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Incidents and Statements involving HNLC:
2000-2012
2012
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December 27: SFs arrested five persons,
including a militant belonging to HNLC from a vehicle in Dima Hasao
District. SFs recovered seven detonators, eight gelatine sticks
and five mobile handsets were recovered from them.
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December 21: State DGP Kulbir Krishan
expressed apprehension over the reported attempts by the outlawed
HNLC to regroup itself ahead of the upcoming Assembly election.
"We are pretty sure that the HNLC would try to take advantage to
make their presence felt in the run up to the upcoming election,"
the DGP said, while claiming that the State Police are on high alert.
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November 19: HNLC warned stern action
against the agents of an upcoming cement company in Jaintia Hills
for resorting to unfair means to get people's support. The HNLC
also wanted the Dolloi and the Durbar Shnong to stop issuing any
kind of NOCs to the cement company.
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December 12: According to a separate notification
of December 12 the Central Government has constituted a tribunal
to be headed Delhi HC judge Sudershan Kumar Misra to review the
ban on HNLC.
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November 9: The BSF has submitted
the names and locations of the North East militant campus to Bangladesh
during the border-coordinated meeting between the BSF and BGB held
at Sylhet from November 5 to 8. BSF PRO, Ravi Gandhi, said, "We
have given them all the details and they have assured us of taking
action against the insurgents."BSF also raised the issues including
the presence of insurgent groups like GNLA, HNLC, NDFB and NLFT
in Bangladeshi territory & efforts to prevent smuggling of FICN.
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November 6: HNLC cadres hoisted the outfit's flag
at Madan Student (Student Field) in Jaiaw in Shillong (East Khasi
Hills District), in order to gain publicity. The flag was later
seized by SFs on the same day. According to Superintendant of Police,
East Khasi Hills, M. Kharkrang, the HNLC cadres were planning to
call the media in the next morning to show that the flag of the
outfit was flying high.
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November 4: The BSF dismissing the
reports of militant group HNLC regrouping said that HNLC has an
effective strength of only thirty to forty cadres. According to
a BSF official, "They only have a handful of armed cadres and there
is a growing dejection and mistrust among them," the BSF official
claimed. There are also no reports of cross border movement of HNLC
militants, the BSF official said, adding that the Bangladesh border
force were maintaining strict vigil to keep a tab on cross border
activities by the cadres.
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October 21: HNLC demanded withdrawal
of armed forces and its political machineries from the State. HNLC
also demanded that the Government of India should repatriate all
the Bengali Hindus from the Hynniewtrep soil who had been granted
the status of refugees since 1971.
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September 19: The HNLC alleged that
its cadre who surrendered on September 18 had fled from the outfit's
camp with INR 1.7 million and an AK-47 rifle. The BSF officials
had said that Wanniang's surrender was the culmination of a "well-planned"
strategy by its intelligence team, which established contact with
the hardcore militant in Bangladesh and motivated him to lay down
arms and join the mainstream.
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September 18: A 'corporal' of HNLC
outfit, identified as Jingkyrmen Wanniang, surrendered before the
BSF. While depositing a pistol along with four rounds of ammunition,
the ultra revealed that the outfit currently has 10 AK 47 machine
guns at its disposal.
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September 6: United Front formed
by northeastern militants in Myanmar and resurgence of their activities
in Bangladesh was on the agenda of a three-day annual DGP Conference
that began in New Delhi.
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August 28: State Government brushed
aside the HNLC recent talks offer saying that the rebel outfit has
to first lay down arms and shun the path of violence.
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August 16: CSWO, a powerful women's
group in Meghalaya, urged the Government to accept HNLC's offer
for talks. HNLC's 'general secretary', Cheristerfield Thangkhiew,
who was hiding in Bangladesh for over two decades, had said that
his outfit was ready to come to the negotiating table.
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August 15: With fresh reports that
the HNLC are indulging in extortion and other criminal activities,
Chief Minister also stated that the Government would continue with
its zero tolerance policy on any kind of criminal activities whether
it is the militant outfits or the surrendered militants.
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August 14: Meghalaya Police detected
and defused a grenade planted underneath a flag pole of the banned
HNLC at Phot Jaud village, about 28 kilometers from Mawkyrwat in
South West Khasi Hills District. The grenade was concealed near
the flag pole on which the outfit unfurled its flag to mark its
25th raising day.
Sainkupar Nongtraw, the outfit's 'publicity
secretary' posted a farewell message on his Facebook account
for all the cadres who had lost their lives in the struggle and assured
that the outfit would 'carry on the fight'. The outfit had called
for a bandh (shut down strike) on August 15 from 1am to 5pm to boycott
the Independence Day celebrations.
On its 25th Raising Day on August
14, the HNLC said it was ready to come forward for dialogue with the
Government. Maintaining that the Government should be serious while
holding the dialogue, Thangkhiew said they would not hesitate to take
up arms again if there is any lack of seriousness on the part of the
Government to address the issues raised by the outfit. He also made
it clear that the outfit would not tolerate anyone sympathizing with
the surrendered members of the outfit.
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August 13: State Government has
strengthened its security apparatus after receiving specific inputs
regarding proscribed HNLC's plan to carry out hit-and-run operations
to make its presence felt on its 25th raising day. The
outfit's 'raising day' falls on August 14, on the eve of Independence
Day. "We take all threats seriously. The security forces have been
put on high alert on the reported threat of the militant group.
All necessary steps have been taken to ensure that there is no incident
in the run-up to the Independence Day," Chief Secretary WMS Pariat
said on August 13. HNLC has called for a 17-hour general strike
from 1am to 5.30pm on August 15.
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August 11: Major militant formations
operating in the Northeast called for a general strike on August
15 to boycott Independence Day celebration. However, during the
strike, essential services, emergency measures, media and religious
activities will be exempted. The militant formations that has called
for a general strike, include CorCom of seven rebel organizations
HNLC, KLO, NDFB, NLFT and ULFA-ATF.
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August 10: SFs seized 100 stickers
of the HNLC militant formation, meant for public distribution on
the outfit's 25th Jubilee celebration, at Jowai in West Jaintia
Hills. A senior Police Officer of West Jaintia Hills informed that
the stickers were seized from a Tata Sumo plying passengers from
Shillong to Jowai. "Our personnel were conducting regular checking
on the National highway when they recovered a suspicious packet
and when the packet was opened the stickers were found inside. The
stickers read as follows- Long Live HNLC, Awake, arise and Sacrifice,
Long Live HNLC. Further, SFs arrested the Sumo driver and were interrogating
him to establish his link with the militant outfit.
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August 9: A group of HNLC militants
has sneaked into the State to create disturbances during the Independence
Day celebrations. The groups numbering from 15-16 have divided themselves
and are hiding outside the Shillong city limits.
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August 2: SFs in the State have
been put on alert ahead of the August 15 Independence Day celebration.
Special police teams have been deputed in vulnerable areas and important
government installations, a senior police official.
BSF has deploying approximately 10,000
personnel an observing an 'Ops Alert' between August 6 and 20 along
the 498 kilometer international border with Bangladesh, most of which
is unfenced, with difficult terrain and riverine in nature. "We have
received specific inputs from the police that certain militants like
the HNLC are trying to sneak into Meghalaya and create problems during
the celebration," Sudesh Kumar, Inspector General (IG) BSF, Meghalaya
Frontier said.
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July 23: Meghalaya DGP, N Ramachandran
said that the Police department will carry out investigations into
the claim of the HNLC which stated that their new recruits are well
trained in handling sophisticated weapons.
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July 22: HNLC announced through
its mouthpiece, The Voice of the Hynniewtrep on Facebook site that
it was "back" with cadres who were well trained in handling sophisticated
weapons and could operate in any kind of terrain.
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July 21: Heavy exchange of fire
took place between the Jaintia Hills Police and suspected HNLC militants
at a forest near Pynthorsale village under Khliehriat Sub-Division
in Jaintia Hills District. According to Jaintia Hills SPO Pasi,
the local people informed the officer in charge Khliehriat Police
Station, EB Kyndiah about the presence of the unidentified gunmen
in the area.
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July 15: Police went all out against
the GNLA militants and managed to force them out of their hideout
in Resubelpara sub-division area in a brief encounter in the morning.
The militants were coming out of their hideout which happened to
be the house of a sympathizer when the incident took place. Based
on intelligence reports about the movement of heavily armed GNLA
militants led by their 'area commander' Laben alias Chenang,
SWAT commandos conducted an overnight operation in Resubelpara area.
Police arrested the sympathizer identified
as Walton Sangma for sheltering the GNLA rebels. Walton has been booked
under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
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July 13: GNLA militants dumped the
body of a villager after executing them close to a Police camp in
East Garo Hills District in the night of July 13. The GNLA militants
tortured to death the unidentified villager in Dobu killing with
a blunt weapon and then left the body with its hands tied behind
close to a police anti dacoity camp.
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July 12 :Terming the claim of the
HNLC of being behind the July 2 attack on Lumdiengjri Police Station
as 'insinuations" to convince the people of its existence, DGP N
Ramachandran said such methods do not affect the ongoing investigation
carried out by the Police. The Police chief virtually dispelled
the HNLC threat as a tactical move of the Khasi outfit.
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July 3: Even though the HNLC is
yet to officially claim responsibility for the indiscriminate firing
at the Lumdiengjri Police station on July 2 night, the outfit publicity
secretary Sainkupar Nongtraw has posted on the social networking
site (Facebook) that July 2 incident is only the beginning. East
Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police, AR Mawthoh said that the Police
have completed the exercise of reviewing the overall security scenario
in the city following the firing incident.
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June 23: The State Police informed
that they have received no information about reports of the newly
floated militant outfit HPLF. As per the media a report of June
21, the outfit has been floated in Khasi-Jaintia Hills Districts
of the State by some surrendered HNLC members. The State DGP N Ramachandran
said, "We have not come across any such reports but the police will
keep a track." "The state police cannot comment on the speculative
reports of media," Ramachandran added.
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May 25: The BSF arrested a top cadre
of HNLC, identified as Poli Tangsan alias Suk, from the Dawki
border in Jaintia Hills District at around 4.30 pm while he was
infiltrating into India from Bangladesh. He revealed that he joined
the HNLC in 2007 on the instigation of Hepkoit, a senior cadre and
'area commander' of Dawki. He underwent arms training in Niharpunjee
near Lungli river under Sreemongal Police station in Moulvi Bazar
District of Bangladesh. He was involved in various extortion drives
carried out by HNLC in and around Dawki in Jaintia Hills and Barsora
in West Khasi Hills and collected money from coal exporters.
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May 18: Surrendered 'chairman' of
HNLC Julius Dorphang has been projected as the candidate for the
Mawhati constituency (Ri Bhoi District) for the 2013 Assembly elections.
The projection was made by the leaders of the MCPC during a press
conference, besides confirming the former militant leader's consent
to join the electoral fray as an independent candidate. Dorphang
will be the second militant leader after Desang Marak who aspires
to join electoral politics. Desang was the leader of the disbanded
ALMA and made to the State Assembly in 2007.
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March 25: Three cadres of HNLC surrendered
at Dawki Police Station. The surrendered cadres were identified
as, 'sergeant' Wankerlang Kharnaior alias Balam alias
Mawsynram, Thakur Pohlong alias Lurshai and 'lance corporal'
Thimos Jana alias Khlur. The trio joined the outfit in 2002 and
completed their training in 2003. The surrendered cadres informed
that they have left the training camp at Chittagong hill track in
Bangladesh after serving the outfit for more than 10 years in the
training camp. Kharnaior was one of the 'instructors' in the camp.
After crossing Bangladesh border, the three were first arrested
by the BSF and later handed over to the Police. Kharnaior informed
that they decided to leave the training camp with a motive to surrender
before the Police but before reaching any Police Station they were
arrested by the BSF guarding the international border.
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February 28: The Court of the First
Class Magistrate, Khliehriat Civil Sub-division, remanded former
HNLC 'chief', Julius Dorphang and seven other surrendered HNLC cadres
in 14-day judicial custody. Sources also informed that the court
also rejected the bail plea of Dorphang and his associates. The
former HNLC chief and his seven associates were arrested on February
23 from Khliehriat on the basis of a complaint lodged by Testlang
Rymbai, a local coal merchant of Wapungskur, who had accused the
former HNLC chief of trespassing into Rymbai's coal mine at Madan
Briwar in Jaintia Hills District and assaulting his drivers, besides
demanding INR 500, 000 from him.
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February 27: The Khasi hills-based
militant outfit HNLC is now concentrating on Jaintia Hills and West
Khasi Hills Districts for their extortion network. A senior Police
official, said the State government had neutralised HNLC in the
State capital, Shillong but its cadres continue to extort money
from cement plants and coal barons in Jaintia Hills and West Khasi
Hills. As Shillong has become disadvantageous for extortion because
of the presence of security personnel, the HNLC is targeting the
outskirts like Jaintia Hills, which has cement plants and coal transaction
points, and West Khasi Hills, which has coal export points. The
porous international border along Jaintia Hills and West Khasi Hills
also facilitates the free movement of HNLC cadres from Bangladesh.
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February 23: Jaintia Hills Police
arrested former HNLC 'chief' Julius Dorphang and seven of his associates,
all surrendered HNLC cadres, at Khliehriat in Jaintia hills District.
The arrested seven former cadres include Iitjanai Sunn, Meborn Rapthap,
Hermon Pakyntein, Richard Mawthoh, Armstrong Batiar, James Lyngwah
and Roning Dohling. The arrests were made on the basis of a complaint
lodged by Testlang Rymbai, a local coal merchant of Wapungskur on
February 16, wherein he had alleged that the former HNLC 'chief'
along with some of his accomplices had trespassed into Rymbai's
coal mine at Madan Briwar and assaulted his drivers and also demanded
INR 500, 000 from him. Earlier, Jamrish Rymbai of Mynso village
had also lodged a complaint against Dorphang and his associates
for allegedly trespassing and looting coal from his coal mine at
Briwar.
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February 17: Police in Jaintia Hills
District started an inquiry into an assault complaint lodged against
former HNLC 'chief' Julius Dorphang. According to Rymbai, who lodge
the complaint, the former HNLC chief along with associates illegally
trespassed into his coalmine and took away three truckloads of coal
worth INR 270,000 besides threatening all labourers engages in the
coal mine.
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February 16: A Police complaint
has been lodged by Testlang Rymbai, a coal mine owner, against former
HNLC 'chief', Julius Dorphang and his associates for allegedly assaulting
coal labourers, drivers and forcibly taking away coal from a mine
in Briwar area under Raliang Elaka in Jaintia Hills District.
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January 14: BSF arrested three HNLC
linkmen at Pyrdwah, East Khasi Hills, while they were infiltrating
into India.
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January 2: One militant belonging
to HNLC, identified as Dirus Shangdiar (29), surrendered before
the Mawkyrwat Police in West Khasi Hills District.
2011
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December 28: Coal businesspersons
from Briwar area under Elaka Nongkhlieh and Sumer Patorship in Jaintia
Hills District have alleged that the former HNLC 'chairman', Julius
Dorphang along with other surrendered members of the outfit forcibly
claiming right over their coalmines.
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September 26: The former 'chairman'
of HNLC, Julius Dorphang and a member of the SOT of the Meghalaya
Police, Joey Marbaniang were arrested following the assault of a
surrendered HNLC cadre on September 24.
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September 24: Julius Dorphang, former
'Chairman' of the HNLC, along with SOT, assaulted a surrendered
cadre of the HNLC at Paltinum Discothèque at Polo Towerson in Shillong,
East Khasi Hills District. The surrendered HNLC cadre, identified
as Shemphang Khalukhi, was seriously injured in the brawl.
The HNLC has issued a warning to the
Nepalese in Meghalaya to refrain from activities which affect the
indigenous Khasis living in the Langpih area along the Meghalaya-Assam
border in the Meghalaya side. A report says that KSU member Michael
Jyrwa (23) and his three relatives were seriously injured in an attack
by four Nepalese armed with sharp weapons at Nongsohphoh, Upper Mawprem.
