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31. (SBU) Most encounters in the Northeast occur in the state of Manipur, where they are "pretty common," if not widely reported, according to Consulate/Calcutta. For example, in the spring-summer of 2004, 60 civilians were killed in encounters over a three-month period. Because of the region's hard physical isolation from the rest of the country, much of this activity escapes the notice of the national press.
The "Indian Human Rights Report" catalogues seventeen cases in 2004 of what Manipuri villages claimed were staged encounters, most involving units of the Assam Rifles.
According to the families of the victims, in almost all these cases the victims were arrested from their homes and later "killed" by paramilitaries who claimed they were armed, frequently with 9mm pistols. Although reporting from victims' families is not conclusive, elements of a trend are concerning.
32. (SBU) To a lesser extent, Assam has also seen encounters. However, the main terrorist group, the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA, designated as an Other Specified Terrorist Organization) has been in a prolonged negotiation process. ULFA attacks are generally planned to keep casualties low -- they seem to prefer causing disruption at Indian national events and attacking economic targets -- which makes their cadres less likely targets for staged encounters.
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