Big Push for Lasting Peace in Tripura: Over 500 Cadres of NLFT and ATTF Surrender, Join Mainstream

The cadres of NLFT and ATTF put down their arms before Chief Minister Manik Saha at the 7th Battalion of Tripura State Rifles (TSR) in Sepahijala district.

In a significant push for lasting peace in Tripura, within 20 days of signing the Memorandum of Settlement with the Centre and Tripura Government, more than 400 cadres from the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) and the All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) have surrendered and joined the mainstream today.

They surrendered at the arms-laying down ceremony held in Agartala today. The cadres of NLFT and ATTF put down their arms before Chief Minister Manik Saha at the 7th Battalion of Tripura State Rifles (TSR) in Sepahijala district.

The Memorandum of Settlement was signed between the Central government, Tripura government and NLFT) and ATTF) in Delhi on September 4, 2024, with aim of addressing long-standing issues in the region and foster peace and development.

It may be mentioned that the Centre has already announced a financial package of Rs 250 crore for the rehabilitation of the NLFT and the ATTF cadres.

What is NLFT?

With backing from the Baptist Church of Tripura, the NLFT emerged in 1989 in response to the increased immigration of Bengalis from Bangladesh and West Bengal, following one of the worst ethnic riots in the region.

Designated as a banned outfit, the NLFT has pursued its objectives through armed rebellion, with an estimated membership of 550-850.

The group seeks to secede from India and establish an independent Tripuri state, playing a notable role in the broader insurgency in Northeast India.

The NLFT’s activities have been marked by violence and conflict, reflecting the deep-rooted ethnic tensions in the region.

What is ATTF?

The ATTF is a Tripuri nationalist militant outfit that was founded on July 11, 1990, by former members of the Tripura National Volunteers under the leadership of Ranjit Debbarma with an aim to address the grievances of the indigenous Tripuri people.

Initially formed as the armed wing of the NLFT, the ATTF eventually established itself as an independent outfit.

This group was founded under the name “All Tripura Tribal Force”. In 1992, the group changed its name from “All Tripura Tribal Force” to “All Tripura Tiger Force”.

The two groups have been operational in Tripura for at least 2 decades since the late 1990s.

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