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September 23: Troops of BOP in East
Khasi Hills District arrested one suspected HNLC cadre, identified
as Jainsing Khongla (25). Acting on specific information, troops
of BOP arrested the suspected HNLC cadre while he was trying to
infiltrate into India from Bangladesh to carry out subversive and
extortion activities. The Police recovered 3 Bangladeshi SIM cards,
3 Indian SIM cards and BDT1040/- from him.
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September 20: The HNLC alleged that
the Meghalaya Government is not sincere to hold talks with the rebel
group and warned that it would continue its armed struggle. "We
are not against peace. We had done our homework and had submitted
a letter to the government in 2004...But the State Government is
not sincere," HNLC 'publicity secretary' Sainkupar Nongtraw said
in an email. The reaction from the HNLC came within a week of Chief
Minister Mukul Sangma saying that the Government was open to hold
talks with the militant group to ensure that the issues raised by
them could be addressed through constitutional means. Sangma had
said that despite offering talks from various platforms, the Government
was yet to get any communication from the outfit.
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September 15: Legislators cutting
across party lines desire that the State Government should initiate
moves to bring the HNLC to the negotiating table. Answering to queries
during the question hour of the state legislative assembly, Chief
Minister Mukul Sangma admitted that an email had come to the press
from the HNLC expressing the desire to hold political talks, but
was equivocal to supplemented queries on the reciprocal steps undertaken
by the Government.
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September 5: A highly placed Police
source has confirmed that HNLC 'Commander-in-Chief' Bobby Marwein
was injured in a gang war shoot-out but not dead. Earlier, the HNLC
had strongly refuted the reports of the death of its "commander-in-chief"
which had appeared in a section of the media, stating the reports
as false and unfounded and intended to mislead the public. The GNLA
had also denied the death of the HNLC 'commander-in-chief'.
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September 2: The HNLC said its 'commander-in-chief'
Bobby Reagan Marwein was alive and was not killed as reported in
the media on September 1.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma
asked the Centre to confirm the alleged killing of Bobby Reagan Marwein
in Bangladesh.
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September 1: A sense of confusion
prevailed in Meghalaya over the reported death of Bobby Reagan Marwein,
the 'commander-in-chief' of HNLC in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh.
The HNLC has neither confirmed nor denied the news. However, GNLA
'publicity secretary' Bikdot Nikjang Marak who claims that all North-Eastern
outfits keep in touch with each other in neighbouring Bangladesh
said, "Bobby was attacked by a gang of criminals but he is recuperating
in a hospital in Bangladesh. These are the hallmarks of a sinister
game plan by Meghalaya Police and Indian Intelligence agencies who
want to impress their bosses in New Delhi in the run up to Dr Manmohan
Singh's visit to Dhaka later this month".
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August 15: A shutdown called by
HNLC affected life in Meghalaya even as the state celebrated India's
Independence Day. Amid the boycott in one part of the State and
growing militant activities in another, Meghalaya Chief Minister
Mukul Sangma asserted that insurgency, extortion and other anti-national
activities would not be tolerated and dealt with a firm hand.
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August 11: Heavy exchange of fire
between the Jaintia Hills Police and suspected HNLC militants was
reported at a jungle near Iongnoh and Chyrmang village, just few
kilometers from Jowai town in Jaintia Hills District. The firing
lasted for more than half an hour, police sources informed. Jaintia
Hills Additional Superintendent of Police said, "We believed that
they are HNLC cadres who had come to Jaintia Hills few weeks ago
with the motive of obstructing the Independence Day celebration
in the State.. "They (HNLC cadre) might have come from Bangladesh
through the Umkiang border and were heeded for Jowai to create trouble
so as to generate a fear psychosis among the people," he added.
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August 3: The State Police has reiterated
that it is not taking the HNLC lightly despite their dwindling presence
and prowess. A senior Police official said "The HNLC is still a
potential threat to disrupt the Independence Day celebration. Despite
numbering only a few, they can still wreck havoc". According to
the Police, the number of HNLC men has come down to around 50, but
these cadres who are camping in Bangladesh are hardcore militants
and can pose a threat to the people.
There are intelligence reports that
a few HNLC cadres have sneaked into the State from Bangladesh giving
rise to the speculation that they may try to disrupt the upcoming
Independence Day celebrations.
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August 1: The NDFB-ATF may help
the HNLC to carry out subversive activities in the run-up to the
Independence Day celebrations. Sources said that, the NDFB had assured
the HNLC of providing sophisticated weapons to enable it to carry
out subversive activities in Khasi-Jaintia Hills where the HNLC
dispatched 12 militants.
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July 29: HNLC "commander-in-chief"
Bobby Reagan Marwein summoned his close confidantes in Bangladesh
two weeks back and asked them to be prepared to enter the State
to prove the outfit's presence by resorting to subversive actions
in the run-up to the Independence Day celebrations.
About a dozen suspected members of
the HNLC have already been noticed in the Khasi-inhabited areas located
on the other side of the Indo-Bangladesh border.
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March 14: HNLC militant surrendered
before the BSF at Pyrdiwah border outpost in East Khasi Hills District.
The militant identified as Corporal Jackson Suting, is a close associate
of HNLC ‘commander-in-chief’ Bobby Marwein. The HNLC militant told
the BSF that prior to his surrender, he was staying in the outfit's
camp at Noonchera in Bangladesh. He joined the outfit in 2006 and
was trained in handling sophisticated weapons and grenades.
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February 18: On
condition of anonymity, a Home Ministry official revealed that following
crackdown on North-East militants in Bangladesh, the HNLC sent fresh
feelers to the Centre expressing the outfit's interest for dialogue.
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February 16: The four arrested NDFB
militants revealed during interrogation that HNLC and GNLA received
training from the Bodo outfit. The GNLA, on the other hand, has
also been helping the NDFB by providing shelter to its cadres.
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February 12: Interrogation of the
four arrested NDBF militants revealed that militants continue to
use the porous Meghalaya stretch of the India-Bangladesh border.
Meanwhile, a Police Officer claimed that the route used by NDBF
militants is exclusively used by HNLC militants and thus there could
be some link between HNLC and NDFB.
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January 31: The State Police launched
a massive operation in search of six HNLC cadres who are believed
to be hiding in Mawkyrwat and Ranikor areas in West Khasi Hills
District. The militants were part of a team sent for disrupting
the Republic Day [January 26, 2011] functions in villages along
the international border with Bangladesh, Police said. Another intention
of the HNLC militants was to cross over from Bangladesh to restart
their extortion activities in coal belt areas of Borsora and Nongjri,
Police sources added.
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January 28: Police recovered INR
2.27 lakh from the militants belonging to HNLC from a house of one
Hoidiam Liam of Riatsasim in Jaintia Hills District. The recovery
was based on the information provided by one Manbhakupar Dohling
alias Rilang Dohling, who was arrested along with another
HNLC cadre on January 25.
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January 25: SFs arrested two HNLC
militants, identified as Rilang Dohling alias Rilang of Sohra
Khliehshnong and Maianbor Tongseng alias Batskhem of Lapalang
village near Pynursla, with arms and ammunition at Mooralong, Ladthadlaboh,
Jowai in Jaintia Hills District. Police also seized two AK-47 rifles,
85 rounds of ammunition and four magazines from their possession.
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January 24: The East Khasi Hills
SP A.R. Mawthoh termed that the reported infiltration of eight HNLC
militants into the State as a psychological ploy that would have
no impact on the Republic Day celebrations in the State. Mawthoh
told, "We are not wary of anything because we have put all security
measures in place. Our men are on routine patrol. We will even conduct
raids in the suspected areas. The HNLC is now a spent force."
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January 23: The
HNLC called a 24-hour bandh (general shut down) to boycott the Republic
Day [January 26] celebrations in Meghalaya. According to a statement
issued through e-mail, the outfit's ‘publicity secretary’, Sainkupar
Nongtraw, said the '' bandh has been called to protest against the
'Indian' Republic Day celebrations on Hynniewtrep land''. The Meghalaya
Government sounded general alert to prevent any attempts by militants
to run operations ahead of the Republic Day celebrations.
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January 22: According to Shillong
Times HNLC training camp in Pyndensohsaw village of East Khasi
Hills District near Umngi River, an ideal place to be used as a
militant hideout, transformed into an orchard of beetle leaves.
The HNLC trained its cadres at the camp during the summer of 2001
under self-styled ‘area commander’ Raja Blah. At Pyndensohsaw, senior
cadres were trained while Kynrud was the place for training of new
recruits, he said. Then the outfit shifted its base to Bangladesh
and started providing training at temporary camps in that country.
2010
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December 16: The Ministry
of Home Affairs extended its ban on the HNLC terming all wings and
factions of the outfit as unlawful. "The insurgent group is detrimental
to the sovereignty and integrity of the country and if it's not
controlled, they would re-group and cause heavy loss of civilian
and security forces lives," a Ministry statement said. The outfit,
though considerably reduced in strength, is still active in parts
of the State. Some of its top leaders including "chairman" Cheristerfield
Thangkhiew are still believed to be operating from Bangladesh.
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October 8: The law-enforcing agencies
over the last seven years are not taking action against surrendered
HNLC cadres who are involved in killing, abduction and extortion
cases. The Police records said that most of the HNLC cadres who
surrendered before the Government during 2003 and 2007 were behind
heinous crimes committed in the State. The report adds that the
surrendered HNLC leaders like Khainborlang Wanniang, Kynsai Jyrwa,
James Sylliang, K. Tongwah, Herman Pakyntein, Lung ktung and others
have not been booked for their past criminal activities except a
couple of cases filed against surrendered HNLC cadres for their
‘misadventures’ on certain occasions. The report reveals that not
a single case has been registered against surrendered HNLC ‘chairman’
Julius Dorphang so far. The report also mentions that there are
300 surrendered HNLC cadres in the State.
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October 1: A HNLC cadre, Richarbor
alias Juban, surrendered before the Border Security Force
(BSF) at Dawki in Jaiñtia Hills District.
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September 21: BSF troops of the
Assam and Meghalaya frontier killed four militants of ULFA and Military
Council of the KLNLF, arrested 17 militants belonging to the HNLC,
KLNLF, People’s Liberation Army (PLA), Military Council faction
of the Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP), UNLF, MULTA and Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami
(HuJI) among others. They also got nine militants of ULFA, NDFB
and All Adivasi National Liberation Army (AANLA) to surrender along
with arms and ammunition.
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September 12: The HNLC threatened
the people against participating in the municipal elections scheduled
to be held in Meghalaya on September 14 and 15.
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August 30: The HNLC
refuted reports that the outfit had borrowed arms from other militant
groups for their activities.
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August 29: The HNLC is borrowing
arms from other militant groups and pay in return after doing the
"job" (extortion) with the "instrument". "The delivery power of
the banned outfit has decreased so much that it is borrowing arms
from others to carry out operations," said S.K. Jain, Additional
Director General of Police (ADGP), Special Branch. "We had inputs
about the outfit borrowing arms from Silchar ahead of the Independence
Day, but the sources could not be specified," he added. The fact
was revealed after the arrest an HNLC cadre, identified as Aibor
alias Saddam Hussein, from Pynthorsale village in Jaintia Hills
District. He confessed that the outfit borrowed some weapons including
six AK-47 rifles, four revolvers and two grenades during that time.
Two of the borrowed sophisticated rifles were seized from Aibor.
The HNLC maintains an on-and-off relationship
with the NSCN-IM, NDFB and NLFT, according to the ADGP who also said
the outfit's nexus with ULFA is not yet ascertained. At present, the
HNLC has around 50 active cadres, but each one of them does not have
arms and ammunitions. "The figure might not be accurate as it is based
on our assessment on sightings and technical intercepts," Jain said.
The outfit has its camps at Maulvi Bazar, Sylhet and Chittagong Hill
Tract of Bangladesh. Many of its leaders are into betel nut plantations
and own stone quarries in the neighbouring country.
-
August 23: Surrendered HNLC cadre,
James Sylliang, refuted allegations leveled by his former chairman
Julius K. Dorphrang that he was behind alleged irregularities in
the tender process for the North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU)
construction work in Shillong. He also demanded an apology from
the former HNLC chairman for his "irresponsible remark".
-
August 20: Meghalaya Chief
Minister Mukul Sangma has sought a status report on the allegations
against surrendered HNLC militants interfering into affairs of the
North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) in Shillong and also being
involved in cattle smuggling. "We are taking seriously the inputs
received about the alleged illegal activities of the SHNLC men.
The government is committed to ensuring that lawlessness does not
prevail and will not allow anyone to indulge in activities that
will go against the interest of the people of the State," Sangma
said.
-
August 19: Shillong Times
reports that the surrendered HNLC cadres are slowly taking charge
over some crucial business interests in Meghalaya. Sources said
the surrendered cadres are also getting the bulk of contract works
in North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU). The unemployed youths in
the State allege that the Government is tilted towards the surrendered
militants instead of encouraging educated youths for productive
growth. Sources said that whenever any tenders are floated by NEHU
the officers of the construction wing direct the youths to meet
and seek permission from Julius Dorphang, the former self-styled
HNLC ‘chairman’ and his associates. Incidentally Dorphang is also
a seasoned businessman now. Some registered contractors of NEHU
on request of anonymity said, "Surrendered HNLC cadres are the bosses
in NEHU and they are the ones who control the tendering process
now."
According to these contractors,
the surrendered HNLC has formed its own association of contractors
particularly for NEHU construction works. All registered contractors
seeking work in NEHU have been advised to seek membership of the
association or they would not be allowed to participate in the tendering
process. "We are required to pay a commission ranging from two to
five per cent of the total value of the project to the surrendered
HNLC association for each and every contract allotted to us," a
contractor said. The report adds that the surrendered militants
take full charge during the submission of tenders. They are at the
gate to scan all tenderers and oversee the entire tender process.
Contractors are actually short listed and selected by these former
militants. Sources have also informed that most of the parking bays
under the Meghalaya Urban Development Agency (MUDA), too, are controlled
by the surrendered HNLC cadres.
The Special Operation Team (SOT) personnel
arrested nine cattle smugglers from Pynursla area in East Khasi Hills
District in the night of August 19. The Police had also seized 16
cattle heads, INR 265000, one truck, five light vehicles and nine
cell phones from their possession. Besides having link with the surrendered
HNLC cadres, they are close to certain top politicians including a
Cabinet Minister of the State, sources said. "Though the Home Minister
HDR Lyngdoh was informed about the serious matter, he did not initiate
any action since there was pressure on him from various quarters to
overlook the issue," sources claimed.
-
August 16: The HNLC reiterated its
desire to hold talks and asked the Meghalaya Government to "show
seriousness for lasting peace" in the State. HNLC ‘general
secretary’ Cherishstarfield Thangkhiew said the outfit was willing
to hold a political dialogue with the Government on various demands.
However, Thangkhiew deplored that the Government had made statements
on the need to have peace only in the media and was yet to take
any pro-active steps on the issue.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma
said his Government was always ready to have a political dialogue
with the HNLC. Responding to the statement issued by the HNLC reiterating
the outfit''s desire to hold talks "provided there is seriousness
on the part of the government," the Chief Minister said the Government
would be pleased to have the modalities for the dialogue.
-
August 15: Meghalaya Chief Minister
Mukul Sangma expressed concern over the activities of new militant
outfits and those from Assam as a 36-hour shutdown by the HNLC paralysed
life in four Khasi-Jaintia Districts of the State on Independence
Day. The report adds that a group of HNLC cadres armed with AK56
rifles and grenades had entered Meghalaya from Bangladesh to strike
in the capital town of Shillong.
-
August 13: The HNLC reiterated its
objection to holding of civic polls in the State saying the elections
would snatch away the power of the traditional institutions. In
a press statement issued, HNLC 'publicity secretary' Sainkupar Nongtraw
said, "Has the Indian government taken the prior consent of the
people to conduct the civic polls or does it intend to go ahead
with the polls by discounting the will of the people?". The outfit
also termed the celebration of Independence Day in Hynniewtrep land
as 'illegal' and asked the people to refrain from the celebrations.
-
August 12: Meghalaya Minster in-charge
of Home H.D.R. Lyngdoh said that the Police have intelligence inputs
of 10 to 12 HNLC militants managing to infiltrate into the State
from Bangladesh with weapons. "Police is on their look-out," Lyngdoh
said.
