AGARTALA: The Tripura Government has drawn up an elaborate plan to combat insurgency, and restore normalcy in this tiny strife-torn border State in view of the coming Assembly elections.

According to official sources, eight battalions of the Assam Rifles and the Border Security Force (BSF) will arrive soon to give a boost to the renewed anti-insurgency operations in the State.

Of the three groups operating in the State, the most powerful AlTi pura Tribal Force (ATTF), formed in 1990 to press for a separate homeland for the States backward tribals, has of late conducted its struggle. As a show of strength, they had also conducted at least eight ambushes on security forces during the past few months, killing several officers and jawans and looting sophisticated firms and ammunition,

The other group, the Tripura National Liberation Front (TNF), formed late last year, had already formed an underground government under the leadership of former Tribal National Volunteer (TN) Vice President Dhanan joy Reang. Their most severe assault was on a south Tripura police camp last year, in which two constables were killed and another was injured. Arms, including a stenguns, and ammunition were looted from the camp by the insurgents during the attack.

While the ruling coalition partners the Congress and the TUOS, have termed the ATTF a CPI(M)-sponsored outfit, the opposition Left Front has alleged that the Tripura Rajya Bakshi Bahini (TRRU)the third but least effective of insurgent groups is a sister organization of the TUJS, created to eliminate CPI(M) workers from the tribal compact areas of the State. However, TUJS President and State Planning Board Vice Chairman Snyama Charan Tripura has denied any connection with the TRRI. Meanwhile, informed sources said the rivalry among these groups, mainly between the ATTF and the TNLF leadership, has been growing. After the alleged ATTF proposal to carry out joint operations was rejected outright by   TNLF supreme  Dharan joy Reang late last year, the rivalry had blown out of proportions, the sources said.

Moreover, there have been major ideological differences between the two outfits since their inception. While the ATTF demanded a separate homeland for the backward tribals, the TNLF has reportedly sought complete autonomy of the tribal compact areas.

Both the outfits recruited a large number of tribal youth and stockpiled weapons, with the ATTF carrying out more operations than the TNLF.

Though initially both outfits denied having close links with insurgent groups such as the PLA and the NSCN of Manipur and Nagaland the recent arrest of several PLA and NSCN activists in Tripura have generated concern among the authorities despite the surrender of many insurgents during the past two months, the sources added.

Article extracted from this publication >> Aug 28, 1992