People's Liberation Army of Manipur
Encyclopedia
The People's Liberation Army (PLA) was founded by N. Bisheswar Singh on September 25, 1978. It is a separatist armed revolutionary group fighting for a separate independent socialist state of Manipur
. It was the first organization from Manipur to have been trained by the China's People Liberation Army at Lhasa in the eighties. It was also trained by the NSCN in Myanmar
during this time.
Since its founding, it has been waging a guerrilla based warfare against the Indian Armed Forces and has targeted the Indian Army, Paramilitary Forces and the State Police Force. However during the late nineties, it declared a unilateral decision not to target the Manipur Police.
The death of some top leaders in combat (like President Thoudam Kunjabehari in 1982), and the arrest of others (like N. Bishewar, arrested in 1981) decreased its military activity in the eighties. In 1989, a political wing called the Revolutionary People's Front (RPF) was formed. The RPF formed a government in exile in Bangladesh, led by Irengbam Chaoren, and began a restructuring of the organisation. The Organization become very active. Its operation was divided into four sections: Sadar Valley West Hill areas of Manipur, Sadar Hill areas in the east Valley, Hill areas of Manipur and Imphal valley, each with a commander, and other ranks.
The organization has an estimated strength of some 3800 as on 2008.
PLA is also a member of the Manipur Peoples Liberation Front, an umbrella organization of three separatist organization of Manipur namely UNLF
and PREPAK
Manipur
Manipur is a state in northeastern India, with the city of Imphal as its capital. Manipur is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west; it also borders Burma to the east. It covers an area of...
. It was the first organization from Manipur to have been trained by the China's People Liberation Army at Lhasa in the eighties. It was also trained by the NSCN in Myanmar
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
during this time.
Since its founding, it has been waging a guerrilla based warfare against the Indian Armed Forces and has targeted the Indian Army, Paramilitary Forces and the State Police Force. However during the late nineties, it declared a unilateral decision not to target the Manipur Police.
The death of some top leaders in combat (like President Thoudam Kunjabehari in 1982), and the arrest of others (like N. Bishewar, arrested in 1981) decreased its military activity in the eighties. In 1989, a political wing called the Revolutionary People's Front (RPF) was formed. The RPF formed a government in exile in Bangladesh, led by Irengbam Chaoren, and began a restructuring of the organisation. The Organization become very active. Its operation was divided into four sections: Sadar Valley West Hill areas of Manipur, Sadar Hill areas in the east Valley, Hill areas of Manipur and Imphal valley, each with a commander, and other ranks.
The organization has an estimated strength of some 3800 as on 2008.
PLA is also a member of the Manipur Peoples Liberation Front, an umbrella organization of three separatist organization of Manipur namely UNLF
United National Liberation Front
The United National Liberation Front is an insurgent group in the state of Manipur in the north-east of India. The UNLF aims to establish an independent socialist Manipur...
and PREPAK
PREPAK
The People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak is an armed insurgent group in Manipur demanding a separate and independent homeland. PREPAK was formed under the leadership of R. K. Tulachandra on October 9, 1977.-History:...
External links
- Description of the Organization at Start Center: National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism http://www.start.umd.edu/gtd/search/Results.aspx?perpetrator=6001
- History and Organisation details at Global Security.org http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/para/rpf.htm