-
August 11: The HNLC called for a
36-hour bandh (general shut down) from 6 pm on August 14 to 6 am
on August 16, in protest against the Independence Day celebrations
on August 15 in Meghalaya. Meanwhile, several prominent citizens
of the State criticized the call for bandh.
-
August 9: The HNLC warned the Residential
Director of a cement factory in Jaintia Hills for his "ill behaviour"
and asked the company to take corrective measures. A statement issued
by HNLC 'publicity secretary' Sainkupar Nongtraw also asked the
official, Divander Bhansal, "not to confront" with the sentiment
of the local population.
-
August 6: The HNLC has adopted the
jehadi style to disrupt the Independence Day celebrations in a shocking
way, intelligence sources revealed, reports Shillong Times. "HNLC
cadres are moving in groups of three to four people similarly like
the jehadis during any operations. There is even similarity to the
Mumbai attack as far as movements of militants are concerned," intelligence
sources said. Intelligence sources confirmed that the HNLC cadres
in smaller groups have already sneaked into Meghalaya from Bangladesh.
Referring to the recent arrest of HNLC's Aiborlang Khartani alias
Saddam Hussein, sources said, "Police have managed to nab one of
them, but could not get all the facts from him as in this kind of
situation no one really knows about the whole operation since every
group is given specific tasks," the sources added.
The intelligence sources confirmed
that the HNLC is planning "something big" which might shock the Shillong
city this time. The outfit, after losing its ground a few years ago,
is desperate to make its presence felt once again in the city, sources
said. "Once it is able to develop the fear psychosis in the minds
of the people, they would be able to extort money from the city's
non-tribal businessmen," sources said claiming that extortion drive
by HHLC has been totally wiped out. Meanwhile, the sources have not
denied any nexus between HNLC and jehadi outfits like al Qaeda for
subversive acts. There is also strong suspect about HNLC getting arms
from the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) and National
Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM). "As per our information,
HNLC does not have enough arms," the sources said.
-
August 4: The Jaintia Hills District
Police arrested a HNLC cadre, identified as Aibor alias Saddam Hussein,
from Pynthorsale village about 30 kilometres from Jowai. Police
recovered two AK-47 rifles from his possession.
-
July 18: A HNLC 'sergeant major'
Joplin Pohtam alias Jop, a key aide of the outfit's 'commander-in-chief'
Bobby Marwein, was arrested by the BSF near Umngot River in Dawki
of East Khasi Hills District. The BSF said Joplin, who hails from
of Sokha village in Jaintia Hills, was arrested while trying to
cross over to India from Bangladesh. However, sources claimed the
HNLC top leader was not arrested and that he was handed over by
Bangladeshi nationals after making him drunk.
-
July 5: HNLC runs a stone quarry
in Jafflong District of Bangladesh. The outfit is also believed
to own several betel nut plantations besides running other business
in Bangladesh. A senior Police official confirmed the presence of
the stone quarry at Jafflong near the India-Bangladesh border. "We
came to know about the existence of a stone quarry owned by the
HNLC in Bangladesh from the arrested and surrendered militants,"
the official said. According to sources, the outfit's daily earning
from the quarry amounts to INR 30,000 to INR 40,000. "Inability
of the group to carry out extortion drives in Shillong has prompted
it to find a new means of earning," the sources claimed. The sources
further revealed that HNLC cadres often come through Umngot river
to Dawki along with Bangladeshi labourers in boats to collect boulders
for the stone quarry.
Sources said the vital confessions
were made by HNLC's self-styled ‘sergeant major’ Pariston Pakyntein,
who was arrested by the Border Security Force (BSF) near Dawki recently.
Pakyntein told the police that the stone quarry had been in operation
for the last two years and many cadres of the outfit are ''engaged''
there. The Police sources believe that strength of the outfit has
reduced considerably after many of its senior leaders and cadres
were either arrested or surrendered before the Police. The State
Police claim that the present cadre strength of the HNLC is below
50. The HNLC top leaders, including ‘general secretary’ Cherishsterfield
Thangkiew and ‘commander-in-chief’ Bobby Marwein are still at large
and believed to be remote controlling the outfit from Bangladesh.
-
June 6: Sentinel
reports that 13 militant organizations from the Northeast States
of Assam, Manipur, Tripura and Meghalaya figure in the list of banned
organizations as it appears in the website of the Union Home Ministry
(MHA). The ULFA heads the list. The other outfits were: NDFB, People's
Liberation Army (PLA), and United National Liberation Front (UNLF),
People's Revolutionary party of Kangleipak (PREPAK), Kangleipak
Communist Party (KCP), Kanglei Yaol Kanna Lup (KYKL), Manipur People's
Liberation Front (MPLF), Revolutionary People's Front (RPF), All
Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF), National Liberation Front of Tripura
(NLFT), HNLC and Achik National Volunteer Council (ANVC).
-
May 20: The 12-hour general shut
down called by the HNLC, in protest against the May 14 killing of
villagers at Langpih along Assam-Meghalaya border, affected normalcy
in capital Shillong and other Districts of the State.
-
May 15: The HNLC called a 12-hour
bandh (general shut down) on May 20 in Meghalaya in pretest against
the May 14 killing of four persons belonging to Khasi community
by the Assam Police at Langpih village along Assam-Meghalaya border.
"The unfortunate incident took place only because neither the Centre
nor the state governments are interested to resolve the long-pending
boundary disputes," the outfit's publicity secretary Sainkupar Nongtraw
said.
-
May 12: The HNLC reiterated its
denial of any involvement in the killing of Khasi Students Union
(KSU) leader Phershal Kongwang in 2007.
-
May 11: HNLC was involved in the
abduction and subsequent killing of the Khasi Students Union (KSU)
leader Phershial Kongwang in 2007. The slain KSU leader's father
Gabriel Kharmawshun said, "Some surrendered HNLC cadres had informed
us that our son was killed by the outfit." Self-styled 'sergeant
major' of the outfit Poniston Pakyntein, who was arrested by the
Border Security Force from Dawki in Jaintia Hills District in May
2010, had confessed before the Police that he was involved in the
abduction and killing of Phershial on December 16, 2007. He disclosed
that he and some of his accomplices took the KSU leader to Radhanagar
Bagan in Jaflong area of Bangladesh and killed and buried him there.
Meanwhile, KSU general secretary Hamlet Dohling said, "HNLC should
clarify as to why was he kidnapped and killed."
-
May 2: Four cadres
of the HNLC were convicted of arms smuggling and imprisoned for
17 years in Bangladesh, said Additional Director General of Meghalaya
Police (Special Branch) S. K. Jain. "Sketchy reports from various
networks confirmed that the four convicted Indians in Bangladesh
are members of the outlawed HNLC," said Jain. On April 29, the court
of Additional District and Sessions Judge of Sylhet-I convicted
Robin (35), Mill (28), Over (25) and Star (24) - all hailing from
Shillong - in a five-year-old case of arms smuggling. All the four,
Jain said, were wanted by the Meghalaya Police for their involvement
in the biggest bank robbery in Jaintia Hills District on January
24, 2005. On July 15, 2005, Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) troopers arrested
the four HNLC militants from Karaballa point under Sylhet District
after they entered Bangladesh through Karimganj sector in Assam.
The BDR recovered from their possession an AK 56 rifle, three grenades,
two 9-mm pistols, 316 bullets and four magazines of AK 56 rifle,
328 bullets and three magazines of 9-mm pistol, INR 3,000 and BDT
2,700. According to the Police official, the HNLC is closely linked
to the National Socialist Council of Nagaland- Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM)
and the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT).
-
April 30: Meghalaya
Home Minister H.D.R. Lyngdoh asked leaders of the proscribed HNLC
to give up armed struggle for a Hynniewtrep homeland and join the
mainstream.
-
April 28: A HNLC cadre,
Wilfred Syiem alias Bah Grik, surrendered at Amlarem Police Station
in the night. Superintendent of Police of Jaintia Hills District
O. Pasi informed that Wilfred had joined the outfit in 2001 and
had undergone arms training in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh.
Wilfred, a resident of Mawlai Nongpdeng in Shillong, did not deposit
any arms. He revealed that he had worked as a daily labourer at
Panai, a Khasi village in Sylhet District of Bangladesh.
-
April 9: Two suspected HNLC cadres
were arrested by the Border Security Force personnel near Dawki
in Jaintia Hills District along India-Bangladesh border. They were
identified as Rishot Lyngdoh and Suk Kharakor.
-
April 8: The HNLC slapped
a demand of INR three million on a local car dealer. Sources said
that the HNLC is taking advantage of the turmoil prevailing in the
State and the resurgence of militancy in Garo Hills to send a message
that the Khasi and Jaintia Hills are its turf and no one can operate
in that space. The report adds that several others, including coal
traders and businessmen, received extortion notes in recent times
but they all decided to remain silent and negotiate with the outfit.
Sources said that many of these businessmen who have received extortion
notes do not have enough faith in the system to seek for any kind
of help. They preferred to negotiate and pay some amount to the
outfit and continue with their businesses than counter the militants.
Sources said that HNLC remained immobile for sometime but a senior
Police official said, "it is a matter of time before they resurface
because the State does not seem to have a policy to deal with them."
Several young recruits have joined the outfit in recent times and
negated the efforts of the State Police to immobilize the outfit,
said sources.
-
March 19: The Meghalaya
Governor R. S. Mooshahary expressed concern over mushrooming of
militant groups in Garo hills and the activities of Assam-based
outfits along the border. The Governor said that recent developments,
such as reports on the formation of militant groups in Garo hills,
were a cause of concern. Other militant groups active in Garo hills
are LAEF, People's Liberation Front of Meghalaya (PLF-M), Achik
National Security Defence (ANSD), Atong Liberation Army (ALA), and
United Achik National Front (UANF). ULFA and NDFB are also active
in Garo hills and border of Ri Bhoi District. The Governor said
that the Government was committed to contain militancy at all costs.
The Governor added that the security establishment of the State
has acted swiftly to break up and contain the activities of the
Hynniewtrep Liberation Front (HLF) in Khasi hills, and LAEF in the
Garo hills. He said the activities of the local militant organisations
like the HNLC and ANVC have been substantially controlled.
-
February 8: Three suspected HNLC
militants, identified as Ribonlang Nongbri (21), Ekliar Nongbri
(26) and Thringstar Nongbri (35), were arrested by the Police from
Lewduh area in Shillong city.
-
February 7: The former chairman
of the HNLC, Julius Dorphang, demanded a review of the rehabilitation
package for surrendered militants, saying there were many drawbacks
in the system. Dorphang said many surrendered militants wasted the
INR 150000 given to them after the rehabilitation period, ranging
from three to nine months, at Mawiong. As the Government has no
proper policy to help the militants sustain themselves in the long
run, the one-time financial assistance has not paid off. The money
is deposited in the bank in the name of the surrendered militant
and is often withdrawn soon after the rehabilitation period, he
said. He said though there is an official-level committee supervising
the rehabilitation package, it has no say regarding the withdrawal
of the funds. According to Dorphang, there should be a committee
to monitor the release of the funds and they should also change
the current system of allowing the surrendered militants to withdraw
the money deposited in the bank. "I am not in favour of providing
cash to the surrendered militants directly. The money can be put
to use to start a small business with the knowledge of the monitoring
committee," he said. There are at least 200 surrendered HNLC
militants in Shillong who have completed the rehabilitation. Dorphang
said senior members like him should also be part of the monitoring
committee so that the genuine beneficiaries are not deprived of
the cash incentives. He also pointed out that among the 200 surrendered
militants, some were yet to get the rehabilitation package. "Some
of the boys said they are yet to get the rehabilitation package
though they had surrendered several years ago," Dorphang said,
adding that the Government should process their cases.
Meghalaya Chief Minister D.D. Lapang
in the Conference of Chief Ministers on Internal Security asked
the Centre to go for a tripartite political and development accord
with the ANVC to bring the ongoing peace process to a logical conclusion.
He also stated that insurgent outfits like ULFA, National Socialist
Council of Nagaland, NDFB and UPDS are not only supporting groups
like LAEF, but also providing them arms, ammunition and training.
He said that insurgent outfits both from the Northeast and adjoining
Bangladesh were also using the peaceful State of Meghalaya both
as temporary sanctuary and corridor. Lapang further claimed that
both ANVC and HNLC have been largely neutralised with a sustained
Police operation. But passive militancy is still a cause for concern,
he further added.
-
January 31: A senior Police official
said that with coal business thriving in West Khasi Hills, the HNLC
is luring innocent young men to work for the militant outfit taking
advantage of the large scale unemployment and backwardness of the
District. The boys act as couriers to distribute demand notes and
collect money from the coal barons on behalf of HNLC. "We are concerned
over the attempt of HNLC to recruit the illiterate, impressionable
boys from West Khasi Hills border", the official said. The HNLC
has gone on a massive recruitment drive along the Meghalaya-Bangladesh
border to meet the huge vacuum in the organisation, he added. In
recent times, the HNLC has suffered a rapid attrition in its manpower
strength. HNLC ‘area commander’ Alex Hahshah, who was arrested along
with eight other new recruits from a house at Parmowda village in
West Khasi Hills District on January 27, has been in the coal belt
areas for the last five years and was instrumental in recruiting
the boys in that area to join the outfit. According to police, Hahshah
was wanted in connection with several killings and extortion in
different parts of the State in the last six years. The nine member
group of militants was operating in the coal-rich areas of Parmowda,
Borsora, Nongjri, Nonghyllam and Rajaju for the past several days.
Their sole purpose was to extort money from the coal barons, before
they landed up in police custody. As this is the peak season for
coal export, several coal laden trucks move from the coal rich areas
of West Khasi Hills to different destinations, Police said. The
HNLC is taking advantage of the situation to extort money, Police
added. According to Police, constant vigil in Shillong has made
it difficult for the HNLC to operate within the city so they have
now focused on the coal belts and other mineral-rich borders areas
as a safe haven for carrying out extortion. He also said that the
ongoing extortion in the border areas is a cause of concern but
efforts are on to check this trend.
-
January 27: The Meghalaya
Police arrested nine HNLC cadres, including an ‘area commander’
Alex Hahshah, during a search operation at Parmodan village in West
Khasi Hills District. "We had been looking for the area commander
for the last six years," Superintendent of Police of West Khasi
Hills District M. Kharkrang said. The group was planning to embark
on an extortion spree. The report adds that in 2009 there were nearly
50 incidents in which the HNLC was involved and in all five persons
were killed. Police sources said in 2009, 62 militants had been
neutralized and of these, 48 were arrested, 10 surrendered and four
were killed.
-
January 23: A National
Youth Award winner, Andreas H. Marwein, was arrested by the Meghalaya
Police in capital Shillong for his linkage with the HNLC. Police
said Marwein, who had received the National Youth Award in 2009,
was recently arrested for working as an over ground worker of the
militant outfit. According to Police, Andreas had collected nearly
INR 10 million over the last five years for the HNLC and helped
mobilize youths to join the outfit.
-
January 15: Meghalaya
Chief Minister D.D. Lapang rejects media reports that HNLC's top
leaders, including the outfit's 'general secretary' Cheristerfield
Thangkhiew and 'spokesperson' Sainkupar Nongtraw, were about to
surrender before the State Police. There were reports that the two
top HNLC leaders had managed to escape from their base in Bangladesh
to Meghalaya to surrender. "We have not received any information
about their surrender from the police," Lapang said. He also added
that the Government had not made any contact with the cadres of
the proscribed militant outfit. There were also reports that the
two top militants of the outfit are likely to surrender following
an ideological difference with the outfit's 'commander-in-chief'
Bobby R. Marwien over a Government invitation for talks, but the
militant outfit had earlier refuted the reports saying that all
was well within the outfit. The report adds that the Chief Minister
had asked the HNLC cadres to surrender ''honourably'' and also offered
them safe passage after the recent arrest of ULFA 'chairman' Arabinda
Rajkhowa.
-
January 4: Superintendent
of Police of East Khasi Hills District Claudia Lyngwa denying the
reported revival of the HNLC in Meghalaya said, "One swallow
doesn’t make a summer….The outfit is down and its dares to operate
only in areas where the businessmen receiving demand notes don’t
cooperate with the police out of fear."
