Wednesday | 15 January 2025 | Reg No- 06
বাংলা
   
Wednesday | 15 January 2025 | Epaper

Kuki-Chin national front: An anti-state organization and likely potential regional threat 

Published : Friday, 27 December, 2024 at 12:00 AM  Count : 674
Colonel Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman, psc
In the year 2008, the social organization Kuki-Chin National Development Organization (KNDO) was formed under the leadership of Nathan Loncheu Bawm to address the rights and interests of six small ethnic communities, i.e., Bawm, Mro, Khiang, Pangkhua, Khumi, and Lusai, those who all are living in the mountainous areas of Bandarban and Rangamati. In 2016, the organization changed its name to the Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF), and their early efforts focused on advocating for peace, harmony, and the resolution of grievances through dialogue with the Bangladeshi government. Later, they started operating an armed organization naming the Kuki-Chin National Army (KNA). In the year 2018-2019, 40-50 members of the KNF received armed training from the Chin National Front (CNF), an armed group of the Chin state of Myanmar. It is learnt that 10-15 members have died in combat against the Myanmar army. In the year 2020, the remaining members of the KNF began the process of building a large-scale armed organization by motivating the youth from those six Kuki-Chin ethnic groups. However, at present, only Bawm community people are running this organization.

On 16 December 2021, KNF launched a Facebook page, namely Kuki-Chin National Front-KNF, to propagate against the government and security forces. On 20 February 2022, KNA demanded to establish a separate autonomous region consisting of 09 upazillas located in the eastern part of Chottogram Hill Tracts (CHT) namely Bagaichhari, Barkal, Jurachhari and Bilaichhari upazilla of Rangamati district and Rowangchari, Ruma, Thanchi, Lama and Alikadamupazilla of Bandarban district. Besides, they campaigned with the 'No Full State, No Rest' slogan and circulated the Kuki-Chin state map with 09 upazillas, party flag and monogram. Later, they demanded to form the Kuki Territorial Council (KTC), consisting of 07 upazillas where Lama and Alikadam were excluded.

KNF is operating with three objectives: firstly, to form a fully autonomous region or KTC for the Kuki-Chin ethnic group with 07 bordering upazillas of CHT; secondly, to restore their ancestral lands, removing the presence of "armed terrorists" from the area, referring particularly to the United People's Democratic Front (UPDF) and the Jana Samhati Samiti (JSS) factions; and finally, as long-term planning to form Kuki State together with the Kuki-Chin-Mizo ethnic groups of Mizoram and Manipur of India and the Chin state of Myanmar. However, alongside the above objectives, KNF desires to establish the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system like Mizoram, a relic from British colonial rule that required non-indigenous people to obtain special permission to enter CHT.

In 2021, the ethnic-based organization KNF posed a new dimension of threats to the security of Bangladesh as well as in this region through imparting military training to the extremist outfit Jama'atul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya (JAHS)'s members in the remote area of Ruma Upazila of the Bandarban district. With a condition of money, KNF imparted training to a good number of JAHS members on using assault rifles and making Improvised Explosive Devices (IED).

It is learnt that KNF President Nathan Loncheu Bawm was connected to Shamin Mahfuz, Advisor of JAHS, since the student life of Dhaka University. Need to mention that Shamin Mahfuz was apprehended earlier in 2011 from Thanchi Upazila of Bandarban district for having an active connection with Jamaat-ul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB). In the context of KNF's militant involvement, joint operations were conducted against KNF and the militant outfit JAHS in 2022-2023. Almost all members of JAHS were arrested. However, KNF terrorists continued to carry out armed terrorist activities while residing in the bordering areas of Bandarban district.

A peace talk was initiated by the Bangladesh Government to bring the KNF members back into normal life. During the process of peace dialogue, KNF submitted a six point demand to the Peace Establishment Committee in writing. An in-depth study on KNF's six-point demand may be evaluated as under:



1st Demand. Claiming to be indigenous/vumiputra by KNF is a conflict with the Constitution of Bangladesh. In addition, the CHT Peace Agreement has already given special status to Zilla Parishads in three hill districts along with the formation of regional councils. Here, representatives from Kuki-Chin ethnic groups are also preserved. In such a context, the demand to form KTC with 07 upazillas of CHT is unrealistic and has ill motives. Besides, if the 07 upazillas of Bangladesh bordering Mizoram and Chin state are ruled by the Kuki-Chin ethnic group, which is similar to the Kuki-Chin-Mizo of Mizoram and Chin ethnic group, there is a possibility that the governance of this region will be indirectly controlled by Mizoram/Chin state.

