UNITED PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC SOLIDARITY (UPDS)

UNITED PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC SOLIDARITY (UPDS)

Karbi National Volunteers (KNV) and Karbi People’s Front (KPF), the two insurgent groups in the Assam hill district of Karbi Anglong merged together in March 1999 under the leadership of Kiri Rongphar to form the United People’s Democratic Solidarity (UPDS). At present, its Chairman is Longder Singner alias H.E. Kathar and General Secretary is Haren Sing Bey. The outfit aims at establishing an independent homeland for the Karbi tribe.

After three years of violent insurgency, the UPDS entered into a cease-fire agreement with New Delhi on 23 May 2002. While it brought a semblance of order to the violence-wracked district, it led to a split in the UPDS, with a large chunk of cadres parting ways to form the anti-talk faction of the outfit, which was subsequently named the Karbi Longri North Cachar Hills Liberation Front (KLNLF). The ceasefire agreement has been extended periodically, without a single round of formal dialogue being held.

During its active days, the total cadre strength of the UPDS was about 150, one third of which were armed with sophisticated firearms. The outfit primarily operated in the Karbi Anglong district. Its cadres, however, often trespassed into the North Cachar Hills district of Assam and the Jaintia Hills district of neighbouring Meghalaya. Majority of the UPDS cadres are presently stationed in two designated camps located in the Karbi Anglong district.

Abductions for ransom and extortion constituted the primary source of finance for the outfit. The outfit’s extortion net is cast wide on the civilian population, government employees and the traders in the district. Farmers in the Block-I and Block-II areas of Meghalaya’s Jaintia district too were targeted.

UPDS was among many outfits in the Northeast, which were believed to have grown with the active assistance of the NSCN-IM. The latter provided the UPDS cadres with arms and training in return for a portion of the extortion money collected. In addition, the UPDS also maintains strategic ties with the NDFB and the ULFA.

A round of talks was held between the UPDS, the Central government and the state government in New Delhi on 22 December 2010. The talks resulted in all the three sides approving a draft accord paving the way for the signing of a memorandum of agreement (MoA).

On 25 November 2011, UPDS signed a peace accord with the Centre and Assam Government. The Centre declared a package worth over Rs 2000 crore, while the new set-up that would be formed in Karbi Anglong would be named as ‘Karbi Anglong Autonomous Territorial Council’ (KAATC).

The main points of the accord are:

1. 39 additional subjects will be transferred to the new Karbi Anglong Autonomous Territorial Council.
2. There will be a total of 50 members in the council, in which 44 will be elected and the rest six will be nominated.
3. The council will prepare its annual budget, and the state government will approve it.
4. Funds under the Central Government’s special package will be directly received by the council.
5. New appointments for different departments under the council will now be made by the council itself, except for a few posts.
6. A special economic package of Rs 350 crore over and above the Plan fund over the next five years will be provided to the council.

The accord has proposed that rehabilitation of UPDS cadres, withdrawal of cases relating to heinous crimes shall be reviewed case by case according to existing policy for withdrawal of such cases.

The accord also proposes setting up of village councils for boosting democratic process at the grassroots level. State Finance Commission (SFC) has been proposed for consideration of higher fund allocation to the council to undertake viable activity. The Centre has inserted a clause proposing strict adherence to established norms of financial management and proper audit of the accounts.

Special measures for socio-economic, education, health and cultural development have been promised by the Centre. Improvement of road connectivity, water supply and supply of power in Karbi Anglong district under existing schemes, besides providing one-time grant for capacity building in KAATC for preparation of DPR have also been proposed.