-
The former HNLC ‘chairman’
Julius Dorphang said that to use the surrendered militants was not
a right approach and instead he asked the Government to initiate
peace talks directly with the outfit. After the December 23, 2009
hit-and-run by the HNLC militants in East Khasi Hills, which left
a coal baron dead and his wife injured, Meghalaya Director General
of Police S.B. Kakati had suggested that the Police might ask surrendered
HNLC militants for their help to search for the hideouts. The Police
wanted to take the help of surrendered cadres to track the militants
who take shelter with Khasi villagers inside Bangladesh after carrying
out criminal activities in the State. The Police thought the surrendered
HNLC militants, who are familiar with the terrain, would be of great
help to them. However, terming the move as not acceptable, Dorphang
said this would create bad blood between the HNLC and the surrendered
militants. "The idea of seeking the help of surrendered militants
to hunt for the HNLC is not desirable," Dorphang said. He said
if the Government wants to bring the HNLC to the negotiation table,
the help of their relatives can be sought. There are around 200
surrendered militants in Shillong and Dorphang who is one among
them warned that the present law and order situation might worsen
if the Police sought the help of the surrendered militants to neutralise
the HNLC. He, however, criticised the HNLC for killing the coal
exporter. "This act is that of petty robbers and if the HNLC
wants to fight, it should directly wage war with the security forces
and should not target innocents," Dorphang added.
2009
-
December 29: The Meghalaya
Police decides to seek the help of surrendered HNLC cadres to track
down the militants who are provided shelter by villagers residing
in Bangladesh after carrying out criminal activities in the State.
"We are developing a strategy of engaging the surrendered militants
to tackle the HNLC militants in the border," said Meghalaya Director
General of Police (DGP) S.B. Kakati. There are more than 150 surrendered
HNLC militants who had narrated to the police in the past that majority
of the HNLC cadres stay with Khasi villagers inside Bangladesh.
The militants also assist the Khasi villagers in the betel nut plantations.
A major disadvantage for the Meghalaya Police is its inability to
build up an effective intelligence network along the border areas
of the Khasi hills region where the HNLC has a significant presence.
Unable to extort money from Shillong due to constant vigil of the
Police, the HNLC militants are carrying out large scale extortion
from the coal exporters in the remote borders, Police said. "We
need effective co-ordination of the police forces of East Khasi
Hills and the Jaintia Hills to tackle militant activities in the
borders," said Kakati, adding that more forces will be deployed
in the border to tackle insurgency related crimes. "We had deployed
some personnel of the Special Operations Team (SOT) in East Khasi
Hills border, but we did not have actionable intelligence about
the attack on December 23 [killing of a coal trader]," the DGP said.
Kakati also admitted that police were aware of the threat to the
coal baron from HNLC through intelligence inputs but the slain coal
trader's family members had not divulged anything.
The Meghalaya Government
orders a magisterial inquiry into the death of an inmate of the
Jowai District Jail, Pynhunlang Kharbani (33), who was declared
‘brought dead’ at Jowai Civil Hospital on December 26 after he suddenly
fell sick in his prison cell. Kharbani was reportedly booked under
the Meghalaya Detention and Prevention Act (MPDA). ''A magisterial
inquiry into the death of the prisoner is already on to find out
the exact cause of death,'' Jaintia Hills District Deputy Commissioner
T. Dkhar said. He said a 15-day time was given to the Additional
District Magistrate Sainkupar Syiemlieh to investigate into the
incident. Meanwhile, the HNLC claims that Kharbani was a cadre of
the outfit.
-
December 28: The HNLC
militants are taking shelter in Khasi villages well inside Bangladesh
after committing crime in Meghalaya. "The HNLC militants mingle
with the Khasi villagers staying in Bangladesh thereby making it
impossible either for Meghalaya police or Bangladesh security forces
to track down the militants," a senior Police Official said. The
report adds that four HNLC militants who shot dead a coal trader,
Raja Khongsit, in the East Khasi Hills border area, had infiltrated
from Bangladesh into Pomshutia village in Meghalaya and exfiltrated
to Bangladesh after committing the crime.
-
December 23: A coal
trader, Raja Khongsit (45), is shot dead by four suspected HNLC
militants at Pomshutia village in East Khasi Hills District. His
wife is injured in the attack.
-
December 19: Meghalaya
Chief Minister D.D. Lapang criticizes the HNLC for creating confusion
by resorting to a general shut down even after the Union Home Minister
P. Chidambaram cancels his visit to the State. The outfit reportedly
called the 24-hour general shut down, beginning 6.30pm on December
18, to protest against the Home Minister’s visit, alleging that
India was adopting double standard on human rights issues.
The former ‘chairman’
of the proscribed HNLC Julius Dorphang said the outfit's insistence
on going ahead with the general shut down even after the Union Home
Minister had called off his visit to the State was a major blunder
in the history of the outfit. "It shows the leadership vacuum in
the HNLC," the surrendered militant mentioned.
-
December 15: An HNLC
cadre, Badonsing Lyngdoh Marshillong, who surrendered before the
Dawki Police in the evening of December 13, reveals that the outfit
still had over 100 cadres and most of them were wandering in Bangladesh
to earn for their livelihood. He mentions that while leaders of
the proscribed outfit were leading a luxurious life in Bangladesh,
its common cadres were facing a lot of difficulty to make their
both ends meet. He said the cadres of the outfit were working as
labourers in the Khasi Pnar villages of Bangladesh. Marshillong,
who joined the militant group in 2003, is a school drop-out. A resident
of Pyndengsohsaw villager under Mawsynram Police Station in East
Khasi Hills District, Marshillong crossed over to Bangladesh via
Balat and completed his training at Arusumen Camp in the same year.
After his training, the leaders gave him no assignment and had to
spend his time with no responsibility. Later, he worked as a labourer
at betel leaf garden of some of the Khasi-Pnar people residing at
Nonsara village in Bangladesh earning BDT 100 per day. In 2006,
he married one local Nonsara girl, Syntiew Dkhar. They now have
a two-year-old daughter. In 2007, Marshillong had informed the ‘area
commander’ of the banned outfit in writing that he was not willing
to remain in the group. But he did not get any response. In the
early part of December 2009, the group asked him to leave Bangladesh
at once or face death. He was forced to leave Bangladesh. He crossed
over to India on December 13 and surrendered at Dawki Police Station.
-
December 16: The HNLC
calls for a 24-hour general shut down during Union Minister of Home
Affairs P. Chidambaram's visit to the State on December 19. The
HNLC spokesman Sainkupar Nongtraw said that the shutdown will come
into effect from 6 pm on December 18 in the entire Khasi-Jaintia
Hills. ''The bandh will be organised to show to the Union Home Minister
the opposition by people of 'Hynniewtrep Land' against forceful
occupation of land by the armed forces, human rights abuse and attempt
to forcefully extract uranium from West Khasi Hills,'' Nongtraw
said.
-
December 13: A senior HNLC cadre, Badonsing
Lyngdoh, who hails from Pyndemsohsaw in West Khasi Hills District,
surrenders at Dawki Police Station in Jaintia Hills District. He
surrenders along with his wife and two-year-old daughter. His wife
is identified as Syntiew Dkhar hailing from Nonsara village near
Maulari Bazar of Sylhet District in Bangladesh. Badonsing had joined
the outfit in 2003. Police subsequently take the militant and his
family to Jowai for interrogation.
-
December 6: The HNLC rejects Meghalaya
Chief Minister D. D. Lapang’s appeal to ‘surrender’ and his offer
for ‘safe passage’. The outfit accuses the Government for not being
sincere by solving political problems raised by it. "Mr Lapang’s
statement was only to frighten us and dampen the patriotic spirit
in the history of Hynniew-trep", the HNLC says. In an e-mailed statement
issued to a section of the media, HNLC says, "The organisation will
not entertain the personal appeal of Mr Lapang for safe passage."
-
December 5: Meghalaya Chief Minister
D. D. Lapang appeals to HNLC leaders ‘general secretary’ Cherishterfield
Thangkhiew and ‘commander-in-chief’ Bobby Marwein to come over ground
and also offers them ‘safe-passage.’
-
August 12: The HNLC calls for a
boycott of the Independence Day celebrations on August 15 saying
"it is against the Indian colonialism for denial of the basic human
rights (national existence) which is our birth right''. In an e-mailed
statement, the HNLC spokesman Sainkupar Nongtraw says the outfit
had formed the council to "fight with arms towards the freedom of
our people from the clutches of forgiveness in the Hynniewtrep land".
-
May 20: A senior militant of the
banned HNLC, identified as Phikerlang Majaw alias San, surrendered
before the East Khasi Hills District Police. He had joined the HNLC
in 2002. He crossed over to Indian territory from Bangladesh after
deserting the outfit's camp at Arisuma in Chittagong Hill Tracts
(CHT) area a few days ago. Phikerlang's primary job was to ride
a boat, a three-hour journey, carrying food items, including rice
and vegetables, to the HNLC camp from Borkhaghat market. Phikerlang
said he decided to surrender after being fed up with the hardship
he had to endure in the HNLC camp in CHT. He said he had stayed
with HNLC leader Hep Khoit and his wife in the camp, adding that
about 50 HNLC militants were still living in the camp at Arisuma
under the command of one Kambes. He, however, said there were only
two weapons, one AK47 and the other AK 46, in the camp. Meanwhile,
Superintendent of Police of East Khasi Hills District, Claudia A.
Lyngwa, said other militant groups, including the NLFT, KYKL and
NDFB, had set up base in CHT area and was providing arms training
to the HNLC militants.
-
May 1: Meghalaya Police revealed
that militants of the banned HNLC, who surrender before the Security
Forces without depositing any arms and ammunition, are being offered
the Government's rehabilitation package. An unnamed Meghalaya Police
official said the Government has laid down guidelines that only
in exceptional and deserving cases militants who surrender without
arms and ammunition may be considered for rehabilitation under the
Government package. However, most of the recent surenderees who
did not deposit arms and ammunition, the official maintains, were
far from "exceptional and deserving" cases, but provided with the
rehabilitation package. Only the outfit's chairman Julius K. Dorphang,
who surrendered with four of his bodyguards in July 2007 without
arms or ammunition, was an "exceptional case", the Police official
says. The militants who surrender with at least one weapon are shifted
to a transit camp and given counseling and later training on a vocation
with a monthly stipend of INR 2,000 and daily perks of INR 50 as
part of the rehabilitation. After three months, the surrendered
activists are released and given INR 150000 in three installments
over a period of six months for self-rehabilitation and joining
the mainstream. "The Government policy is okay, but the militants
are trying to take the money and many go back to their old ways
indulging in extortion and intimidation," the Police official adds.
Apart from the rehabilitation package, the Government has laid down
monetary incentives for laying down arms and ammunition during surrender.
Deposit of a rocket launcher fetches a militant INR 25,000, while
an AK-assault rifle INR 15,000. The other incentives include INR
10,000 for a deposited carbine or SLR, INR 5,000 for a stengun and
long-range wireless set. INR 3,000 each would be given for laying
down .303 rifle, pistol, revolver or any other service weapon, remote
control device and improvised explosive device. INR 1,000 for a
rocket, short-range wireless set, explosive material and INR 500
for each grenade deposited are the other Government incentives.
-
April 13: The HNLC calls for a 24-hour
general shutdown in protest against the visit of the president of
the Congress party, Sonia Gandhi, to address a public meeting at
Shillong, for the elections scheduled to be held in Meghalaya on
April 16.
-
April 6: Two HNLC militants, Andreas
Sangma alias Bush and his wife Angelina Shylla, surrender
before Police at Shillong. Andreas along with seven others joined
the HNLC in 2001. They had undergone arms training at Chittagong
Hills Tract in Bangladesh. Angelina along with another girl, Rishalin
Syiemlieh, joined the outfit in 2003. Angelina reveals that Rishalin
and another girl from Mawlai called "Bih Rit" are still in Bangladesh.
-
March 31: Sentinel reports
that illegal traders along the Khasi-Jaintia hills are victims of
an extortion drive carried out by the HNLC. The report states that
after the Police's success in curbing extortion activities of the
proscribed outfit, the HNLC has now begun focusing on local traders
across the India-Bangladesh border.
-
March 10: A 'corporal' of the HNLC,
identified as Kordor Lyngdoh Mawlong alias Sumar, surrenders
before the Superintendent of Police of East Khasi Hills District.
He reportedly joined the outfit in 2002 and underwent arms training
at the Chittagong Hill Tracts in Bangladesh.
-
March 1: Three HNLC female cadres
surrender before the Superintendent of Police of Jaintia Hills District,
M.K. Singh, at Dawki. They are identified as Josephine Rynjah, Kalbi
Dora Snaitang and Philda Shylla. They reportedly received arms training
at Chittagong in Bangladesh, and used to stay at Lamapunji and Maulwi
Bazaar areas in the neighbouring country.
-
February 22: A civilian, Kolar Suting,
is shot at and injured by five suspected HNLC militants at his residence
in Mawriang in the East Khasi Hills District.
-
February 12: A 25 year-old woman
cadre of the HNLC, identified as Marbilas Syiemlieh, surrenders
before the East Khasi Hills District Police in capital Shillong.
She revealed that economic hardship in the HNLC camps in Bangladesh
forced her to return to the mainstream. Marbilas was attached to
the 'Army Wing' of the HNLC and had undergone arms training in Chittagong
Hill Tracts in Bangladesh since 2003. She hails from Manad village
under Mawkyrwat Sub-Division in the West Khasi Hills District and
is reported to have said that the HNLC is facing a serious financial
crisis.
-
January 23: The HNLC has called for
a boycott of the Republic Day (January 26) celebrations in the Khasi
and Jaintia Hills areas.
-
January 4: A NDFB cadre, Guatam
Boro, is arrested after being injured in an encounter with Police
in Shohksih coal mining area of Jaintia Hills District a day earlier,
subsequently succumbs to his injury. Guatam, hailing from Churachi
village of Nalbari District in Assam, is involved along with other
militants of the HNLC in extortion drive in coalfields of Jaintia
Hills District.
2008
-
December 20: A HNLC sympathiser, Pilot
Shylla, is arrested from Brishyrnot village of Jaintia Hills District.
"An SBBL gun was also recovered from his possession,"
said Police. Shylla confesses to have supported the militant outfit
by providing information about the movement of Police in Jaintia
Hills.
-
December 5: Police foil an extortion drive of the
HNLC in the Borsora –Nongjri-Nonghyllam coal belts — following interception
of calls from Bangladesh. The HNLC leadership, based in Bangladesh,
sent three cadres to Borosra-Nongjri areas for the collection drive
but they were arrested by the police on December 1. According to
police sources, the trio was asked to collect extortion money from
the coal barons, and it was confirmed on the basis of the phone
calls intercepted by a senior cadre, identified as Alex Hahshah.
"Alex Hahshah made calls to the prominent exporters in Borsora-Nongjri
area asking them to pay around Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 2 lakh each",
stated the Police sources, adding, "This was revealed by the
arrested HNLC cadres during the course of interrogation." Alex
Hahshah hailed from Nongjri area and he had all the phone numbers
of the coal traders and exporters. The report adds that following
a break of some time, the HNLC had launched its extortion drive
in the coal belts of West Khasi Hills along the India-Bangladesh
border, after the three platoons of the State Police Battalion were
withdrawn from Nonghyllam, 25 miles and Rajaju in November 2008.
-
December 3: A senior cadre of the
HNLC, identified as Marshal Roy Kharkongor alias Bah Arol, surrenders
before Umkiang police at Jowai in the Jaintia Hills district. During
the course of his interrogation, Marshal confesses that he had joined
HNLC in 2001 and had completed three months training at Chittagong
in Bangladesh. He is a resident of Madanriting in capital Shillong.
He further discloses that the group of five cadres had entered Jaintia
Hills through Hingaria village bordering Bangladesh and had halted
at Umsona-Raja for about two weeks. Marshal, finding an opportunity,
deserts his fellow cadres and surrenders before the police.
-
November 25: A cadre of the 'finance
wing' of the HNLC, identified as Wanpalei Ryngkhlem alias Palei,
is arrested by the Meghalaya Police from Polo area in capital Shillong.
