Latest news with #PareshBaruah-led
New Indian Express
5 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
ULFA, NSCN factions call for boycott of Independence Day in Northeast
GUWAHATI: The Paresh Baruah-led United Liberation Front of Assam-Independent (ULFA-I) and the Yung Aung faction of National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) have called for the boycott of the Independence Day. In a joint statement, the two insurgent groups said this 'so-called' celebration of freedom holds no significance for the indigenous people of Western South East Asia (WESEA) – region straddling parts of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Manipur. They alleged that 'colonial' India gave nothing to the indigenous people of WESEA other than deceit, humiliation, exploitation and oppression. 'The British imperialists exploited, repressed and deprived this region and similarly, for the past 79 years, colonial India has maintained an even more pervasive domination in the name of independence,' the statement alleged. The outfits said the highlight of their protest on August 15 would be a total bandh in WESEA. They appealed to people to extend their support to make the bandh successful. The ULFA-I and the NSCN's Wung Aung faction call for the boycott of India's Republic Day and Independence Day celebrations every year. But despite the boycott call, people go out in large numbers to take part in the celebrations.
Time of India
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Ulfa-I claims 3 'big' casualties in 'India drone strikes' on Myanmar camps, Army denies operations
A source in the security establishment suggested that the attacks could be the outcome of the civil war in Myanmar. GUWAHATI: Paresh Baruah-led Ulfa-I, the banned anti-talks faction of the original militant outfit of the same name that he co-founded in 1979, claimed Sunday that three of its senior members were killed in targeted pre-dawn drone attacks by the Indian Army on some "mobile camps" in Myanmar's Sagaing region. The Army officially denied carrying out any such aerial attacks on the camps purportedly shared by Ulfa-I and Manipur's Revolutionary People's Front (RPF) across a stretch of the India-Myanmar border, adjoining Longwa in Nagaland and Pangsau Pass in Arunachal Pradesh. Ulfa-I said the attacks came in waves between 2 am and 4 am - involving over 150 drones of Israeli and French make - and resulted in the outfit losing insurgent veterans Nayan Asom, Ganesh Asom and Pradip Asom. The last two were killed in the second drone strike while attending Nayan's funeral, while 19 members were wounded, the outfit said. "There are no inputs with the Indian Army on such an operation," defence ministry PRO Lt Col Mahendra Rawat told TOI in Guwahati. Ulfa-I contested the statement, specifying that three drone attacks took place in the span of two hours. The outfit said residents of the border belt in Arunachal Pradesh would testify to the attacks. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, who started his stint in office with an offer of talks to Ulfa-I, and state police denied any involvement or knowledge of operations against the outfit. They said there could be clarity on Ulfa-I's claim as more information arrives from the remote border. A source in the security establishment confirmed casualties in the Ulfa-I camps in Myanmar, suggesting the attacks could be the outcome of the civil war in that country with several ethnic armed groups at heart of the strife. " The ongoing civil war there has led to frequent clashes, shifting alliances and a general breakdown of state control in many areas, particularly near the international border," the source said. "In this environment, attacks on insurgent camps - including those used by Ulfa-I - could plausibly originate from Myanmar's own ethnic armed organisations, or even the Myanmar military, rather than by Indian forces." Insurgent outfits of the Northeast have had a presence in Myanmar since the late Eighties, taking advantage of the porous border and ongoing conflict there. Indian security agencies have repeatedly expressed concern over the use of Myanmarese territory by militants for hit-and-run attacks in the Northeast. There have been instances of unconfirmed Indian military action on militants across the border on several occasions. Ulfa-I's camps are said to be in the dense forests of Sagaing, with additional bases at Waktham Basti, Hoyat Basti and Hakiyot (opposite Longding district of Arunachal). Some camps are near the Pangmi Naga-inhabited area, and along the China-Myanmar border. Manipur-based groups, including Manipur outfits like People's Liberation Army (PLA), KYKL and PREPAK. RPF is the political wing of PLA. The NSCN-K(YA) faction has its headquarters and camps in Naga-inhabited regions of Sagaing, often within a 6 to 10km radius of the other militant bases. The locations keep changing, based on what's happening on the Indian side. Ethnic Myanmarese factions and the country's military are known to back them.
Time of India
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Ulfa's 250 cadres training in 4 Myanmar camps: Centre
Guwahati: A new report to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal reveals that the Paresh Baruah-led faction of Ulfa has an estimated cadre strength of around 250, primarily based in four major camps in Myanmar. The submission by the Centre, also echoed by the Assam govt, states that the outfit maintains links with other Indian insurgent groups for "operational and logistical purposes" and its cadres are believed to possess about 200 weapons at present. The govt's report highlights Ulfa's ties with insurgent groups such as NSCN, CorCom, NLFT, KYKL, and PLA, which are also based in Myanmar. The tribunal, presided over by Justice Michael Zothankhuma of the Gauhati high court, upheld the ministry of home affairs' (MHA) Nov 2024 order declaring Baruah's faction — Ulfa (Independent) — along with all its wings and front organisations, as unlawful for five years. Ulfa was first declared an unlawful organisation in Nov 1990, and this classification has been continuously extended since then. The other Ulfa faction led by Arabinda Rajkhowa joined peace talks in 2011 and subsequently signed a Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) with the central and state govts on Dec 29, 2023. The anti-talk faction, led by Baruah, changed its nomenclature from Ulfa (anti-talk) to Ulfa (Independent) in April 2013. As per the constitution of Ulfa, one of the main objectives of the organisation is to achieve Assam's sovereignty through secession from India by armed revolution. The judge pointed out that such a claim for secession, as outlined in the organisation's constitution, comes within the scope and ambit of "unlawful activity", especially when the organisation has been found to have taken action towards it, by committing illegal acts, by words written, by signs and by visible representation. The Centre and Assam govts submitted that 89 cases have been registered against Ulfa, with 235 persons arrested. Between 2019 and 2024, two civilians and three Ulfa cadres were killed. Chargesheets have been filed in 21 of the 89 cases, while final reports have been submitted in 14. These cases involve bomb blasts, criminal conspiracy, extortion, arms recovery, Ulfa recruitment, and social media statements supporting the outfit. There are cases of Ulfaflag hoisting, dacoity, kidnapping, bomb recoveries, shootouts, ambushes on security personnel, and apprehensions of people attempting to join Ulfa. "The long and short of the evidence that has been adduced shows that Ulfa along with all its factions, wings and front organisations have initiated a violent campaign, with the object to secede the state of Assam from the Indian Union," the judge noted in his order. The tribunal order, notified by the MHA on Monday, observed that the govt has provided substantial proof of Ulfa's involvement in subversive activities across Assam, posing a severe threat to national security and integrity. The judge also noted that no representative from Ulfa appeared before the tribunal or provided any material to counter the govt's claims. "Hence, the evidence of the govt remains intact and the test of greater probability favours the govt. This Tribunal is of the view that the govt has produced considerable material before it, to confirm the declaration of the central govt that Ulfa is an unlawful association. This Tribunal thus finds that the materials produced by the state govt and on the basis of which the central govt declared Ulfa to be on unlawful association, is justified," the judge noted.
