SUMMARY
ATTF (All Tripura Tiger Force) was formed in the north-eastern Indian state of Tripura in 1992, after previously being known as the All Tripura Tribal Force. The first ATTF group was founded in July of 1990, and was at its founding made up primarily of disgruntled former members of the TNV (Tripura National Volunteers), a rebel group that had signed a peace agreement with the Indian government in 1988 and subsequently disarmed. The dissenter that led this split from the TNV was one Lalit Debbarma, who wished to continue the struggle for Tripura’s tribals. The group in 1992 replaced the word ‘tribal’ with ‘tiger’, and thus the new name was born and the group reconstituted once again. ATTF is made up of individuals from the tribal community of Tripura (in north-eastern India), whose main political grievances have been the transformation of the tribal group into an ethnic minority and an economically underdeveloped group in the face of huge migratory influxes of Bengali-speaking and non-tribal ethnic groups into Tripura (often viewed by the tribals as ‘colonization’). Such floods of immigrants were particularly large at Indian independence, and during and after the India-Pakistan independence war in Bangladesh in 1971.
At its inception ATTF was a small group, but it vastly increased its numbers through recruiting amongst the young and impoverished up until 1992, when it emerged as a more powerful movement and began to violently challenge the Indian government. The group’s main objectives are the expulsion of Bengali-speaking immigrants from Tripura state, the restoration of land to the tribal groups and the creation of an independent Tripura. In order to reach these goals ATTF has been involved in fighting with the federal and state governments, and also resorted to one-sided violence within Tripura, especially against non-tribals and political opponents. A peace accord was signed in 1993, but not all of ATTF renounced the struggle against the government, and the group continued to be active. During the early years of the 21st Century ATTF activity has decreased significantly, and in Tripura the insurgency scene has been dominated by NLFT (National Liberation Front of Tripura), another tribal outfit.
A large number of insurgent groups operate in India’s north-eastern states (which all have a large population of tribal groups) and ATTF has allegedly had contacts and operational links to a number of these, many of them being located outside of the state of Tripura. Notable rebel groups that are allegedly in contact with ATTF include ULFA (United Liberation Front of Assam), NSCN-K (National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang) and NLFA (National Liberation Front of Arunacha Pradesh). ATTF are thought to also have bases and receive training in the Chittagong Hill Tracts area of Bangladesh. ATTF is also suspected of having the backing of certain Communist political parties that operate within the democratic sphere of the state of Tripura, whilst in return lending military leverage to the political parties.
The current leader of ATTF is its President, Ranjit Debbarma. Other notable leaders are Chitta Debbarma (Vice-President) and Upendra Debbarma (Secretary). The bulk of the leadership is based in Bangladesh, outside the reach of Indian security forces, and contains many safe havens for the militants.
ATTF has been involved in the intrastate and one-sided categories of UCDP organised violence.