Police said the outfit is conducting an extortion drive in various
parts of Shillong. The modus operandi, according to police, is that
HNLC 'authorises' certain people to collect money and then send
it to its leaders who are camping in Bangladesh. The coal belt regions
in Jaintia Hills and West Khasi Hills are the other areas where
the HNLC has launched extortion drive to fill its coffers. Police
sources say the HNLC had struck deals with the NSCN and NDFB for
such a drive. The report adds that top HNLC leaders holed up in
Bangladesh are reportedly facing severe crisis of cash and cadres,
forcing them to join hands with the NSCN and NDFB and rope in certain
individuals who can help the Khasi outfit in extorting money from
businessmen, coal traders and others in the State.
-
November 12: The Cabinet Committee
on Security (CCS) extends the ban on HNLC by two years for its involvement
in many recent cases of militancy in Meghalaya. The ban is also
extended on ULFA and NDFB for their involvement in October 30 serial
bomb blasts. The existing ban on the HNLC expires on November 15.
Over the years, the Centre has banned 34 militant outfits, of which
13 belong to the Northeast.
-
November 3: Meghalaya Police arrest
'second lieutenant' of the HNLC, identified as Shandor Phanbuh alias
Antony, from Jingkieng Mawlai. Shandor is also the 'camp commander'
of the outfit in Chittagong Hill tracts of Bangladesh. The report
adds that the arrested militant along with two other cadres of the
NDFB had infiltrated into India before the Durga Puja (a Hindu Festival).
All the three had even abducted a Guwahati-based trader and confined
him at an unspecified place in the Ri-Bhoi district. Later, the
trader was released after the relatives paid a huge amount of ransom
as demanded by the trio, which was equally shared by them.
-
October 24: The HNLC 'publicity
secretary' Sainkupar Nongtraw, rejects the talks offer made by Meghalaya
Director General of Police B. K. Dey Sawian, who has recently stated
that the doors are open for the Khasi outfit to come to the negotiating
table. "HNLC has no agenda to hold talks with the State Government
or its Police Department as they are only actors of the Indian Puppet
Government," Nongtraw says. He adds that the State Government's
invitation to HNLC for talks was aimed at creating "mistrust and
confusion among the people." The HNLC says that it had sent a letter
to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in 2003 offering to
hold talks, adding the outfit was yet to get a reply from the Centre.
The report adds that the HNLC had earlier prioritised six points
to be included in the cease-fire agreement with the Centre. They
include lifting of the ban on the outfit, talks in a "neutral" country
with safe passage to its cadres, supporters and sympathisers and
a transparent agenda for talks.
-
October 15: A HNLC cadre, Kyntiew
Kupar War, surrenders before Meghalaya Police at Dawki. He is involved
in a number of extortion ceases in the coal belt region at Lyngngam
in the West Khasi Hills district. According to police source, Kyntiew
joined the HNLC in 2001 and received arms training at Chittagong
Hill Tracts in Bangladesh. Later in 2007, he was shifted to West
Khasi Hills.
-
October 6: A HLNC cadre, Bantei
Sohtun alias Pyrkhat, surrenders before the Border Security Force
(BSF) Inspector General P.K. Mishra in the Shillong city. He is
involved in abduction and extortion in the East Khasi Hills district.
He had joined the outfit in 2003, and had undergone arms training
along with four others in Chittagong Hill Tracts in Bangladesh.
After completion of his training, he was asked to stay with a few
other members of HNLC at a Khasi village in Bangladesh. Bantei said
the struggle to earn his livelihood forced him to come overground.
P.K. Mishra says HNLC was still operating from its camps at Islapunji,
Baramchal, Nooncherapunji, Panai, Amoli, Rangki, Begunchera, Nirlapunji
and Niharpunji/Nihari under Maulavi Bazar district of Bangladesh.
-
September 16: The HNLC opposes the
municipal elections in Shillong. The outfit states that with the
traditional institutions like the rangbah shnong (headman)
already existing in Shillong, there is no question of having another
authority.
-
August 28: One HNLC militant, Lidon
Syrti, surrenders before the Border Security Force. Syrti hailed
from Rattachera village under Khlehriat police station in the Jaintia
Hills district. During interrogation he revealed that he was the
body guard of the ‘commander-in chief’ of the HNLC, Bobby Marwine..
-
August 27: One HNLC cadre, Phyrnailang
Swer, is arrested from a place in the Jaintia Hills district. He
confessed to having extorted huge amounts of money from traders
in the area. Following his confession, police recovered two Chinese
9-mm pistols and four rounds of ammunition from a place in Mankijai.
-
August 25: One HNLC cadre, Fullman
Khongthohrem alias Dum, surrenders before the Meghalaya Police in
capital Shillong. Fullman hails from Lapalang village near Dawki
in the East Khasi Hills district. He had joined the outfit in 2002
and was trained in Chittagong Hills in Bangladesh. He has, however,
not laid down any arms.
-
August 20: One surrendered HNLC
militant Tyngshain Lyngdoh Sohïong, involved in the August 12 killing
of his colleague Kerlang Laitstep and his brother Philip Laitstep,
surrenders before the Assam Rifles.
-
August 18: One Pynhunlang Swer,
claiming himself to be an HNLC cadre, is arrested by the Meghalaya
Police on for demanding money from a trader of Jaintia Hills District.
According to police sources, Pynhunlang, along with two other accomplices,
have demanded INR 2500000 from a prominent businessman and citizen
of Shangpung area in the name of the HNLC.
-
August 17: Two HNLC cadres, including
one identified as Command Lytan alias Commando, are arrested by
police from Shillong Club for attempting to extort money from some
traders. They have demanded money from INR 300000 to INR 500000
from the traders of Jaintia Hills.
-
August 14: The HNLC proposes to
hold talks with the Union Government on its ‘21st raising day’.
The outfit’s ‘general secretary’ Cheristerfield Thangkhiew says
that they were ready to initiate a dialogue with the Government
to end the armed struggle, provided the Government was sincere.
-
August 12: The HNLC calls for a
general strike from August 14 in Meghalaya in protest agonist the
Independence Day celebrations on August 15.
-
July 10: One surrendered NDFB militant
belonging to the Khasi tribe, identified as Jaklis Mawpniang alias
Jimmy Momin, confesses before the Meghalaya Police during his interrogation
that he was a former police constable of the first Meghalaya Police
Battalion. "Mawpniang, hailing from Umsaw village of Meghalaya's
Ri Bhoi district, deserted the battalion in 1983 to join the NDFB,"
an unnamed senior police official says. Mawpniang became the NDFB
'area commander' in Assam's Kokrajhar district and later became
a trainer for the HNLC in Chittagong Hills Tracts in Bangladesh.
"According to our information, he is the only Khasi in the NDFB
outfit though there are many Garos in the NDFB and Ulfa," the official
said.
-
July 24: The HNLC said that the
black flag march of the Khasi Students' Union (KSU) to protest the
abduction of its circle president Fairshall Kongwang was a "blind
experience." Denying its involvement in the abduction and killing
of the student leader, the HNLC publicity secretary Sainkupar Nongtraw,
in a statement to the press, stated that the KSU must understand
that the surrendered cadres and the police have hatched a 'game
plan.' The student body observed June 23 as black flag day protesting
the abduction of Kongwang, who disappeared from Shyiap, a picnic
spot near the Indo-Bangladesh border on December 16, 2007.
-
June 29 : Two HNLC militants, who
infiltrate from their hideouts in Bangladesh, are arrested from
Mawkyrwat village in the West Khasi Hills district. One revolver
and five live rounds of .22 ammunition, cellphone and incriminating
documents are recovered from their possession. Police say both the
militants were sent to India by their outfit to extort money from
coal exporters and other businessmen in the district.
-
June 12: Four surrendered cadres
of the HNLC confess that Phershal Khongwang, Dawki unit president
of the Khasi Students' Union (KSU), was abducted and later killed
by HNLC cadre, Hep Khoit, along with two of his accomplices, Bol
Khonglah and Jop Lamin, in Bangladesh in 2007. The HNLC cadres also
unsuccessfully tried to kill former Khasi Hills Autonomous District
Council (KHADC) chief H.S. Shylla.
-
June 6: Four HNLC cadres, who were
earlier remanded to police custody, are released for "lack of evidence".
They were arrested by the Border Security Force (BSF) personnel
in Tripura while entering Indian territory from Bangladesh without
passport on May 16. They later revealed that they had deserted a
HNLC camp in Bangladesh to surrender before the government.
-
May 31: Intelligence sources said that
seven former Naga insurgents, who deserted the NSCN–IM and NSCN-K,
continue to maintain links with the HNLC and LAEF to extort money
from coal exporters and other traders in the coal belts of West
Khasi Hills and Garo Hills. "The Naga men normally go back to their
State after collecting huge amount of money through extortion in
Meghalaya," the sources say. Intelligence sources also said that
former NSCN cadres involved in extortion in Meghalaya were planning
to form a new militant outfit that could be more powerful than the
NSCN-IM and NSCN-K. Many coal exporters from and outside the State
have incurred huge losses due to the ongoing extortion drive jointly
launched by cadres of the NSCN, HNLC and LAEF. Militants’ threat
is reported to have forced several coal exporters to leave the coal
belt areas recently. There are reports that the Tripura-based NLFT
was supporting the HNLC's extortion drive in the district where
coal exporters and managers of various cement plants were made to
pay money to militants.
-
May 29: Surrendered
ANVC cadres asked the Meghalaya Government to provide them with
recruitment in 5th India Reserve Battalion and monetary assistance.
They also alleged that the former State Government did not have
the commitment to rehabilitate all surrendered insurgents. They
say that the previous D.D. Lapang-led Government had given "more
importance" to the Shillong-based former cadre of the HNLC than
those from the Garo Hills. The former ANVC cadres have sought Government
jobs for at least 25 of them and financial assistance for the others
to start their own entrepreneurship.
-
May 26: Meghalaya Police
said that militants belonging to the BW, HNLC and NLFT have demanded
huge amounts of ransom from several cement companies in the Jaintia
Hills district.
-
May 21: Meghalaya Police arrests
one hardcore HNLC cadre, Banteiborlang Lyngdoh Nonglait, from the
coal belt areas at Nongjri near Borsora in the West Khasi Hills
district. He was arrested while entering the export coal depot belonging
to one Control Marbaniang. Ten live ammunitions of AK-47 are seized
from his possession. According to police sources, he had recently
returned from Bangladesh to carry out an extortion drive in the
coal belt areas.
-
May 16: The HNLC says in an e-mail
statement that it has expelled four of its cadres, Heplung alias
Judas, Mardor, Baiar, Pyndap alias Morning and Raimon, for allegedly
'breaching' the model code of conduct of the outfit.
Four HNLC cadres are arrested by the Border Security Force personnel
at Joshitilla village in the Dhalai district of Tripura along the
India-Bangladesh border. They confessed that they deserted their
camp in the Moulavibazaar district of Bangladesh following acute
shortage of food and medicine. They also mentioned that 182 HNLC
cadres are now staying in that camp.
-
April 5: One HNLC cadre, Ossomon
Rynjah alias Belu, is arrested by the Border Security Force (BSF)
personnel from Andermanik border outpost in the Mamit district while
trying to cross over to Mizoram from Bangladesh. He confessed that
the HNLC has maintained links with the Tripura-based NLFT since
2001. He also stated that the strength of HNLC in the Bangladesh
camp located under Baghachuri police station in the Rangamati district
was about 100 in 2001. As many as 26 NLFT cadres also stayed in
the HNLC camp at that time, he added. Rynjah confessed that since
most of the cadres deserted the camp the strength has been reduced
to 26, and the camp is left with one .303 rifle. He said that he
deserted the camp due to forced labour detention and ill treatment
by the HNLC commanders.
-
April 3 Meghalaya Police arrested
six persons, including rangbah shnongs (members of the traditional
local-self government institutions) and businessmen, from different
parts of the Jaintia Hills district for their suspected links with
the HNLC. They were identified as Phon Syih, Welcome Dkhar, Lambha
Dhar, Susil Dkhar, Pyntngen Bareh and Rangbahduh Khonglah. According
to police sources, they were arrested following confession of the
HNLC militants who were arrested during the recent encounter at
Wahlymbong. They are accused of giving shelter, money and other
goods to the HNLC cadres. Two arrested HNLC cadres, Willender Diengdoh
Marngar and Riskin Phawa, had reportedly collected INR 50000 from
them.
-
March 30: The Superintendent of
Police (Special Branch), Claudia A. Lyngwa, while terming the HNLC
as "an organisation of a few vested interests," said that deteriorating
cadre strength of the outfit had forced it to join hands with the
Tripura-based NLFT. She stated that the outfit's cadre strength
could be between 70 and 80, including a few senior members camping
in Bangladesh. "These (few) vested interests (HNLC activists) are
very much aware that they are losing their strength every day and
the best option for them is to surrender," she said, adding, "Deteriorating
cadre strength has forced HNLC to join hands with the NLFT."
-
March 27: The HNLC 'camp commander'
at Chittagong Hill Tract, Syrpailin Mawlong, is arrested at Umkiang
in the Jaintia Hills district. He confesses before police that the
outfit was facing a funds crisis and he had been asked by his leaders
to carry out an extortion drive in the Jaintia Hills. He also said
that after the surrender of former Chairman Julius Dorphang, the
outfit is yet to nominate any other leader as the chairman. He added
that 100 cadres, including eight to nine women, were based in Bangladesh.
Two HNLC militants, Vicky Majaw and Leader, are shot dead by Meghalaya
Police during an encounter at Umkiang in the Jaintia Hills district.
However, three NLFT militants who along with the HNLC militants
opened fire on the police personnel manage to escape from the encounter
site. Four SBBL shot guns, two AK-56 assault rifles and 33 rounds
of live ammunition, a country-made .22 revolver, two Chinese hand
grenades and two sets of Japanese-made wireless handsets, three
torches, a mobile handset and two authorisation letters for extortion
were recovered from the encounter site. According to police sources,
the HNLC and NLFT ran a joint camp at Wahlymbong for about two months
to extort money from coal traders and businessmen of Jaintia Hills.
The encounter occurred when police raided a militant hideout in
the Umkiang area following the arrest of six HNLC militants, including
an 'area commander' Syrpailin Mawlong alias Bhalang, and a courier
Riskin Phawa, during a search operation in Malidor area and Umkiang
village on March 26. Four others were identified as Emanuel Umthlu
alias Shwa, L. Marngar alias Willinder Marngar, Aibor Sawian and
Chedrak Wanniang.
-
March 19: One HNLC militant, identified
as Gedolf Nongrem of Mawkhar, surrendered before the Border Security
Force (BSF) at the Umsyiem border outpost near Dawki. During interrogation,
Nongrem told the BSF that he, along with five others, was lured
by one HNLC activist Lungtung of Mawlai to join the banned outfit
and had undergone arms training at an HNLC camp in Chittagong, Bangladesh.
"I left for Bangladesh in June 2003 and underwent training along
with others, including eight female activists, at an HNLC camp in
Chittagong," Nongrem said.
-
March 14: The surrendered HNLC militants
decide to ask the Meghalaya Government for general amnesty. The
decision was taken at the first meeting of the surrendered militants,
chaired by its former chairman Julius Dorphang, at Mawlong. "We
have decided to urge the Centre and the state to grant general amnesty
to all the surrendered HNLC militants. We want the government to
provide a better rehabilitation package to prevent them from going
astray," Dorphang said. There are more than 100 surrendered HNLC
militants in capital Shillong. "Most of these boys are poor and
are finding it difficult to sustain themselves," he said, adding
that many of them are yet to receive the rehabilitation package.
Dorphang said. He also refuted allegations that the surrendered
HNLC militants had campaigned for the ruling Congress party in the
recently-concluded legislative Assembly elections. "The allegations
are not true. The surrendered militants were free to support any
candidate," he added.
-
February 27: Normal life in the
capital Shillong and other parts of the State was affected due to
a general strike called by the HNLC in protest against Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh's State visit.
-
January 26: The HNLC calls for a
24-hour strike in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills in protest against
the celebration of the Republic Day.
-
January 24: The 'publicity secretary'
of the HNLC, Sainkupar Nongtraw, accuses some politicians of playing
the 'religious card' to win the elections. The outfit asked the
church bodies to initiate steps to prevent such activities.
