Is There Any Linkage between ULFA and LTTE?

By Animesh Roul

Is there any operational and logistical linkages between Sri Lanka’s the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and India’s northeast based United Liberation front of Assam (ULFA)? According to the Director General of Police of Tripura, there is strong ties between LTTE and ULFA. “LTTE channel has been utilised by the ULFA for maritime contacts, sea routes, because ULFA also owns a few trawlers operating from Chittagong and it connects them right upto Cambodia”, Ghansyam Murari Srivastava, the police chief was quoted in the media. He further said that the police have definite evidence on the link, adding that in Lakhipathar camp of ULFA, there were three LTTE men who organized training camps in the past.

The whole discussion erupted over the alleged link when recently a news item on the Sri Lankan portal, www.lankaweb.com (referring to Bangladesh based Journalist’s article on a Blog) indicated that the LTTE was supplying arms to the ULFA through its merchant navy. The article claimed the LTTE's merchant navy have transported a large consignment of arms and ammunition through Southeast Asia and delivered it to the ULFA in the past. It also claimed that Pakistan’s ISI introduced LTTE's arms suppliers to ULFA leaders and two Tamils were arrested in Cox's Bazaar in Bangladesh when a huge quantity of ammunition meant for the ULFA was seized. The author of the article “Insurgency in North East India”, however, never substantiated the linkages with any recent activities between the two outfits.

Last year, reports of Tamil Tigers imparting training to Nepal’s Maoists and Indian Maoists (also known as Naxalites) were emerged (in July 2005). The Tigers were believed to be running a training camp in Narkatiaganj and Ghorasahan in Bihar, bordering Nepal. ULFA’s presence in these camps were also emerged during that time.

These facts and figures notwithstanding, no surrendered ULFA militants have ever admitted the alleged link so far. Even the MDMK(a political party in Tamil Nadu) chief Vaiko who has been sympathetic to the cause of Tamils in Sri Lanka and a known supporter of LTTE, denied that the LTTE was supporting the ULFA in Assam.

Adding fire to the issue, a senior Assam police also indicated to local media that ULFA leadership has established 'diplomatic relations' with the LTTE and there is evidence in that regard.

A deeper probe is imperative now to establish the relation between these two South Asia’s most lethal separatist outfits.

TrackBack