GUWAHATI: First, it was ULFA in Upper Assam, then the Bodo Security Force on the north bank of the Brahmaputra. Now, tea gardens in the hitherto untouched Bara Valley are being terrorized by suspected militants of the Hmar Peoples Convention (HPC) a newly formed outfit, aided and trained by the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN).

The manager of the Jirigha tea estate V.K. Chaddha, and his deputy, Ajay Singh, were kidnapped from a highway, 35 km from Silchar on September 8, Two executives of the Dilkoosh in Cachar were abducted a day later. The Surma Valley brand of the Indian Tea Association (TA) got a ransom note of Rs 2 crore for the release of the four hostages nearly 10 days after the kidnappings.

No one is certain about the identity of the kidnappers. But suspicion about the involvement of the NSCN gained ground because the ransom note was said to have been counter signed by one of its area commanders,

It is the suspected involvement of the NSCN in the latest attacks on tea gardens in the southern Assam that has sent shivers down the spines of tea executives in the state, Never before had this powerful group, waging war against the state for the creation of a sovereign homeland for Nagas, targeted the tea industry.

The attacks could be part of the NSCN’s strategy to display its striking power in an area spread over four states Assam, Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland. It could also be in retaliation for joint anti insurgency operations by governments of the north-eastern slates. More than anything else, the latest strike, apparently carried out by the NSCN and the HPC, indicates the growing alliances among various militant outfits in the region.

Since the ransom note had their signatures, it is being presumed that the hostages are safe. However, according to tea industry sources, the notice did not give any clue about how the garden managements could get in touch with the abductors,

The government is determined not to negotiate with the militants for the release of the hostages. Instead, it has decided to ask the Army to help in combating the militants operating at the injunction of Assam, Manipur and Nagaland.

The government is not aware if in a company managements are trying to hold negotiations. with the militants on their own. It may be recalled that despite the government’s stance, the Goodricke group had paid Rs 20 Takht to Bodo Security Force militants last year to secure the release of the manager of its Nona Para estate on the north bank of the Brahmaputra.

Of all the insurgent, outfits operating in the north-east, the security forces are most wary of the NSCN which is responsible for the maximum number of deaths of security personnel. The NSCN alone is believed to have killed nearly 60 security personnel in 1991-92,

The growing clout of the NSCN is indicated by the large number of militant outfits flocking to it for training. The August 5 ambush on a BSF patrol party in the North Cachar Hills, in which seven persons were killed, was conducted jointly by the NSCN and the HPC.

Article extracted from this publication >> October 2, 1992