2007
-
December 30: Meghalaya Police stated
that Phersial Kongwang, the Khasi Students Union's (KSU) Dawki Circle
president, was abducted and later taken to Bangladesh by the HNLC
militants. "We have thoroughly investigated the matter. We have
no doubt that HNLC men have taken the victim (Mr Kongwang) to Bangladesh,"
police say. Police add that HNLC cadre, Bah Hep alias Hep Khoit,
and two other unidentified armed persons were involved in the abduction
-
. December 28: One surrendered HNLC
cadre, Stephan Rymbai, is arrested from his rented house at Salini
Colony in Mihmyntdu of Jaintia Hills district. Police said that
Rymbai had been involved in a number of crimes even after he came
over-ground.
-
December 26: Meghalaya Police said
that the HNLC is being helped by the NLFT in Jaintia Hills, the
NSCN-IM in West Khasi Hills and the NDFB in areas of Ri-Bhoi district.
The HNLC's declining manpower and continued failure to start an
extortion drive in Shillong city has forced the outfit to seek help
of other outfits and extort money from businessmen, especially coal
traders, in other districts of the State bordering Bangladesh. "The
firepower of HNLC is less at present and the outfit cannot buy more
weapons due to financial constraints. It has to borrow arms from
other militant groups," said an unnamed source.
-
December 19: The surrendered ‘chairman’
of the HNLC, Julius Dorphang, said that the HNLC maintains a fleet
of boats to ferry ration and other items to its cadres at their
camps in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh. Dorphang also
said that since the Chittagong Hill Tracts is surrounded by deep
jungles and criss-crossed by rivers, a boat was the easiest mode
of transport. He added that most of the items were collected from
different places from where they were taken to loading points along
the Feni, Karnaphuli, Sangu (Sankhu) and Matamuhuri rivers. From
the offloading points, the ration was carried to the camps.
One HNLC cadre, who
had escaped during the December 17 police raid on the camp jointly
set up by the HNLC and NLFT inside Narpuh Reserve Forest of Jaintia
Hills, surrenders before East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police,
A.R. Mawthoh.
-
December 17 Meghalaya Police neutralizes
a joint camp of the HNLC and the NLFT during an operation at Narpuh
reserve forest in the Jaintia Hills. A number of 9-mm live cartridges,
.22 live cartridges, one very high frequency handset, six micro
cassettes, a prescription of a Bangladeshi doctor, photographs,
a diary and four butts of AK-56 rifles are recovered. However, no
arrests were made.
-
December 15: Meghalaya Police stated
that one suspected HNLC militant, while trying to hijack a Jeep
belonging to a coal exporter, Milan Khongsit, was assaulted by civilians
at Mawngap in the East Khasi Hills district.
-
December 7: Nagaland Post reports
that the Meghalaya Police has launched a flush-out operation targeting
HNLC extortionists in the coal belt area.
-
December 6: Shillong Times,
quoting intelligence sources, reports that the HNLC has resumed
its extortion drive in the coal belt of Borsora in the West Khasi
Hills district. The HNLC demanded INR 500000 from coal exporters
owning ten or more trucks. Those having five and more than five
trucks were asked to pay ransom between INR 250000 to 300000.
-
November 24: Shillong Times reports
that at least eight senior cadres of the HNLC will desert their
camp in Bangladesh and come overground and surrender in protest
against the system of functioning and policy of the HNLC 'commander-in-chief'
Bobby Marwein.
-
November 19: Shillong Times reports
that the Meghalaya Police are investigating the alleged nexus between
teer (a traditional form of gambling that sustains the age-old
sport of archery) bookies and the HNLC, which reportedly helps the
militant outfit to strengthen its coffer. After a gap of four years,
Meghalaya Police have reopened the file related to the teer bookies-HNLC
nexus. Police had unearthed the nexus between teer bookies
and HNLC in 2003 and arrested some office bearers of the Archery
Sports Association. Four years later, the file, in this regard,
was reopened following the encounter on October 30 at Cleve Colony
in which five HNLC militants were killed. Manbha Rynjah, one of
the slain militants, was a teer bookie and contractor.
-
November 11: Meghalaya Police said
that the NDFB has continued to help the HNLC since 2005 by supplying
weapons to the outfit. They claimed that the HNLC militants, who
are camping in Paham-Umdoh forest, maintain links with the NDFB.
An unnamed senior police official stated: "NDFB leaders used to
make periodic visits to the make-shift camps of the HNLC in the
Ri-Bhoi district". .
-
November 7: Deputy Superintendent
of Police Raymond P. Diengdoh was killed when a team of police personal
attacked a HNLC hideout at Paham Umdoh forest near Byrnihat in the
Ri-Bhoi district. One militant, identified as Salin alias Jockey,
of Mawsynram in the East Khasi Hills district, was also killed in
the encounter. Police arrested two HNLC cadres, Sharailang Raiwan
and Andy Lyngdoh, from the encounter site. Two Kalashnikov rifles,
a pistol and some cartridges are recovered from the incident site.
-
November 6: The Khasi Hills Autonomous
District Council (KHADC) chief, H.S. Shylla, accuses the non governmental
organisations and a political party of having nexus with the HNLC.
The KHADC chief accused the Khasi Students’ Union, the Federation
of Khasi, Jaintia and Garo People and Khun Hynniewtrep National
Awakening Movement party of having a nexus with the outfit.
-
November 4: Meghalaya Police stated
that the HNLC is using women as agents to extort money from places
where the finance wing of the organisation fails to penetrate. "Even
after the arrest of a few women who worked for the HNLC in the past,
some women are still helping the outfit in collecting money in Shillong
and Dawki in Jaintia Hills," a senior unnamed police official disclosed.
He said that before going on an extortion drive, the women make
‘missed calls’ to top HNLC leaders based in Bangladesh, who help
them with ways and means to negotiate the amount. A prepaid mobile
phone having a balance of INR 800 to INR 900 is used by the women
to send "missed calls" to Bangladesh. The report adds that the arrest
of a woman, Velvet Rose Jana, who accompanied HNLC militants to
assassinate HS Shylla, the Chief Executive Member of the Khasi Hills
Autonomous District Council, in August 20074, has revealed that
she had extorted money on behalf of the outfit from businessmen.
She confesses to have worked in tandem with her husband, Tome Jones
Rynjah, to spread the activities of the HNLC, including extortion
in Shillong. Police had arrested the couple from Mawlai Syllaikriah
locality of Shillong for their role in leading the HNLC cadres to
the house of Shylla. According to A.R. Mawthoh, the Superintendent
of Police of the East Khasi Hills district, the HNLC courier recently
sent INR 400, 000 to Bobby Marwein, ‘commander-in-chief’ of the
outfit, who is based in Bangladesh.
October 30: Five HNLC militants,
one of them identified as Safir Hashah, are shot dead by police
personnel during an encounter at Cleave Colony under Laitumkhrah
police station in the East Khasi Hills district. The incident occurs
when a police team tries to intercept a vehicle carrying the militants.
Two police personnel are also injured in the exchange of fire. An
AK-47 rifle, a double barrel gun, a single barrel gun, one grenade
and some ammunition are recovered from the slain militants. The
East Khasi Hills district Superintendent of Police, A.R. Mawthoh,
informs that the militants entered Meghalaya from Bangladesh to
kill the outfit's surrendered chairman, Julius Dorphang.
-
October 29: One courier of the HNLC,
Rimen Rymbai, is arrested by police personnel at Dawki in the Jaintia
Hills District. Rymbai was sent by his seniors from Bangladesh to
collect the demanded amount from a prominent businessman of Dawki.
Sources add that Rymbai hails from Lamapunji under Gowainghat police
station in the Sylhet district of Bangladesh.
-
October 29: Two HNLC cadres, Rajesh
Lamin and Lyli Lamin, surrender before the East Khasi Hills district-Superintendent
of Police.
-
October 17: Meghalaya Police chief,
B.K. Dey Sawian, said that the HNLC is carrying out an extortion
drive at Laitumkhrah and Nongthymmai areas in capital Shillong.
He also stated that though the cadre strength of the HNLC is reducing,
the possibility of the outfit's cadres regrouping cannot be ruled
out.
-
September 11: Two persons, identified
as Wanwarting Pathaw alias Perry and Suk Nongrang, are arrested
from Nongmynsong in capital Shillong. They are involved in the September
9-abduction of John Alex Dohkrud, the brother of a surrendered HNLC
cadre Amos Dohkrud, from Lad Mawlai Motsyiar.
-
August 24: Meghalaya Police arrest
the mother of Bobby Marwein, the 'commander-in-chief of HNLC, from
an unspecified place in the East Khasi Hills district. Superintendent
of Police A.R. Mawthoh said, "The police are investigating the involvement
of Marwein's mother, wife and Thangkhiew's sister in the extortion
racket."
-
August 23: Police arrests the sister
of Cherishstarfield Thangkhiew, 'general secretary' of the HNLC,
and wife of Bobby Marwein, 'commander-in-chief'' of the same outfit,
for their involvement in extortion at Jaiaw Langsning in the East
Khasi Hills district.
-
August 22: Police arrest a HNLC
cadre, identified as Phrangsngi Hahshah, from Motphran in the East
Khasi Hills district. He is suspected to be the linkman behind the
extortion drive of the outfit.
-
August 21: Five HNLC cadres, while
extorting from traders, are arrested at Dawki in the Jaintia Hills
District. They were identified as Ispon Khonglah, Donbok Kongwang,
Teiborlang Kongwang, Dominic Rangjem and Wansalan Khonglah.
-
August 21: Four suspected HNLC cadres
are arrested from various parts of the capital Shillong. They came
from Bangladesh recently to carry out an extortion drive.
-
August 16: One senior HNLC cadre,
Aral Mango alias Heh, surrenders before the Ri-Bhoi district Superintendent
of Police J. Rymmai. Heh was reportedly a linkman between the HNLC
and NDFB.
-
August 15: The HNLC expresses its
willingness to sit for tripartite talks involving both the Union
and State governments. 'General Secretary' Cheristerfield Thangkhiew
said in a statement on the 20th raising day of the HNLC that the
group was keen to end bloodshed and is willing to sit for talks.
-
August 12: The HNLC
calls for a 24-hour bandh (strike) from August 14 in protest
against the Independence Day celebrations on August 15. A statement
issued by the outlawed group’s ‘publicity secretary’ Sainkupar Nongtraw
said that it would continue its "20-year-old armed struggle for
political and socio-economic development of the people". The strike
exempts patients and hospital attendants and milkmen from its purview.
-
August 6: The HNLC
‘publicity secretary’ Sainkupar Nongtraw alleged that ‘chairman’
Julius Dorphang, who had recently surrendered, had been bought over
by Chief Minister D. D. Lapang. A statement said that by coming
over-ground, Dorphang had undermined his own position as a top leader
of the outfit. "Dorphang must know the kind of action that the HNLC
would take against deserters who took away its properties," the
HNLC statement added. It also said that by surrendering, Dorphang
had ‘stabbed the HNLC from the back’. The HNLC also said that Dorphang
is earlier authorized by the outfit's leadership to speak to Lapang
over phone regarding the peace initiative "but the outfit did
not expect that he would be bought over by Lapang to the extent
that he deserted his own colleagues."
-
August 3: A surrendered
HNLC cadre, Bitkhotal Khongkip, who disrupted the Elector's Photo
Identity Card programme at Nongskhen village in the East Khasi Hills
district on July 30, is arrested by the police from an unspecified
location.
-
August 2: The surrendered
‘Chairman’' of the HNLC, Julius Dorphang, has decided to resign
from the top post of the group. He admitted that personality conflicts
among the top HNLC leaders had eroded the image of the group. Dorphang,
however, denied the allegations made by the HNLC of taking away
INR 20 million before his surrender and also rejected other charges
of selling weapons and assets of the outfit.
-
August 1: The Deputy
Commissioner of the East Khasi Hills district, Bhalang Dhar, ordered
the police to arrest surrendered HNLC cadre, Bitkophal Khongkip,
for his alleged misbehaviour with the Election department officials
during an electorate photo identity card programme at Nongskhen
in the East Khasi Hills district.
The HNLC ‘publicity
secretary’, Sainkupar Nongtraw, in a press statement alleged that
the surrendered chairman of the group, Julius Dorphang, has decamped
with the outfit's money amounting to INR 20 million. He added that
Dorphang has sold away properties of the organization, including
the arms of his security personnel. The statement also denied Dorphang's
claim that the HNLC general secretary and 'Commander-in-Chief' did
not understand the meaning of peace.
-
July 24: Julius K. Dorphang, chairman
of the outlawed HNLC, along with his four bodyguards, identified
as Teilang Wanniang, Salonsar Thongni, Bima Suting and Rit Lakashiang,
surrendered to the security forces at an unspecified location in
the capital city of Shillong. Dorphang accepted an offer of safe
passage from the State Government and decided to join the mainstream,
indicating a major setback to the Khasi outfit formed in 1988. However,
no weapon is deposited by the HNLC cadres. Dorphang and the four
cadres arrived in Shillong on July 23-night by road through Lyngkhat
village near the India-Bangladesh border under tight police security.
-
May 28: One HNLC cadre, identified
as Trustman Roy Lyngdoh Nonglait belonging to the Mawlai Kynton
Massar area, surrendered before the police at an unspecified location.
-
May 23: The Unlawful Activities
(Prevention) Tribunal extended the ban on the ANVC and HNLC for
two more years due to their continued anti-national and anti-social
activities. The new order will remain in force till May 15, 2009.
-
May 17: One Hynniewtrep National
Liberation Council (HNLC) cadre, identified as 'sergeant major'
Andy Roy Lartang alias Bahdeng, surrendered to the security forces
at an unspecified location.
-
May 7: Two surrendered HNLC cadres,
Mayborn Rapthap and Victor Rumnong, are booked under the Meghalaya
Prevention Detention Act for their suspected involvement in cases
of abduction and murder.
A woman cadre of the HNLC, identified
as Lanosha Kharkulia, surrenders before A.R. Mawthoh, the Superintendent
of Police of East Khasi Hills district.
-
April 14: Six HNLC cadres, identified
as Kitbakmar Baniang, Amos Khamnaior, Teidur Kharsahnoh, Orrissal
Ynsatlang, Ricky Kharjana and his wife Baitbianglen, surrender before
the Border Security Force at Panisagar in the North Tripura district
of Tripura.
The two-day meeting of the Tribunal
to look into the ban on the HNLC and ANVC concludes. Official sources
said that there was no representation from the HNLC and only the
ANVC contested the case aiming at lifting the proscription.
-
April 12: Three surrendered HNLC
cadres, Khainborlang Kharwaniang, Mayborn Rapthap and Victor Rumnong,
were arrested from different parts of the Shillong city in connection
with the abduction of six persons on February 22.
-
February 20: Two HNLC cadres, Lord
Canning Thongni and Everywell Leroy, who surrendered in Shillong
confessed that they used to hand over the extortion money to a Bangladeshi
national, Abdus Salam. Police suspect that the top HNLC leaders
are using Bangladeshi nationals as couriers to bring extortion money,
since they had lost faith in the lower rung cadres. Superintendent
of Police of the East Khasi Hills district, A. R. Mawthoh, disclosed
that around 130 militants had so far surrendered in East Khasi Hills.
"More and more cadres are leaving the outfit as the extorted money
has been pocketed by the top leaders," Mawthoh added.
-
February 10: Nine HNLC militants,
including its senior leader Herman Pakyntein, surrender along with
a rifle and two shot guns at Panisagar in the North Tripura district
of Tripura. They escaped from their hideout in Bangladesh. According
to police sources, the present cadre strength of the HNLC is estimated
to be around 60 to 70, following the surrender.
-
January 2: A court in the East Khasi
Hills district remands a former HNLC cadre, Samborlang Kharlyngdoh,
to three-day police custody. Jhalupara police arrested him a day
earlier for illegally possessing a 9-mm pistol along with six rounds
of ammunition.
2006
-
December 25: An extortionist, Asuk
Amyrsong, is arrested from Kharkhana village in the Jaintia Hills
district along the India-Bangladesh border. However, two others
manage to escape. They reportedly served extortion notes of INR
25,000 to a lady, Mala Pohlong, in the guise of HNLC cadres.
-
December 20: One HNLC cadre, Aimos
Khonglaban, surrenders at Pynursla police station in the East Khasi
Hills district.
