| National Liberation Front of Tripura | |
|---|---|
| Participant in Tripura rebellion | |
| Active | 1989 – present |
| Ideology | Tripuri nationalism |
| Leaders | Biswamohan Debbarma Utpanna Tripura† Mukul Debbarma† |
| Area of operations |
Tripura, India |
| Strength | approx. 550-850[1][2] |
| Opponents | Government of Tripura |
The National Liberation Front of Tripura (or NLFT) is a Tripuri nationalist militant organization based in Tripura, India.[3][4][5][6] The NLFT seeks to secede from India and establish an independent Tripuri state, and has actively participated in the Tripura Rebellion. The NLFT manifesto says that they want to expand what they describe as the kingdom of God and Christ in Tripura.[7]
The NLFT is currently proscribed as a terrorist organization in India.[8][9]
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Investigations revealed that the NLFT produced pornographic films of kidnapped tribal men and women at gunpoint in order to finance its activities.[10] NLFT leaders were also accused of sexually abusing female prisoners.[10]
The NLFT reportedly issued a ban on Durga Puja and Saraswati Puja.[7] Nagmanlal Halam, secretary of the Noapara Baptist Church in Tripura, was arrested for and confessed to providing munitions and financial aid to the NLFT from 1998 until 2000.[7] According to the Institute for Conflict Management, approximately 90% of the NLFT's administration are Christians.[9] Since 2000, several hundred militants have surrendered to the Indian Security Forces.
In the wake of the expulsion of Biswamohan Debbarma and Nayanbasi Jamatiya, the NLFT divided into two factions in February 2001.
Cited causes of internal conflicts[9] include the reluctance of Biswamohan Debbarma's Central Executive Committee to nominate Joshua Debbarma as the King of ‘Tripura Kingdom’; misappropriation of funds by senior leaders; lavish lifestyles led by the senior leadership; and forcible conversion of tribal cadres/civilians to Christianity.
Other leaders of the original NLFT included ‘Vice President’ Kamini Debbarma, ‘Publicity Secretary’ Binoy Debbarma, ‘Chief of Army’ Dhanu Koloi, and ‘Finance Secretary’ Bishnu Prasad Jamatiya.
The Biswamohan faction (NLFT/BM) is currently headed by Biswamohan Debbarma.
Upon the surrender of Mantu Koloi, second in command, he requested that Biswamohan Debbarma and Ranjit Debbarma engage in talks with the Government of India to resolve the crisis, but both leaders vowed to fight on.[11]
The Nayanbasi faction (NLFT/NB) was led by Nayanbasi Jamatiya until 2004, when it peacefully entered into a Memorandum of Settlement with India.[12]
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