SUMMARY
NLFT (National Liberation Front of Tripura) was formed in 1989 by Dhananjoy Reang, a former leader of TNV (Tripura National Volunteers), in the north-eastern Indian state of Tripura. NLFT was formed primarily from former TNV cadres who did not accept the peace accord signed by TNV in 1988. The members of NLFT are mainly people from Tripura’s tribal community, a community whose main political grievances have been the transformation of the tribal groups into an ethnic minority and a socio-economically underdeveloped group in the face of huge migratory influxes of Bengali-speaking and non-tribal ethnic groups into the state of Tripura. Such migratory flows were especially large in connection to Indian independence in 1947, and the war in Bangladesh in 1971.
To resolve these grievances NLFT uses armed combat to reach its goal of Tripuran independence from the Indian union and its ‘neo-colonialism’ and ‘imperialism’. As is the case for the other large insurgent group in Tripura in the 1990s (All Tripura Tiger Force), NLFT also seeks to expel Bengali immigrants and protect tribal culture from external influences. NLFT also has a religious agenda, with the mainstay of the group’s members being Christian, seeking to further Christianity among the tribals.
NLFT did not become an active rebel group in UCDP state-based conflict until 1995, but has since grown in numbers, and became the largest insurgent group in Tripura in the early years of the 21st century. The group has throughout its history experienced a number of splits, and is wrecked by factionalism. Significant splits in the movement occurred in 1993, 2000, 2001 and 2003, and several factions (and insurgents in general) have surrendered to the government. Two larger main factions have however survived throughout the conflict with the Indian government. In this conflict NLFT has not only made use of attacks on police, army and security forces, but has also resorted to one-sided violence, abductions and general terror against the civilian population.
India’s eight north-eastern states have been wrecked with insurgency in modern history, and several rebel groups operate within Tripura and the surrounding states of the Indian union. NLFT has had operational links to several of these outfits, the most prominent ones being NSCN-IM (National Socialist Council of Nagaland- Isak Muivah faction), the Manipur-based KYKL (Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup) and NDFB (National Democratic Front of Bodoland). Such inter-group cooperation is common in the turbulent tribal states of India, and in this case mainly takes the form of security and arms procurement cooperation. Some reports also state that NLFT has at times maintained links to the Pakistani intelligence services (ISI) and the intelligence outfit of Bangladesh, receiving training and arms. NLFT has also maintained a large presence of bases in Bangladesh, with camps in the Chittagong Hill Tracts and the Khagrachari district, too name but a few. The porous border with Bangladesh is what enables these activities. As is the case with the other large insurgent outfit in Tripura – ATTF– NLFT has cultivated links to political parties in the sphere of democratic politics, and has allegedly cooperated to some extent with the INPT, IPF and Congress parties to establish a state government friendly to the group. Such alliances, however, shift over time.
NLFT has had many leaders, mainly due to the many splits experienced in the movement. The first leader was one Dhananjoy Reang, who was replaced by Nayanbasi Jamatiya, in turn succeeded by Biswamohan Debbarama. After further splits in 2001 and 2003 the leaders of the two main factions of NLFT were Nayanbasi Jamatiya and Biswamohan Debbarama. There have been rumours of further splits and changes in leadership, but exact details are unclear in regard to this. The two factions have also been known to clash with one another. The leadership appears to based in Bangladesh.
NLFT has been involved in the intrastate and one-sided categories of UCDP organised violence.