-
November 27: A HNLC cadre, Tensing
Khonglah, surrenders before the Superintendent of Police of Shillong
City. According to police sources, Khonglah was operating from Sanatula
near Silchar in the Cachar district of Assam.
-
November 20: Responding to the
offer made by the HNLC for peace talks with the Union Government,
the Meghalaya Home Minister, Robert G. Lyngdoh, stated that the
State Government should be involved in the peace talks "so that
it won't be held responsible for any failure in the process." "We
are ready to hold talks at any moment and our door for negotiation
is always open. But the talks should be a tripartite one like what
was done with the ANVC," he added.
-
November 9: The Union Government
extends the proscription on HNLC.
-
October 31: HNLC has started setting
up camps at Block I in the Karbi Anlong district of Assam. Reports
added that five hardcore cadres belonging to the "Action Group (Army
Wing)" of the outfit set up a camp in Assam.
-
October 4: A senior HNLC cadre,
Mon Pohrmen, who was the 'commander' of the camp at Panai in Bangladesh,
surrenders before Meghalaya Police at Jowai in the Jaintia Hills
district. He deposits some sample demand notes before the police.
-
September 28: A HNLC cadre, Dap
Singh Ritshong alias Syrpai, surrenders before the Meghalaya Police
at an unspecified place.
-
September 25: Meghalaya Police recover
dead bodies of two former HNLC cadres, Philio Hashah and his brother
Anthony Hashah, from Wah Khri near Mairang in the West Khasi Hills
district. They were killed en route to appear in the district court
for a pending case relating to their earlier linkages with the HNLC.
-
September 25: Meghalaya Police arrests
a HNLC cadre, Tom Jones Rynjah, from Mawlai Syllaikriah in the capital
Shillong, and seizes some incriminating documents from his possession.
-
September 20: A HNLC cadre, Krinding
Lyngdoh, surrenders before the Meghalaya Police at an unspecified
location. According to police sources, the surrendered militant,
who confessed to having recently returned from Bangladesh, did not
deposit any arms.
-
September 20: Meghalaya Police kills
a HNLC cadre, Bankit Khonjee, and arrests another during an encounter
at Umkrem in the East Khasi Hills district. A modified sten gun
of 9 mm caliber, one 9 mm carbine, 40 rounds of ammunition and eight
empty cases of assorted ammunition are recovered from the incident
site. Following the incident, one surrendered HNLC cadre is also
arrested for sheltering the HNLC cadres.
-
September 10: The Union Government
authorises the Meghalaya Government to directly negotiate with the
HNLC. Meanwhile, State Chief Minister J. D. Rymbai and Home Minister
R. G. Lyngdoh ask the cadres of the outfit to give up arms and return
to the mainstream.
-
August 30: Disillusioned women cadres
of the HNLC, who are in an isolated camp in Bangladesh and are desperate
to leave the outfit to join the main stream, are reportedly being
prevented from deserting the militant camp. At least eight women
cadres, including six from Shillong and West Khasi Hills and two
from Pynursla in East Khasi Hills, have remained in Bangladesh,
according to police sources. "But they are prevented by their top
leaders," police say.
-
July 15: A HNLC cadre,
Diam Salon, surrenders at Jowai police station in the Jaintia Hills
district. The surrendered militant escaped from his camp in Bangladesh.
-
July 6: At least 435
HNLC cadres were killed, surrendered or arrested by the police personnel
so far, says Inspector General of Police, B. L. Buam. Out of the
total, 289 were arrested, 27 died in encounters, while 119 surrendered.
-
June 29: At least three
HNLC militants, including one of their leaders identified as Khrawbor
Lartang alias Kordor, Lumbor Nongneng alias Pdit and Precious Star
Lamare alias Kos, surrender before the East Khasi Hills district
police in Shillong, the State capital.
-
June 25: At least ten
HNLC cadres, who surrender in the North Tripura district of Tripura
on June 21, are brought back and remanded to ten-day police custody
at Shillong, the State capital.
-
june 23: Two unidentified
HNLC cadres are shot dead in an encounter with the police at Nonghyllam
near Nongjri village in the West Khasi Hills district. While another
militant manages to escape, one carbine, one pistol and few rounds
of ammunitions are recovered from the encounter site. According
to intelligence reports, the HNLC militants infiltrated into the
Indian territory from Bangladesh.
-
June 21: At least ten
HNLC cadres, including a senior leader, surrender before the Border
Security Force personnel at an unspecified place in the North Tripura
district of Tripura. The surrendered militants, who desert their
camp in Bangladesh, were identified as West Syngkli, Bamut-lang
Chyne, Coverland Lar-tang, Oswald Nengnong, Erest Wanshnong, George
Tang-sang, Peter Kharmawphlang, Fullmoon Nongsiej, Shemphang Syiem-iong
and Larsemson Jala.
-
June 19: Two suspected
HNLC cadres, Minot and Tensing, are arrested at an unspecified place
under Halidayganj police station in the Dhubri district along the
India-Bangladesh border, while infiltrating.
-
June 15: Two HNLC cadres, Minit Lang
and Tensing Khngla, are arrested by the BSF personnel near Makamtilla
under Patherkandi block in the Karimganj district while crossing
the India- Bangladesh border. Both reportedly were trying to reach
the Khasi hills of Meghalaya through the adjoining Cachar district.
They reveal during interrogation that most militant outfits with
camps in Bangladesh are planning to push in more cadres to the Indian
territory through the border during the monsoon.
-
June 2: A HNLC cadre, Tibor Dkhar alias
Ban, who left his hideout at Puthisara in Bangladesh, surrenders
at Shillong before the Superintendent of Police of the East Khasi
Hills district. An AK 47 rifle, suspected to be abandoned by the
HNLC cadres, is recovered from the forest area of the North-Eastern
Hill University near Mawlai.
-
May 31: The HNLC threatens against
persons participating in the forthcoming Municipal elections at
Shillong, the State capital. The outfit also expresses 'concern'
about ongoing influx into the Jaintia Hills.
-
May 24: The MHA asks for the estimation
of assets of the top leaders of the Hynniewtrep HNLC including its
'chairman' Julius K Dorphang, 'general secretary' Cherishsterfield
Thangkhiew and self-styled 'Commander -in-Chief" Bobby Marwein.
Official sources say that the MHA is also assessing the activities
of the outfit to ensure that it does not indulge in extortion from
the businessmen.
-
May 1 : Chief Minister D. D. Lapang
says that the proposal for peace talks with the HNLC is a better
option than seeing the outfit members surrendering. Lapang, while
expressing the State Government's willingness to hold talks with
the militant outfits, said, "There is nothing to hide and it
is true that I had a telephonic conservation with HNLC Chairman
Julius Dorphang on the issues related to peace talks."
-
April 30 : The Meghalaya Home Department
says that insincerity of the 'commander-in-chief' of the HNLC is
the main reason for the State Government delaying the peace process.
According to Home Department sources, "We have no doubt about
the sincerity of the outfit's chairman Julius K Dorphang; but we
have got some doubts about Bobby Marwein, who often indulges in
illegal activities despite making the initial move for peace process."
The sources add that the Union and State Governments are keen to
have a cease-fire with the banned outfit, but given the present
situation, "both are of the view that the process should be
re-examined before arriving at any decision".
-
April 27: The Chief Executive Member
of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council, H. S. Shylla, criticizes
the threat of the HNLC to pull out of the proposed peace talks with
the Meghalaya Government in protest against the latter's permission
for Uranium mining at Domiasiat in the West Khasi Hills district.
-
March 27: Meghalaya Chief Minister
D.D. Lapang, while responding to the issue of negotiations with
militant outfits, informs the Legislative Assembly that a "Joint
Monitoring Group (JMG) has been formed to monitor the cease-fire
with the ANVC. The next JMG meeting will be held on April 5 in Guwahati,
said, while adding that, "We are thinking of adopting similar pattern
as the first step to initiate dialogue with HNLC."
-
March 27: A former HNLC cadre, Aibor
Marwein, is shot at and wounded at Mawlai Nongkwar Block III in
the Shillong city. Marwein was arrested in 2002 while being an active
HNLC cadre.
-
March 24: The Union Home Minister Shivraj
Patil, while responding at Shillong to the issue of the reported
willingness of the proscribed HNLC to negotiate with the Government,
says, "Doors are open for dialogue with any militant group."
-
March 21: An HNLC cadre, Khrawkupar
Shylla alias Khro, is arrested from Mawlai Nongk-war in the East
Khasi Hills district. He confesses about the involvement of HNLC
in arms smuggling in Meghalaya.
-
March 17: Meghalaya Director General
Police, W.R. Marbaniang, says that an unspecified number of misguided
youths from West Khasi Hills and other areas have joined the banned
HNLC.
-
February 21: The Jaintia Hills district
police arrest three HNLC cadres, Arwat Kharumnuid alias Jo Swer,
Robert Jiteng alias Bah Bah and Khlainbor Pakyntein alias Heprit,
from a camp of coal miners at Jaliaphet. However, two of them subsequently
escaped from police custody.
-
February 21: The Church leader, Rev.
Basaiawmoit, who was appointed by the State Government to broker
peace with the HNLC, establishes contacts with the top leaders of
the proscribed outfit and intimates about the Government's desire
to have a dialogue with them. He says, "Today (Tuesday) evening,
I conveyed the HNLC leadership the outcome of my meeting with the
Chief Minister and the State Home Minister."
-
February 18: A HNLC cadre, Pynshngaiñlang
Lyngdoh Mairang, surrenders before Mairang Police in the West Khasi
Hills district.
-
February 3: A suspected HNLC cadre,
who is arrested from Jowai in the Jaintia Hills district, manages
to escape during an accident involving the security convoy carrying
him near Mawryngkneng.
-
January 30: Hardcore HNLC militants
take shelter in the Block-I areas along the Assam-Meghalaya border
for raising funds for the outfit. The militants have reportedly
sneaked into the State from Bangladesh for revitalising the outfit.
A militant, Hopeborn Shangpliang, who has surrendered during the
second week of January, confesses to have regrouped the militants
in the Jaintia Hills district for extortion from the coal traders.
A senior police officer says, “The HNLC militants chose Block-I
as their area of operation so that the Meghalaya police would not
be able to know about their movements.”
-
January 20: A HNLC militant, Hopeborn
Shangpliang, surrenders before police personnel at Jowai in the
Jaintia Hills district. He deposits a 9mm pistol and 10 rounds of
live ammunition. Police sources say that the militant, a self-style
sergeant of the outfit, had joined the HNLC in 1999. He left the
outfit’s camp in Bangladesh in 2005 and since then has been operating
from Psiar in Block I area of the Jaintia Hills district.
-
January 16: The ‘publicity secretary'
of the HNLC, Sainkupar Nongtraw, expresses doubts over the seriousness
of the Meghalaya Government in dealing with the issue of illegal
migrants. Nongtraw claims that the action of the State police in
flushing out illegal immigrants as published in newspapers is "an
eyewash" and a "fashion show". He further says: “If the State and
the Central governments had the responsibility to flush out immigrants
who have illegally entered the State, why they took 34 years to
initiate measures. May be it is the government which has provided
them with land, houses, jobs and at the same time recognised them
as the legal immigrants settled in Umpling, Pynthor, Mawprem and
other localities of Shillong".
January 8: A senior HNLC cadre,
Bashembha Pathaw, is arrested from Psiar village on the Meghalaya-Assam
border in the Jaintia Hills district. Ten AK-47 ammunition are recovered
from his possession.
2005
-
December 23: Meghalaya Police arrests
‘vice-chairman’ of the HNLC, Teilang Thangkhiew, from a hideout
at Pohkseh in the capital Shillong. Police sources say that Thangkhiew
returned from Bangladesh a few days back to revitalise the outfit
following the arrest and surrender of more than hundred cadres during
the recent years.
-
December 2: Church leader, Rev. Basaiawmoit,
says that the proscribed HNLC is awaiting an official response either
from the Prime Minister's Office or the Union Home Ministry to initiate
peace talks. "After proper consultation with the Home Ministry officials
I created a channel through which the HNLC was immediately contacted
with the hope of ending the decade-long insurgency problem and bring
peace and normalcy back to the Khasi-Jaintia Hills and the State
as a whole. I have communicated HNLC's views to the Centre but the
latter is yet to respond to it", he says.
-
November 3: HNLC is reported to be
involved in extortion activities targeting coal traders of the Jaintia
Hills district. The police arrest two persons, president of the
Meghalaya Transporters and Suppliers Union, Jamrist Rymbai, and
his colleague, Chamik Nongpluh, from Lad Rymbai for their connivance
with the outfit’s extortion activities. Police sources say that
the arrested persons have served an extortion note of Rupees 16
lakh (INR) on a coal merchant on behalf of the outfit.
-
November 1: The proscribed HNLC, in
an e-mail to the local media in Meghalaya’s capital Shillong, refutes
reports that speculate the surrender of the outfit’s ‘commander-in-chief’
Bobby Marwein and some other cadres. The ‘publicity secretary’ of
the outfit, Sainkupar Nongkhlaw, says, "There are forces who want
to create cracks in our organization and the reports are at their
instance… Reports about our c-in-c’s surrender is part of the propaganda
waged by the forces against the council."
-
September 27: Julius K Dorphang, 'chairman'
of the HNLC, expresses his keenness for peace talks with the Union
Government. The surrendered 'publicity secretary' of the outfit,
Mihsalan Kynjing, says that HNLC has made some attempts in the past
to initiate peace talks and some members of the group have reportedly
met officials of the Union Home Ministry in 2004.
-
July 27: The surrendered ‘finance secretary’
of the HNLC, Yitjanai Sunn alias Iainehskhem Shylla, reports that
200 HNLC cadres, including 10 women, presently camping in Bangladesh,
are in a state of disarray. He also claims that the outfit is going
through a major financial crisis and at present it has only Rupees
20 lakh in its coffers. He also says that 20 cadres have become
victims of fratricidal clashes in Bangladesh and five to six of
them died due to malaria. He also confirms that there is a tie-up
between the HNLC and NDFB.
-
July 25: Six HNLC cadres, including
the outfit’s Finance Secretary Yit Sun alias Iaineh Skhem Shylla,
surrender before the police in Shillong. The others are identified
as Donald Wann alias Lumlang from Jaiaw Mawbynna, Elvin alias Treng
Saw from Mawlai Syllaikariah, Kohbah from Mawlai Mawtawar, Hamar
Ropmay alias Hep Tatoo from Mawlai Nongpdeng and Phyrnai Nongrum
alias Bahlieh from Mawlai Umjaiur. The HNLC, however, in a statement
issued by ‘Information Secretary’ Mangkara Dkhar claims that the
six have "deserted" its temporary camp. It also charges them with
indulging in misuse of power, stealing of official property and
violating the principles of the outfit.
-
July 22: The police arrest a surrendered
cadre of the HNLC, James Sylliang, from Mawlai in the capital Shillong.
According to police sources, Sylliang is arrested after complaints
are lodged against him for involvement in criminal activities, including
extortion.
-
July 12: Meghalaya Police says that
HNLC leaders are living safely in Bangladesh and are also involved
in business activities in that country. The East Khasi Hills district
Superintendent of Police, A. S. Rynjah, says, “They (leaders of
the banned Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) militant
outfit), are living in safe rented houses in Dhaka, Maulavi Bazar
and Panai areas." Citing intelligence inputs, he further said that
insurgent leaders are also engaged in business activities by acquiring
farms of betel nuts, betel and arecanut in the border villages.
-
July 11: Meghalaya Police rescues a
trader, Mainak Dey, who was abducted two days earlier from Lawbah
village in the East Khasi Hills district. Official sources said
that subsequent to an encounter with HNLC cadres, he was rescued.
An unidentified HNLC cadre is killed in the encounter and another
is arrested while four others manage to escape. One rifle, one shotgun,
one country-made pistol, one hand grenade and some incriminating
documents are recovered from the incident site.
-
June 29: Unknown assailants kill a
surrendered HNLC militant, Oli Syiemlieh, near Mawsynram in the
East Khasi Hills district. The victim was missing since June 27
and his body with several injuries was recovered from a forest area
in Nongtrai.