2nd Demand. The demand for absolute control over land management in the claimed area by KNF and the establishment of its own system, which is in conflict with the existing land management system of Bangladesh. Already after the peace agreement, the CHT Land Dispute Settlement Commission has been constituted for the settlement of land disputes through the CHT Land Disputes Settlement Act, 2001 and 2016 (amended). In this case, the demand of forming a land commission separately for the KTC area is considered unreasonable.

3rd Demand. The devolution of the recruitment process in police administration including entrusting all power to KTC is very similar to the Hill Peace Accords.

4th Demand.KNF members demanded safe resettlement through a general forgiveness declaration. Santi Bahini have already been rehabilitated through the Hill Peace Accords. Similarly, KNF members can be rehabilitated.

5th Demand. The claim for repatriation and resettlement of KNF refugees of their own caste from neighboring countries can be resolved through the verification of national identity cards and reviewing other documents to confirm Bangladeshi citizenship.

6th Demand. Demanding to form a Kuki-Chin Armed Infantry Battalion (KAB) by KNF is not realistic under the prevailing circumstances. Moreover, if KAB is formed, it is likely to be run under the guidance of Mizoram and Chin state. However, KNF members may be recruited into the Village Defense Force (VDP).

On 05 March 2024, the second physical meeting of the Peace Establishment Committee was held with the KNF leaders. In that meeting, both sides signed a memorandum of understanding mentioning seven points including refraining from any armed or terrorist activities by KNF members. As a sequel, 22 April 2024 was fixed as the possible date for the third physical meeting between KNF and the Peace Establishment Committee. However, in the guise of a peace process, KNF secretly organized itself and continued to commit armed activities as well as terrorist activities like abduction, extortion etc. Without any prior discontent to the Peace Establishment Committee, KNF indulged in conspiracy and organized themselves covertly and committed bank robbery including lootings of fourteen weapons of Bangladesh Police and Ansar on 02 and 03 April 2024 at Ruma and Thanhi upazilla of Bandarban district respectively. The armed assailants not only looted a significant amount of money amounting to approximately Taka 15 lakh but also looted firearms, including rifles and SMGs, and abducted the bank manager of Sonali Bank, Ruma branch who was later released unharmed due to the pursuance of security force.

At present, KNF is continuing its armed activities, especially targeting security forces and law enforcement agencies. As of now, 06 army soldiers were killed and 14 army personnel were critically wounded by KNF. KNF has also been spreading propaganda through social media and various platforms against Bangladesh Government and security forces with false, fabricated and misleading information since inception.

Due to anthropological, religious, historical and cultural ties, KNF is being supported by ethnic and armed groups of Mizoram and Manipur of India and Chin State of Myanmar. KNF receives support from various groups including the church community named Young Mizo Association (YMA) and Zo Reunification Organization (ZORO) of Mizoram. They also receive training, arms and other logistical support from similar armed groups including the Mizo National Front (MNF) in Mizoram, Kuki Independent Army (KIA) in Manipur and the CNF of Chin state. MNF leaders Laldenga and Zoramthanga were supported by the Bangladeshi Bawm community before 1986, and the historical brotherhood with KNF created reciprocal assistance from MNF.

The Kuki-Chin-Mizo, or ZO, ethnic groups of this region are trying to form a 'Kuki State'. The creation of their dreamt ZO Land has also been highlighted in the book ZO NATION Convergence of KUKI, CHIN, MIZO, KACHIN PEOPLE written by P.S. Haokip, President of the 'Kuki National Organization'. Recently, on 02 September 2024, Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma urged to form a Christian state in the tri-junction area of India, Myanmar and Bangladesh in his speech delivered in a program held in Maryland, USA. He reiterated the same words in another program held in Indianapolis, USA on 04 September 2024.

Geo-political and security analysts showcase the regional future threats of KNF. Firstly, it is involved in the movement and planning to establish ZO land in this region. Secondly, imparting training to a militant outfit by KNF and its links with separatist organizations of Mizoram and Manipur of India and Chin State of Myanmar has gradually turned itself into a purely ethnic terrorist/militant organization in this region. So, in the near future, KNF and other associated/like-minded organizations might pose a common threat to regional security, peace and communal stability. Finally, in the future, KNF may take the initiative to impart training to any regional extremist outfits as they have gathered experience to impart training to a militant outfit.

So, at this moment, addressing this issue requires a comprehensive and holistic strategy that considers the geopolitical landscape, emerging trends, and potential scenarios; the need for using both soft and hard power by working together with politicians, civil society, NGOs, and security forces. However, the importance of active diplomacy is to be felt as early as possible, especially through discussions with India and Myanmar for tackling the tri-national challenges of Kuki-Chin-Mizo threats and reducing the chances of regional instability.

The writer is an Army Officer



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