SUMMARY
The United People’s Democratic Solidarity (UPDS) group is an armed militant outfit operating in the north-eastern Indian state of Assam. The outfit has fought against the governments of Indian and Assam, but the group’s violent activities have never surpassed the 25 battle-related deaths threshold and can thus not be viewed as an intrastate armed conflict. The group’s main violent activities have instead been directed towards one-sided violence and participation in non-state conflicts, with UPDS partaking in the Karbi people’s conflicts with the Kuki and Dimasa communities.
UPDS was founded in March 1999, when the Karbi National Volunteers (KNV) and the Karbi People’s Front (KPF) merged into one. The group was founded by Kiri Rongphar, its first Chairman. The group’s ranks are made up of members of the Karbi hill tribe, and the number of armed cadres is thought to be somewhere between 150 and 200.
In addition to fighting the Indian government for strengthened group rights the outfit also wishes to strengthen the Karbi group’s position vis-a-vis other Scheduled Tribes that populate the hill districts of Assam (such as the Kuki people). The group is also hostile towards non-tribal ‘settlers’, mostly Biharis and Bengalis, which have migrated in large numbers to India’s north-eastern states. These motives lie behind the UPDS’ one-sided and non-state conflict activities. The group operates mainly in the Karbi Anglong district of Assam, which is also the predominant area of the Karbi people, but can also be found in the North Kachar Hills district.
The group is known to have had links to several other militant outfits in India’s troubled northeast. Among these are the National Socialist Council of Nagaland- Isak Muivah faction (NSCM-IM), the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) and the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB). These groups are known to have supplied UPDS with training and arms. UPDS, however, also raises its own revenue, mainly through extortion of both Karbi and Kuki businessmen involved in the lucrative ginger trade in Karbi Anglong.
The present leader of UPDS (as of 2008) is one Longder Singner, also known as H.E. Kathar, who is the outfit’s Chairman. The General Secretary is Haren Sing Bey.
UPDS has been involved in the one-sided category of UCDP organised violence.
