Kuki-Chin National Front
AbbreviationKNF
LeaderNathan Bom
Chief CoordinatorCheosim Bom[1] (POW)
FounderNathan Bom
Founded2008 (16 years ago) (2008) (as Kuki-Chin National Development Organization)
HeadquartersChin state, Myanmar
Armed wingKuki-Chin National Army
IdeologyAutonomy demands[2][3][4][5]
Anti-Chakma sentiment[3][4][5][6]
Anti-Marma sentiment[5][3]
Anti-Tripuri sentiment[5]
Kuki-Chin interests[5]
Slogan"Nehnak Chu Lalpa Ta"
Website
Kuki-Chin National Front - KNF Facebook[a]
^ a: KNF has no official website, but it maintains an official facebook page where it updates about its activities.

Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF), also known as Bom Party or Bawm Party,[7] is a banned ethno-nationalist armed militant political organization in Bangladesh based in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Established by Nathan Bom in 2008, KNF aims to establish a separate autonomous or independent state for Bawm, Pangkhua, Lushai, Khumi, Mru & Khiang peoples with nine subdistricts (upazilas) of Rangamati and Bandarban districts.[2][7][8] The Front has an armed wing called Kuki-Chin National Army. According to Bangladeshi law enforcement agencies, Kuki-Chin National Front has received weapons from the Kachin State in Myanmar,[9] and also has ties with Karen rebels.[10]

History

[edit]
The red-colured areas in this map of the Chittagong Hill Tracts indicate to the proposed Kuki-Chin State. Most of the territories demanded by KNF fall under Rangamati and Bandarban districts

Kuki-Chin National Front was established in 2017 by members of the Bawm people in Bangladesh with two thousand personnel.[9] The Bawm community is mostly Christian and accuses the Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti of discrimination.[9] The founding president of the Kuki-Chin National Front is Nathan Bom, a graduate of fine arts from the University of Dhaka.[9] He was previously involved with the Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti's student wing, the Pahari Chhatra Parishad, and founded the Kuki-Chin National Development Organization in 2008 and renamed to Kuki-Chin National Volunteers (KNV) in 2016.[9][7] KNV developed relations with the rebels of the Manipur state of India and Chin state of Myanmar.[5] In the first batch of KNV fighters, over a hundred members of the organization were sent to Manipur for training, followed by 100 members to be sent to India's Manipur and Myanmar's Karen and Kachin states.[5] The Kuki-Chin National Volunteers would become the Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF) in 2020.[7]

In June 2022, the Kuki-Chin National Front attacked a camp of Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti, killing three in Belaichhari Upazila, Rangamati District.[11] In October, tourists were sent back from Bandarban District in preparation for an operation by Bangladesh Army and other security forces against Kuki-Chin National Front.[12] In November 2022, Bangladesh Army launched a drive against Kuki-Chin National Front which saw 270 Kuki people seek refuge in Mizoram State in India.[13][14]

In February 2023, Rapid Action Battalion arrested 17 personnel of Jama'atul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya and three members of Kuki-Chin National Front after a day-long gunfight.[15] They also recovered AK-22 rifles among other weapons and bomb making equipment.[16] Jama'atul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya paid 1.7 million to Kuki-Chin National Front for weapons.[17] By January 2023, 14 members of Kuki-Chin National Front were detained.[18]

Kuki-Chin National Army

[edit]
Kuki-Chin National Army
LeaderNathan Bom
Chief of StaffVanchun Lian Master[10]
Dates of operation2022 (2022) – Present (Present)
Country Bangladesh
AllegianceKuki-Chin National Front
MotivesThe creation of an autonomous Kuki-Chin state in the nine upazilas of Rangamati and Bandarban district [citation needed]
Active regionsChittagong Hill Tracts
StatusActive
Size3,000[5]
Means of revenuerobbery, arms trading
Allies
Opponents
Battles and warsChittagong Hill Tracts conflict (second phrase)
Designated as a terrorist group by Bangladesh[19][failed verification]

Kuki-Chin National Army (KNA) is the armed wing of Kuki-Chin National Front.[20] Vanchun Lian Master, a vice-principal of the government primary school, is the chief of staff of the Kuki-Chin National Front's armed wing.[10]

From January 11 to January 17, 2023, the Bandarban District administration banned tourists in the district due to a security forces’ operation against the Kuki-Chin National Army.[21] A bullet hit body of Kuki-Chin National Army personnel was found Ruma Upazila on 30 January 2023 after a gunfight with security forces.[22] Another gunfight took place between Rapid Action Battalion and the Kuki-Chin National Army.[23] On 12 March, the Assam Rifles detained two members of the Kuki-Chin National Army in Mirozam.[24] In April 2023, eight people were killed in a shoot-out between the United People's Democratic Front (Democratic), a fraction of the United People's Democratic Front, and Kuki-Chin National Army in Rowangchhari Upazila, Bandarban District.[20]

