Karbi Longri N.C. Hills Liberation Front

Karbi Longri N.C. Hills Liberation Front is a militant group operating in Karbi Anglong district and Dima Hasao district (formerly known as the North Cachar Hills district) of Assam, India. Thong Teron is the general secretary of KLNLF. Karbi Anglong NC Hills People's Resistance is the armed wing of the organization.[3] KLNLF emerged from the United People's Democratic Solidarity, being the anti-peace talks faction of UDPS. After the split, there has been turf wars between the two groups.[4]

Karbi Longri North Cachar Hills Liberation Front
LeadersPradip Terang (Pongbi Dilli)
Men Sing Tokbi (Willingson Timung)
Thong Teron
Dates of operation16 May 2004 (2004-05-16)–Present (16 years, 8 months and 2 weeks)
Active regionsAssam, India
IdeologyKarbi self-determination
(Hemprek Kangthim)
Size100[1]–350[2]
Opponents India
Battles and warsInsurgency in Northeast India

In July 2008, the Assam government estimated that KLNLF had a membership of 225.[5] KLNLF is closely linked to the United Liberation Front of Asom.[6] [7] 6 December is the foundation day of KLNLF.[8]

Objectives

The outfit claims to fight for the cause of Karbi tribes and its declared objective is Hemprek Kangthim, meaning self-rule/self-determination of the Karbi people.

Leadership, cadre and area of operation

Pradip Terang alias Pongbi Dilli is the ‘Chairman’ of the outfit. Har Sing Timung was the General Secretary till 2 January 2005, when he resigned from his position following serious differences with the ‘Commander-in-Chief’ Men Sing Takbi alias Willingson Timung. Laden Ronghang is the ‘Publicity Secretary’ of the group and ‘Incharge Central Publicity Cell’ is Thong Teron alias Rupsing Teron. The Assistant Foreign Secretary/ Revenue/Finance/Taxation of the outfit is Biren Lekthe alias Risso Tokbi.

Currently, the outfit has around 200 cadres operating in the Karbi Anglong district. The KLNLF Commander-in-Chief, Willingson Timung, was killed along with two other cadres by the General Secretary, Hor Sing Timung, on 2 February 2005. Later on 29 April 2005, Hor Sing Timung along with other four associates was executed by the outfit at a camp in Bangladesh for their involvement in the murder of Timung.

While the group’s stronghold is the Karbi Anglong district, its presence has also been reported from Dima Hasao and Nagaon districts.

Linkage

The outfit maintains close links with the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA). The ULFA’s ‘709th battalion’ operates out of two major bases in Karbi Anglong, with the KLNLF providing it with logistic support in return for weapons and ammunition.

It also reportedly has links with the Nagaland-based National Socialist Council of Nagaland - Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM). On 11 May 2004, 31 KLNLF cadres along with five NSCN-IM militants were arrested from a bus on the Paren-Ghaspani Road on their way to Dimapur. These cadres had undergone training at a NSCN-IM camp and were reportedly part of the recent batch that passed out from there. On 13 October 2007, security forces neutralized a joint camp of the NSCN-IM and KLNLF inside Kaki Reserve Forest area in the Karbi Anglong district.

Funds

Abductions for ransom and extortion are the main sources of funds for the group. According to official sources, the outfit generates a considerable amount of revenue by targeting the ginger producing Kukis in the Singhason Hills area. The non-Karbi Hindi – speaking traders are also targeted for extortion. In some case, even the Karbis are targeted for extortion.

See also

References
  1. "Adivasi Cobra Force (ACF)". www.satp.org.
  2. "Adivasi Cobra Force (ACF)". Archived from the original on 30 September 2007.
  3. Archived 10 July 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  4. "National : Karbi militants call for strike". The Hindu. 15 September 2004. Retrieved 2 September 2018.
  5. DailyExcelsior. Archived 14 March 2020 at the Wayback Machine
  6. "THE USUAL SUSPECTS". Indianexpress.com. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  7. "Karbi Longri North Cachar Hills Liberation Front (KLNLF) - Terrorist Group of Assam". Satp.org. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  8. "Nine injured in Assam market blast". The Hindu. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
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