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NEW DELHI, May 1 – Failure to properly accommodate the competing interests of diverse ethnic groups, low levels of development, and the success of previous insurgent movements in the north eastern region were cited as some of the prime reasons, fuelling insurgency in the region, according to US State Department’s Country Report on Terrorism 2008.
The Report, released in Washington on Thursday, has noted various facets involving militancy in the region. It mentioned about the growing concern over the porous Indo-Bangladesh border, allegations of existence of insurgent camps and lack of anti-terrorism agreement between the two countries. In what should make New Dehi see red, the report said, in 2008, India ranked among the world’s most terrorism-afflicted countries.
Insurgent groups in North-east, were often fighting for recognition, political, and economic rights, or independence. Failure to properly accommodate the competing interests of diverse ethnic groups, low levels of development, and the success of previous insurgent movements in creating new Indian states were cited as explanatory factors for the appeal of insurgent movements.
In 1990, the Government of India banned one of the most active insurgent groups, the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA). ULFA is alleged to have been involved in several terrorist attacks last year, including the bicycle bomb blast on September 18, in Chirang district, resulting in 20 injured Indian citizens, and the October 30 serial blasts.
On October 30, insurgents detonated a series of nine bomb blasts throughout Assam killing approximately 110 people.
Indian officials, particularly in West Bengal and Assam, were concerned about the porous India-Bangladesh border, of which only 2500 of the 3000 km land border has been fenced (total land and water border is 4100 km), the report noted.
Eastern India has a long history of Maoist (Left-wing extremism), and insurgent terrorist activity that has challenged state writ and control, governance structures, and the ruling political class. In 2008, there were 50 terrorist attacks in eastern India that killed approximately 500 individuals, the report said.
On November 26 in a pivotal moment that is now called “26/11”, terrorists struck at a number of locations in Mumbai, killing at least 183 people, including 22 foreigners, six of whom were Americans and 14 members of the police and security forces. Over 300 more were injured.
None of the perpetrators of these attacks has yet been prosecuted. The Indian government assessed that South Asian Islamic extremist groups including Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, and Harakat-ul-Jihad-i-Islami (Bangladesh), as well as indigenous groups were behind these events, the report said.
About Bangladesh, the report said Jamaatul Mujahedin Bangladesh (JMB), the banned domestic Islamic extremist group responsible for a wave of bombings and suicide attacks in 2005, remained a threat.
Neighbouring India alleged that the ULFA and other anti-India insurgency groups were operated from Bangladesh with the knowledge of senior Bangladeshi government officials.
India also blamed the terrorist group Harakat ul-Jihadi-Islami-Bangladesh (HUJI-B) for bomb attacks within India. Bangladesh strongly denied those allegations. The absence of counter-terrorism cooperation between India and Bangladesh fuelled mutual allegations that each country facilitated terrorism inside the borders of the other.
Source: Assam Tribune
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The Report, released in Washington on Thursday, has noted various facets involving militancy in the region. It mentioned about the growing concern over the porous Indo-Bangladesh border, allegations of existence of insurgent camps and lack of anti-terrorism agreement between the two countries. In what should make New Dehi see red, the report said, in 2008, India ranked among the world’s most terrorism-afflicted countries.
Insurgent groups in North-east, were often fighting for recognition, political, and economic rights, or independence. Failure to properly accommodate the competing interests of diverse ethnic groups, low levels of development, and the success of previous insurgent movements in creating new Indian states were cited as explanatory factors for the appeal of insurgent movements.
In 1990, the Government of India banned one of the most active insurgent groups, the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA). ULFA is alleged to have been involved in several terrorist attacks last year, including the bicycle bomb blast on September 18, in Chirang district, resulting in 20 injured Indian citizens, and the October 30 serial blasts.
On October 30, insurgents detonated a series of nine bomb blasts throughout Assam killing approximately 110 people.
Indian officials, particularly in West Bengal and Assam, were concerned about the porous India-Bangladesh border, of which only 2500 of the 3000 km land border has been fenced (total land and water border is 4100 km), the report noted.
Eastern India has a long history of Maoist (Left-wing extremism), and insurgent terrorist activity that has challenged state writ and control, governance structures, and the ruling political class. In 2008, there were 50 terrorist attacks in eastern India that killed approximately 500 individuals, the report said.
On November 26 in a pivotal moment that is now called “26/11”, terrorists struck at a number of locations in Mumbai, killing at least 183 people, including 22 foreigners, six of whom were Americans and 14 members of the police and security forces. Over 300 more were injured.
None of the perpetrators of these attacks has yet been prosecuted. The Indian government assessed that South Asian Islamic extremist groups including Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, and Harakat-ul-Jihad-i-Islami (Bangladesh), as well as indigenous groups were behind these events, the report said.
About Bangladesh, the report said Jamaatul Mujahedin Bangladesh (JMB), the banned domestic Islamic extremist group responsible for a wave of bombings and suicide attacks in 2005, remained a threat.
Neighbouring India alleged that the ULFA and other anti-India insurgency groups were operated from Bangladesh with the knowledge of senior Bangladeshi government officials.
India also blamed the terrorist group Harakat ul-Jihadi-Islami-Bangladesh (HUJI-B) for bomb attacks within India. Bangladesh strongly denied those allegations. The absence of counter-terrorism cooperation between India and Bangladesh fuelled mutual allegations that each country facilitated terrorism inside the borders of the other.
Source: Assam Tribune
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