-
June 21: A hardcore HNLC cadre, Forekest
Hahshah, surrenders before the Superintendent of Police of West
Khasi Hills district at Nongstoin. According to official sources,
Hahshah has fled form his camp in Bangladesh recently.
-
June 11: A group of unidentified gunmen
kill a surrendered HNLC cadre, identified as Pyngtngenlang Tariang
alias Bah Bah Panai, near Umkrem village in the East Khasi Hills
district. The dead body of Tariang is recovered on the next day.
-
June 3: Meghalaya Chief Minister, D.
D. Lapang, assures all possible help to Church leader P. B. M. Basiawmoit
in his efforts to bring the HNLC to the negotiating table. The Chief
Minister says, "We appreciate and admire the move of Mr Basiawmoit
and the government will extend all possible helps for him." Lapang
further indicates that he has requested the Union Government to
speed up the process with the HNLC.
-
May 25: Suspected HNLC and NDFB cadres
abduct a trader from Moosyiem village in the Jaintia Hills district.
They also shot at and injured the trader’s brother before escaping.
-
April 27: A HNLC cadre belonging to
the ‘finance wing’ of the outfit, identified as Teiskhem Sun, is
arrested from the Mawlai area. Subsequent to information provided
by Sun, police recover an AK-47 rifle along with 30 rounds of ammunition
from a forest area near Umsning in the Ri-Bhoi district.
-
April 26: Two HNLC cadres belonging
to the ‘finance wing’ of the outfit, identified as David Mylliem
Umlong and Golden Pathaw, are arrested from the Lewduh and Mawlai
Umjaipur areas respectively.
-
March 30: HNLC approaches the Union
Government for peace talks and in this regard, sends four cadres
of the outfit to New Delhi to initiate the peace process. Confirming
this, State Home Minister, Mukul Sangma says, "We are expecting
some positive outcome regarding the latest development. Details
will be made available at the right time."
-
March 30: A tribunal makes recommendations
for the extension of the proscription on the HNLC and ANVC for another
year.
-
March 28: Bangla Dhar alias Biang,
a senior HNLC cadre, allegedly involved in extortion activities
in Dawki and other border areas, surrenders before the Superintendent
of Police of East Khasi Hills district.
-
March 25: Suspected HNLC cadres abduct
Man Bahadur Pradhan, manager of a coal export firm of Sutnga in
the Jaintia Hills district.
-
February 16: An unidentified ‘area
commander’ of the HNLC is lynched by villagers of Sohkynphor in
the Jaintia Hills district. He was allegedly involved in extortion
activities in the area.
-
January 30: A suspected HNLC cadre
is arrested at Jowai in the Jaintia Hills district.
-
January 24: An eight-member group suspected
to be linked to the HNLC loot Rupees 93 lakh from the Meghalaya
Co-operative Apex Bank branch at Khliehriat in Jaintia Hills district.
The Meghalaya Director-General of Police, L. Sailo, confirming the
link between the group and the HNLC says, "They owe allegiance to
the HNLC in some form or the other."
-
January 14: Meghalaya Police arrests
a HNLC militant, Kobarlan Snaitang, from Pyndensohsaw near Mawsynram
in the East Khasi Hills district.
-
January 7: Seven HNLC cadres, who surrendered
before the Border Security Force authorities at an unspecified place
in the State of Mizoram, are likely to be brought back to Shillong
on January 8.
2004
-
December 22: The Union Government extends
the ban on two militant outfits of Meghalaya, the ANVC and HNLC.
In an official notification in Shillong, the Union Home Ministry
cites the reasons for extension stating that although the ANVC agrees
to abjure violence and expresses willingness for talks within the
framework of Constitution, it continues "collection of funds and
extortion, acquisition of sophisticated weapons and recruitment
of new cadre." For HNLC, the notification says, it openly declares
its "secessionist" objective, engaged in armed means to achieve
the objective, indulged in intimidation, extortion and looting of
civilians for collection of funds for the organisation. Both the
outfits, according to the notification, maintain links with other
insurgent groups of the North-east region for collecting weapons,
carrying out violence, extortion, intimidation and looting besides
having camps in some neighbouring countries for "sanctuary, training
and clandestine procurement of arms and ammunition."
-
December 19: Two surrendered HNLC cadres,
Barlin Kharnoir and Firestar Rapsang, are arrested on charges of
car-lifting from the Bara Bazaar area of capital Shillong.
-
December 15: A HNLC cadre, Spurfield
Suting alias Phlex, surrenders before the police at Borsora in the
West Khasi Hills district.
-
December 13: A hardcore HNLC cadre,
Deningstar Rapsang, surrenders before the Meghalaya Home Minister,
H.D.R Lyngdoh. He deposits one AK-56 rifle along with three magazines,
one M-20 pistol and another 73 rounds of live ammunition. According
to police sources, the outfit’s ‘commander-in-chief’, Bobby Marwein,
deputed Rapsang to raise extortion money from the capital Shillong.
-
December 10: HNLC blames its surrendered
cadres for the killing of five HNLC activists in its Bangladesh
camps. A statement issued by its ‘secretary of information and communication’,
Mangkara Dkhar, said: "Such policy by the authorities would lead
to problems in bringing peace in the State."
-
November 17: Meghalaya Police arrests
a senior HNLC cadre from Pyndensohsaw near Mawsynram in the East
Khasi Hills district.
-
November 4: Four extortionists with
alleged links with HNLC arrested in the capital city of Shillong.
-
October 15: A security guard of the
HNLC 'General Secretary' C Thangkhiew surrenders before the police
at Pynursla outpost in East Khasi Hills district along with two
hand grenades and one SBBL gun.
-
October 1: HNLC terrorists shot at
a taxi driver at Cheruphi in Jaintia Hills district.
-
September 29: Police arrest three suspected
HNLC cadres, who claimed to be members of the newly formed Hynniewtrep
National Youth Front Tiger Force, from Ladthalaboh in Jaintia Hills
district.
-
September 16: Security forces arrest
an HNLC cadre, Shanbor Warjri, from the Mawlai Mawdatbaki area in
the capital city of Shillong.
-
September 3: A HNLC cadre surrenders
to the police at Jowai in the Jaintia Hills district.
-
August 30: Police recovers 10 rounds
of AK ammunition from the house of a HNLC cadre at Mawlai Motsyiar
in the capital city of Shillong.
-
August 30: A HNLC cadre, identified
as Khlainbor Pakyntein, is arrested from Mawlai Motsyiar in the
East Khasi Hills district.
-
August 29: Unknown miscreants damage
the vehicle of a surrendered HNLC cadre at Jaiaw Langsning in Shillong.
-
August 24: A HNLC terrorist, identified
as Sadelbert Thongni, surrenders before the police at Nongstoin
in the West Khasi Hills district.
-
August 3: Twenty-eight HNLC militants
surrender before Chief Minister D. D. Lapang in Shillong.
-
June 28: Meghalaya Police arrests three
HNLC terrorists who crossed over to Meghalaya from the West Khasi
Hills border of Bangladesh to extort money from coal exporters of
the Borosora area in the State.
-
May 18: Five HNLC cadres surrender
in Mizoram before the Border Security Force.
- May 3: Reports indicate that the HNLC
charges its surrendered cadres for extorting money from the people
in the name of the outfit in collusion with the State police.
- March 31: A surrendered HNLC terrorist,
identified as Ibor Marwein, is arrested from the Khasi Hills Autonomous
District Council office in Shillong along with one .9 mm pistol and
some ammunition.
- January 14: Fourteen HNLC cadres surrender
before the Meghalaya Chief Minister D.D. Lapang in Shillong.
2003
- October 15: HNLC ‘publicity wing’ chief,
Edward Charles Synder, is arrested, from a cyber café in the
capital Shillong.
- October 1: Meghalaya Police arrests
three HNLC terrorists from a hideout near Umium River in the East
Khasi Hills district.
- September 27: HNLC ‘commander-in-chief
(Western Command), Delphinus Myrthong alias Khraw is killed during
an encounter near Nongstoin in the West Khasi Hills district.
- September 24: Meghalaya Chief Minister
Lapang offers truce to the ANVC and HNLC.
- September 22: Union Government blocks
an HNLC discussion group on the Internet through which the outfit
was circulating its newsletter, The Voice.
- August 20: Meghalaya Police arrests
Mardor Bamon, ‘political secretary’ of the HNLC from Mawlai.
- August 16: Suspected HNLC terrorists
attack police training school at Golf links, Shillong, with hand grenade.
- July 29: HNLC ‘chairman’ Julius Dorphang
refutes Government’s claim over surrender of top cadres and asks the
police to reveal the identity of its cadres who have either surrendered
or are arrested.
- July 9: Police file FIR under the Unlawful
Activities Act for funding the proscribed Hynniewtrep National Liberation
Council (HNLC) against 79 businessmen in Meghalaya.
- June 14: Meghalaya Police arrests Paul
Lyngdoh, second in command in the finance wing of HNLC, from a hideout
near Nongthymmai in Shillong.
- June 7: Meghalaya Police arrests two
HNLC terrorists, including the ‘general secretary’ of HNLC’s finance
wing, at the Nongrim Hills locality, responsible for spreading the
extortion network in the Khasi hills and Ri Bhoi districts.
- May 22: Security force personnel arrest
a woman HNLC cadre identified as Blister Mary Kurbah from Mawngap
in the East Khasi Hills district.
- May 14: HNLC ‘assistant finance secretary’
Heston Bohphang is arrested from his residence at Umpling in the capital
Shillong.
- April 19: Two HNLC suspects are killed
and three more arrested following an encounter at Mawpud village,
East Garo Hills district.
- April 23: Security forces apprehend
two unidentified HNLC terrorists near Williamnagar, East Garo Hills
district.
- March 17: Media reports indicate that
HNLC has resumed its extortion drive in the Garo Hills area after
maintaining a low profile for approximately a year.
- March 22: Security forces arrest two
HNLC terrorists at Mawlai, East Khasi Hills district, and recover
three AK 47 rifles, 24 rounds of live cartridges and five magazines.
- March 24: The Shillong Khasi-Jaintia
Church Leaders’ Forum (SKJCLF) Chairman Bishop Purely Lyngdoh announces
that the forum is likely to discuss, among others, a peace initiative
with the HNLC during a meeting on March 27.
- March 4: HNLC suspects kill a police
personnel at Wahthapabru, near Mission compound area, Shillong, in
East Khasi Hills district.
- February 12: Police unearth a HNLC arms
dump, including a carbine, a stengun, 48 bullets of M-16 rifle, 48
rounds of AK series and 103 rounds of hunting rifles, among others,
near Wahingdoh, Shillong, East Khasi Hills district.
- February 5: A HNLC arms dump is unearthed
near Wahumkhrah River in Shillong. Two AK 56 rifles, an AK 47 rifle,
three carbines and unspecified quantity of ammunition are seized from
the dump.
- January 29: Police recover arms and
ammunition, including an M-16 rifle, a semi-automatic rifle, 41 rounds
of M-16 ammunition, 15 rounds of 7.62 ammunition and some incriminating
documents, among others, from a HNLC terrorist at Distar Marbaniang,
in Wahingdoh, Shillong, East Khasi district.
- January 18: Reports indicate that 15
HNLC terrorists have sneaked into Meghalaya from Bangladesh to carry
out terrorist strikes ahead of the Republic Day on January 26.
- January 10: The SKJCLF urges both the
Government and HNLC to hold unconditional talks.
- January 4: In a New Year message, the
HNLC reiterates its aim to achieve ‘freedom’ for the Hynniewtrep people.
- January 3: Union Home Ministry extends
ban under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act of 1967 on the ANVC
and HNLC in Meghalaya.
2002
-
December 23: One HNLC terrorist is
killed during an encounter at Qualapatty, East Khasi Hills district.
-
December 9:
Some 20 HNLC terrorists sneak into Meghalaya, armed with sophisticated
weapons, through the porous Indo-Bangladesh border in West Khasi
Hills to carry out subversive activities in the region.
-
December 7:
Meghalaya police arrest four HNLC terrorists from Jaiaw and Mawlai
areas and recover a Sten gun and 20 rounds of live ammunition from
one of the hideouts of the outfit at Jaiaw.
-
December 3:
Police arrest Welcome Nongkynrih, a trusted associate of HNLC area
commander James, in Mawlai Umjaiur, Meghalaya.
-
November 27:
A Special Operations Team of Meghalaya police arrests two Hynniewtrep
National Liberation Council terrorists identified as Roland Syiemlieh
and Banwansuk Nongkseh in Lower Lachumiere area, and recovers a
huge cache of arms and ammunition after raiding a hideout, in Mawlai
Nongpdeng. The catch includes 591 rounds of M-16 ammunition, two
Chinese made hand grenades, a .32 pistol, 5 rounds of SLR ammunition
and an AK-47 magazine.
-
November 4:
HNLC warns the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)-led government in
Meghalaya against counter-terrorism measures and police excesses
-
November 1:
HNLC suffers setback following the largest arms seizure by Meghalaya
police. State police unearth a hideout at Khlaw Roman, in Mawlai
Nongpdeng, Shillong, and seize 663 ammunition rounds of various
makes. The seizure includes 460 rounds of M-16 and 169 rounds of
Ak-47 ammunition, two Chinese-made high-explosive grenades, a round
of SLR 7.62 (self loading rifles), .27 bore cartridges and three
rounds of .303 ammunition.
-
October 11:
Five HNLC terrorists armed with AK-47 rifles kill Kilas Momin, a
police personnel in Mawlai Nonglum, Shillong.
-
August 27: An
HNLC terrorist is seriously injured in an encounter in Mawkriah
village, near Shillong while another arrested.
-
August 24: Two
HNLC terrorists are arrested by the State police in Nongthymmai,
near Shillong.
The dead body of a suspected HNLC terrorist is found in Shillong.
-
August 15: Security
arrangements throughout Meghalaya are tightened to ensure the smooth
celebration of Independence Day, following a 24-hour bandh (general
strike) call given by the HNLC and the People's Liberation Front.
Chief Minister F A Khonglam renews his invitation, on the occasion
of Independence day, to terrorists groups in the State "to come
to the negotiation table and sort out differences in a peaceful
manner."
-
August 6: Security
forces in Meghalaya arrest eight HNLC terrorists from Mawlai, Shillong.
The East Khasi Hills district police chief says those arrested are
mostly teenagers and add that it confirms that the HNLC is recruiting
teenagers into its fold.
-
July 1: Meghalaya
police arrest an HNLC terrorist from the 3rd milestone, Upper Shillong.
An AK 47 rifle, a Smooth Bore Breech Loading (SBBL) gun, a country
made revolver, ammunition and incriminating documents are recovered
from him.
-
June 3: Two
HNLC terrorists are arrested in Shillong and another suspected HNLC
terrorist in Nongthyllep village, near Mairang, West Khasi Hills.
-
May 13: Meghalaya
Director General of Police (DGP) L Sailo claims that the HNLC stood
marginalised in the state.
-
May 8: HNLC
terrorists warn all outsiders doing business in Meghalaya to pay
'fixed taxes' and threaten them with 'severe punishment', leading
to 'imprisonment and being driven out of the Hynniewtrep land' in
case of resistance. The terrorist group also promises to negotiate
with those businessmen who found it difficult to pay the 'taxes'.
-
April 2: Meghalaya
Deputy Chief Minister D D Lapang says the government is unable to
spell the terms and conditions for talks with the Hynniewtrep National
Liberation Council (HNLC) terrorist outfit as the latter failed
to give any positive indication to the government's proposal.
-
March 27: Eight
HNLC terrorists, on their way to Bangladesh for arms training, arrested
from Siatbakon Road..
-
January 5: Four
HNLC terrorists, including a local ‘commander’, arrested after an
encounter at Shangpung in Jaintia Hills district. Three HNLC terrorists
arrested after another encounter at Umsing in Ribhoi district.
2001
-
October 23:
HNLC Chairman Julius K. Dorphang discloses that Ching Thangkhiew,
the ‘Commander-in-Chief’ of the North East Red Army (NERA), now
a defunct outfit, had been "eliminated" because he was
assisting the security forces and the RSS against the interests
of the HNLC.
-
March 4: Seng
Khasi leader Rijoy Khongshah, was abducted earlier on March 1, 2001,
killed by HNLC terrorists.
2000
Source:Compiled from news reports and
are provisional.
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