Why in news?

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha has declared the state as “insurgency-free” after 584 militants had laid down their weapons before him at a surrender ceremony. The rebels were from the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) and the All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF).

This development came after the Centre and the Tripura government had signed a Memorandum of Settlement with insurgent groups on September 4 in the presence of Union Home Minister.

As per the CM of Tripura, the current government’s efforts have resulted in 12 peace accords over the past decade, involving over 10,000 insurgents laying down arms.

What’s in today’s article?

• Insurgency in Tripura

Insurgency in Tripura

• Background
  • Tribal Composition: Tripura has 19 indigenous tribes, including the Tripra, Reang, Jamatia, Kaipeng, Naotia, Koloi, Halam, Hrangkhal, Mog, and Bangcher.
  • Languages: Kok Borok is the lingua franca, along with other Tibeto-Burmese dialects.
  • Journey towards Statehood
    • Tripura was a princely state that acceded to the Indian Union on October 15, 1949.
    • It became a Union Territory on November 1, 1956 and a full-fledged State on January 21, 1972.
• Causes of Insurgency
• Demographic Shift: The massive influx of Bengali refugees from East Pakistan led to the indigenous population decreasing from 95% in 1931 to 31% by 1991.
• Discontent Among Tribals: Tribals became a minority, losing control over land, trade, government jobs, and business, sparking grievances.
• Other factors: Tripura, like other North-Eastern states, experienced insurgency due to geographical isolation, socio-economic backwardness, dysfunctional governance, rampant corruption, and tribal land alienation.
• Political Movements and Armed Insurgency
  • Formation of TUJS (1967): Tribes formed Tripura Upajati Juba Samiti (TUJS) to demand an autonomous district council under the Sixth Schedule, official status for Kok Borok, and restoration of tribal lands.
  • Armed Struggle: By 1970, Tripura Sena was formed, followed by the Tripura National Volunteers (TNV) in 1978 under Bijoy Hrangkhawl, demanding an independent tribal Tripura state.
• Prominent groups involved in insurgency
  • Insurgency in Tripura began with the formation of Tripura Upajati Juba Samiti (TUJS) in 1971, followed by Tripura National Volunteers (TNV) in 1981, and the more aggressive National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) in 1989, and All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) in 1990.
• Rise of Communal Clashes and Militancy
  • Bengali Opposition and Amra Bangali: The Bengali population opposed the tribal demands, forming the militant organization Amra Bangali. Violent clashes ensued, leading to over 1,800 deaths and 3,600 homes being destroyed.
  • Army Intervention (1980): The Army was brought in to control the violence.
• Decline of TNV and Peace Efforts
  • Links with MNF: TNV had ties with the Mizo National Front (MNF), but after the Mizo Accord of 1986, TNV’s strength weakened.
  • TNV Settlement (1988): TNV signed a peace agreement with the State government, agreeing to lay down arms. The agreement focused on restoring alienated tribal lands.
• Resurgence of Militancy
  • Implementation Issues: There were complaints about the non-implementation of the 1988 agreement, leading to the emergence of new militant groups and a resurgence of militancy in Tripura.
    • Insurgency gained momentum between 1996 and 2004, fueled by logistical support from Bangladesh and external intelligence networks.
    • The insurgents capitalized on the rough terrain and porous borders, utilizing safe havens in Bangladesh for operations, weapons, and financial support.
• Strategic Response to Insurgency
  • Counter-insurgency operations
    • The approach involved counter-insurgency operations (C.I. Ops) that were swift and focused on area domination, without involving the Army.
    • Central paramilitary and State police forces, including Special Police Officers (tribals included), were key players.
  • Psychological operations
    • These operations were launched to correct the negative perception of the state among tribals.
    • This included highlighting the hypocritical behavior of insurgents and their exploitation of the tribal population.
  • Confidence-Building Measures
    • Confidence-building exercises and rehabilitation packages were provided for insurgents.
    • The Governor and Chief Minister publicly urged insurgents to return to the mainstream, leading to several surrenders.
  • Civic and Developmental Interventions
    • Developmental initiatives were swiftly rolled out, including healthcare, rural connectivity, drinking water, and job generation.
    • Security forces also conducted civic action programs, providing medical aid, educational materials, and vocational training, presenting a pro-citizen, development-oriented image of the state.
  • Political and Governance Reforms
    • Peace marches were organized in insurgency-affected areas to instill confidence in the people.
    • Local governance institutions like autonomous development councils, gram panchayats, and village councils were strengthened, ensuring tribal participation in the development process.
• Conclusion
  • Tripura overcame insurgency through a well-crafted, multi-dimensional strategy, combining socio-economic development, psychological operations, humane counter-insurgency efforts, and strong political leadership.
  • The state’s experience demonstrated that insurgency could be tackled with sincerity, credible leadership, and a balanced approach that addresses both military and socio-economic needs.