Is KNF leader Nathan Bom in Switzerland, Netherlands or Mizoram?

Where is the Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF) leader Nathan  Bom? His party says he is in Switzerland. Security analysts say he is probably in the Netherlands. Then again, there are some who say he has crossed the border and is in the Indian state of Mizoram. His location remains a mystery.

Another question is, where are the party members hiding? KNF sources say that a large number of them are in Bangladesh. However, a larger number of the KNF members are spread out in various areas of Myanmar and Mizoram.  Several sources in Mizoram say a special operation is being carried out based on suspicion that Nathan Bom is hiding in the state, alongside the border with Myanmar. However, several sources in Bangladesh's security forces say that after the two attacks on banks, most of the KNF members have actually fled the country. But no one is saying anything clearly about Nathan Bom's last location.

Captain Fleming of the Kuki-Chin Army (KNA)'s Information and Intelligence Branch (IIB), speaking to Prothom Alo over mobile phone, said KNF president Nathan Bom was actually in Switzerland now. No one will find him anywhere else, no matter how much they look, he said.

KNF began its activities in the hills towards the beginning of 2022. The law enforcement agencies  informed the media that KNF would provide armed training to members of the new militant group Jamatul Ansar Fil Hindol Sharakkia in this camps in the hills. In October that year, the law enforcement agencies raided the camp and arrested quite a few members of Jamatul Ansar Fil Hindol Sharakkia and KNF.

Following the operation against KNF, in May last year a 'peace initiative' committee was formed, headed by the zila parishad chairman Keyshai Hla Marma, aimed at rehabilitating the members of the armed group to normal life. A second round of meetings was held on 5 March this year with the committee at Bethel Para. It was during these peace talks that on 2 April KNF members raided the Sonali Bank branch in Ruma, Bandarban and the next day, 3 April, the Sonali Bank and Krishi Bank branches in Thanchi, making off with Tk 1.7 million (Tk 17 lakh), and 14 firearms including two light machine guns. They abducted Sonali Bank's Ruma branch manager Nizam Uddin though released him later. After these attacks in two upazilas, the law enforcement agencies, including the armed forces, carried out operations against this group.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, KNA's Captain Fleming said, "We have over 5000 members. They include not only Bom, but also Mro, Khiang, Pankua, Lusai and members of all ethnic groups. The Lusai are less in number. A section of the members still live in Bangladesh. But most of the members are out of the country training in different places."

When asked if this training was taking place in Mizoram of India and in Chin of Myanmar, Fleming said, yes, they are outside of Bangladesh.

The mystery concerning Nathan Bom's present whereabouts has not cleared. Police officials of the hilly region and several officers of the security forces could not say anything clearly in this regard.

The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Bolipara battalion commander Lt. Col. Taimur Hasan Khan told Prothom Alo, "Our intelligence agencies surely are keeping tabs on where Nathan is located. But I feel those who came to loot the banks are now all scattered. They are no longer here."

KNF claims that they are over 5000 in number. Lt. Cols Taimur Hasan Khan says, "These are exaggerations, We have already detained several suspicious persons and are carrying out a concerted operation."

Some security analysts feel that Nathan Bom is actually in some European country. Defence analyst Maj. Emdadul Islam (retd), told Prothom Alo, "I think Nathan Bom is in the Netherlands and left this country quite some time back. A Netherlands' international agency would fund Nathan's NGO. They have taken them to their country."

Sources say that though there had been talk of Nathan Bom taking part in the peace talks with the committee formed for the purpose, it has not been possible to bring him for either of the two rounds of talks. The last round of talks was to be held in 22 April, according to sources. But the bank raids took place before that.

Maj. Emdadul Islam (retd) said they failed to bring forward Nathan both the times. After that the peace talks came to a sort of standstill. The bank robbery was staged to put an end to such talks. Videos of the banks raids indicate they were not really after creating much harm. It was just to create a sense of fear. The main objective was to disrupt the peace talks. Emdadul Islam feels Nathan Bom has gone to Europe via Tripura or Kolkata in India or Chin and Yangon in Myanmar. He reasons that KNF was hardly in the limelight before the bank raids. Nathan Bom wasn't being followed either and that is why he could easily slip out to Europe through these routes.

However, sources in India's Border Security Force (BSF) and Assam Rifles, tell Prothom Alo that they think Nathan Bom is in Mizoram.

A BSF sources says, "Our jurisdiction stretches up till 10km from the border. We cannot enter beyond that. So even if Nathan and any armed militant group are there, it is not within our jurisdiction to detain them."

A senior member of the Bom ethnic group told Prothom Alo, "Many of us knew that Nathan would live in Munawun village of Lawngtlai district of Mizoram. This is 25km from the Bangladesh border. But no one can say anything for certain."

Meanwhile, a source in India's Assam Rifles told Prothom Alo, