Tripura rebels out to woo Khasi outfit

AGARTALA, March 23: The outlawed National Liberation Front of Twipra is trying to strengthen its links with the Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council of Meghalaya. The move is believed to be aimed at ensuring the safety of NLFT activists who have to go to the Meghalaya capital for medical treatment and other purposes. Official sources said NLFT "commanders" Rajkanta Debbarma and Upendra Debbarma visited Shillong last week and met HNLC chief Julius Donkuper. The NLFT duo reportedly sought permission to set up a well-equipped transit camp in Shillong or any other "safe area" within Meghalaya. The HNLC, which is also keen to set up camps in the Khasi-dominated areas across the Indo-Bangladesh border, reportedly agreed to help the NLFT set up a camp in Meghalaya. There is a sizeable population of Khasis in Sylhet district of Bangladesh. Most of these Meghalaya tribals are engaged in the betel leaf business. Officials said the NLFT was desperate to assert its supremacy after suffering largescale casualties in a series of internal clashes. The clashes began on July 12 last year when NLFT rebels killed 12 militants of the Bru National Liberation Front of Twipra. Nayanbasi Jamatya, one of the founder members of the NLFT, subsequently revolted against the outfit's leadership, comprising Mantu Koloi, Dhanu Koloi, Kamini Debbarma and Biswamohan Debbarma. Jamatya and his band of supporters deserted the NLFT hideout at Thangnan in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh and captured some camps in Sylhet district. Continuing their offensive against the NLFT, the rebel leader and his supporters recently took control of the outfit's Burunji Basti camp. The camp is close to Reang Basti and Morahcerra, where a group of BSF and Government Reserve Engineering Force (GREF) personnel were ambushed yesterday. Sources said the NLFT leadership had directed "commander" Tapan Koloi to rein in the Jamatya faction. It is the group led by Koloi which carried out yesterday's ambush. Eleven BSF and GREF personnel were killed in the attack.