Militant activities

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Nathan Bom's close associate, KNF 'chief coordinator' arrested". 7 April 2024. Archived from the original on 10 April 2024.
  2. ^ a b Akhter, Samina (23 November 2022). "Bangladesh countering separatism and militancy for ensuring peace and stability in the region". Modern Diplomacy. Archived from the original on 9 April 2024. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  3. ^ a b c http://www.itvbd.com/analysis/141797 Archived May 7, 2024, at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ a b "নাথান বমের কেএনএফ পাহাড়ে কেন 'কেটিসি' চায়, নেপথ্যে কী". 12 April 2024. Archived from the original on 7 May 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h "পাহাড়ে রহস্যময় নাম 'নাথান বম'". Archived from the original on 5 May 2024.
  6. ^ Evolution of Kuki Chin National Front as a Separatist Group and Impact on National and Regional Security. Nujhat Amina Jarin. Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies. August 2023. Archived May 11, 2024, at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ a b c d "In Chattogram Hill Tracts, a new group of armed insurgents is making waves. Who are they?". bdnews24.com. Archived from the original on 2 May 2024. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  8. ^ "KNF: Where does it get its funding and what is its endgame?". Dhaka tribune. Archived from the original on 20 March 2023.
  9. ^ a b c d e "Who are these Kuki-Chin armies in the CHT?". Dhaka Tribune. 17 January 2023. Archived from the original on 10 April 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  10. ^ a b c "KNF disrupting tourism, development works in Bandarban". Dhaka Tribune. 21 March 2023. Archived from the original on 20 March 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  11. ^ "3 reportedly shot dead in CHT". The Daily Star. 23 June 2022. Archived from the original on 6 July 2022. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  12. ^ "Tourists being sent back from Bandarban". Dhaka Tribune. 18 October 2022. Archived from the original on 9 April 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  13. ^ "KNF — A New Threat to Regional Security? | CGS". cgs-bd.com. Archived from the original on 8 December 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  14. ^ "Why Did Bangladesh's Kuki Chin Flee to India's Northeast?". The Diplomat. Archived from the original on 24 February 2024. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  15. ^ Islam, Shariful; Marma, Mong Sing Hai (8 February 2023). "Bandarban's Thanchi: Rab arrests 17 militants after daylong gunfight". The Daily Star. Archived from the original on 10 April 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  16. ^ "Militants held in hills: Educated, yet they chose the wrong path". The Daily Star. 9 February 2023. Archived from the original on 9 April 2024. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  17. ^ "Jama'atul Ansar financed Tk 17 lakh to buy heavy weapons: Rab". The Daily Star. 4 November 2022. Archived from the original on 9 April 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  18. ^ "12 militants, 14 KNF members arrested so far in anti-militancy drive in Bandarban: Rab". The Business Standard. 12 January 2023. Archived from the original on 4 December 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  19. ^ "Two army soldiers killed in Kuki-Chin terrorist attack in Bandarban: ISPR". Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha. Archived from the original on 4 December 2023.
  20. ^ a b "8 killed in 'shootout' between 2 armed groups in Bandarban: police". The Daily Star. 7 April 2023. Archived from the original on 9 April 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  21. ^ "Tourism banned again in Bandarban's Thanchi". Dhaka Tribune. 9 January 2023. Archived from the original on 7 April 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  22. ^ "'KNF man' found shot dead in CHT". The Daily Star. 30 January 2023. Archived from the original on 9 April 2024. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  23. ^ "5 held over RAB-KNF gunfight in Bandarban". Dhaka Tribune. 7 February 2023. Archived from the original on 10 April 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  24. ^ "Mizoram: Two active Kuki Chin National Army cadres arrested by Assam Rifles in Lawgtlalai district". India Today NE. 12 March 2023. Archived from the original on 1 March 2024. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  25. ^ "Retired army sergeant abducted by KNA". Prothom Alo. Archived from the original on 10 April 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  26. ^ "Army man killed as KNA activists open fire in Bandarban". businesspostbd.com. Archived from the original on 5 June 2024. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
  27. ^ "বান্দরবানে কেএনএর গুলিতে সেনাসদস্য নিহত". banglanews24.com (in Bengali). Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  28. ^ "Kuki-Chin National Army attack kills 2 Army men: ISPR". Prothom Alo. 17 May 2023. Archived from the original on 5 June 2024. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
  29. ^ "সোনালি ব্যাংকে ডাকাতি" (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 5 April 2024.
  30. ^ "ব্যাংক ডাকাতি" (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 5 April 2024.
  31. ^ "পাহাড় জনপদে আতঙ্কের ঢেউ". Bhorer Kagoj (in Bengali). 5 April 2024. Archived from the original on 5 April 2024. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  32. ^ Sakib, Musanna (5 April 2024). "ব্যাংক ম্যানেজারকে ছাড়তে ২০ লাখ টাকা মুক্তিপণ চায় কুকি-চিন: র‍্যাব". Arthosuchak (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 12 April 2024. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  33. ^ "Sonali Bank manager released as Tk15 lakh ransom paid to KNF". The Business Standard. 4 April 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  34. ^ https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/nation/343816/knf-associate-held-in-bandarban Archived April 10, 2024, at the Wayback Machine.
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