Assam separatist movements

Assam separatist movements are insurgency movements operating in Northeast India's oil-rich state[5] of Assam. The conflict started in the 1970s[5] following tension between the native indigenous Assamese people and the Indian government over alleged neglect, domination, subjugation, political, social, cultural, economic exploitation and internal colonisation through its federal centre in Delhi.[6][7] The conflict has resulted in the deaths of 12,000 United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) members and 18,000 others.[8][9]

Assam separatist conflict
Part of the Insurgency in Northeast India
State of Assam
Date 27 November 1990 – Present (30 years, 2 months, 1 week and 4 days) Location Assam, India Status Ongoing (Skirmish Level)
Belligerents
India Border conflicts:  Bangladesh  Bhutan	ULFA KLNLF (1990-18) NDFB (1990-20) DHD (1990-13) UPDS (1990-14)	ACF (1996-12)	MULTA
Commanders and leaders
Ramaswamy Venkataraman Shankar Dayal Sharma Kocheril Raman Narayanan APJ Abdul Kalam Pratibha Patil Pranab Mukherjee Ram Nath Kovind	Paresh Baruah Arabinda Rajkhowa Pradip Gogoi Anup Chetia Raju Baruah Chitrabon Hazarika Ashanta Bagh Phukan Ramu Mech Sashadhar Choudhury Bhimkanta Buragohain Mithinga Daimary Pranati Deka Drishti Rajkhowa Sabin Boro Men Sing Takbi Pradip Terang	Unknown	Unknown
Strength
1,325,000	3,000–6,000 (1996)[1] 3,500 (2005)[2] 225 (2008)[3]	100	Unknown
Casualties and losses
12,000 killed[4]

Several organisations contribute to the insurgency including the ULFA, the Adivasi National Liberation Army, Karbi Longri N.C. Hills Liberation Front (KLNLF) and the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) with ULFA perhaps the largest of these groups,[9] and one of the oldest, having been founded in 1979.[10] The ULFA has attacked Hindi-speaking migrant workers[11] and a movement exists favouring secession from the Republic of India.[12] The alleged neglect and economic, social, cultural and political exploitation by the Indian state are the main reasons behind the growth of this secessionist movement.

The ULFA seeks to establish a sovereign Assam via armed struggle. MULTA on the other hand seeks to establish an Islamic state in India via jihadist struggle of Muslims of both indigenous and migrant origin. The Government of India banned the organization in 1990 and classifies it as a terrorist group, while the US State Department lists it under "Other groups of concern".

Founded at Rang Ghar, a historic structure dating to the Ahom kingdom on April 7, 1979, the ULFA has been the subject of military operations by the Indian Army since 1990, which have continued into the present.[13] In the past two decades some 30,000 people have died[14] in the clash between the rebels and the government. Though separatist sentiment is considered strong,[15] it is disputed if the secessionist movement continues to enjoy popular support. Conversely, assertions of Assamese nationalism are found in Assamese literature and culture. The neglect and exploitation by the Indian state are common refrains in the Assamese-language media[16] with some reports casting the ULFA leaders as saviors.[17]

Internationally acclaimed Assamese novelist Indira Goswami has tried to broker peace[18][19][20] for several years between the rebels and the government.[21] In a recent development Hiren Gohain,[22][23] a public intellectual, has stepped in to expedite the process.

On 15 May 2019, Twelve people were injured after a grenade exploded in front of a shopping mall in Guwahati. Days later the United Liberation Front of Assam claimed responsibility for the attack, and the authorities arrested the main suspected of the attack.[24][25][26]