a local
businessman.
-
October 28: Reports say two UPDS terrorists are arrested
by the security forces at a place under Bokajan police station-limits,
Karbi Anglong district, Assam
-
September 25: UPDS might clash with an unidentified
group of approximately 70 Kuki terrorists in Karbi Anglong, a media
report from Assam indicates.
-
August 22: UPDS 'commander-in-chief' Long Kumar
Kiling dies of injuries following a feline attack in the forests
of Karbi Anglong district, Assam.
-
August 6: UPDS's Haren Bay faction holds consultations
with Union Home Ministry officials in New Delhi to formulate the
ground rules for a proposed cease-fire agreement.
-
July 28: UPDS general secretary Haren Singh says
terms of cease-fire agreement with the Union government would possibly
come into force on August 1.
-
July 3: UPDS is a threat to the Tiwa
community, allege various Tiwa organisations in a memorandum to
the Union government.
-
June 23: Three UPDS terrorists killed in an encounter on Silanijan-Sokihola
Road, under Bokajan police station limits.
- May 28: UPDS chairman denies allegations
of extortion in Taradubi village, Baithalangso police station limits.
- May 23: UPDS general secretary Horensing
Bey signs ‘cease hostilities' agreement with the Union government,
for a period of one year, that is till year 2003.
- May 20: Suspected UPDS terrorists kill
four members of a non-Assamese family, including a 26-day old child,
at Matikhola village, Karbi Anglong district, and set ablaze five
houses in the vicinity.
-
April 10: Suspected UPDS
terrorists abduct two Public Welfare Department (PWD) assistant
engineers in Umpanai, Karbi
Along.
-
March 24: Two UPDS terrorists lynched by local residents in
Tardubi village, West Karbi Anglong
-
March 19: UPDS terrorist
killed in an encounter at Ronghoghar village under Diphu
police station limits, Karbi Anglong .
-
February 6 : UPDS terrorist’s
dead body found in Barpathar, Karbi Anglong.
-
January 31 : Reports indicate that UPDS plans joint attacks
on security force personnel with the United Liberation Front of
Asom (ULFA) terrorist outfit.
-
January 27: Suspected UPDS terrorists injure 12 persons in
a grenade attack at Diphu.
-
January 23 : Unidentified terrorists kill the vice-chairman, Gandhiram Terang of
the UPDS at Gandhiram Terang in Karbi Anglong district.
-
January 12: UPDS terrorists kill a person at Ram Chorang village,
under Bokajan police station limits.
-
January 4: Two UPDS terrorists surrender to Nagaland governor
Shyamlal Datta at Kigwema near Kohima.
2001
-
December 23: Suspected UPDS
terrorists kill a Parbattya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samity (PCJSS)
leader at his residence in Rangmati.
-
December 3: UPDS terrorists kill nine persons, including six
polling officials by triggering an Improvised Explosive Device (IED)
explosion at Lamelangshu in Karbi Anglong. Five others were also
injured in the attack.
-
November 24: UPDS camp at Chakihula Charikhuti in Karbi Anglong
destroyed by the security forces.
-
September 21: Suspected UPDS
terrorist killed at Howraghat in Karbi Anglong.
-
September 3: Two United People's Democratic Solidarity UPDS terrorists killed in an encounter at Upper Deopani in Karbi Anglong.
-
August 25: Suspected UPDS terrorists kill four persons by blowing
up a truck at Bhuligaon, near Bokajan in Karbi Anglong district.
2000
-
July 15: UPDS terrorists massacre 10 persons, including two women
and four children, in Langparpang, Karbi Anglong district.
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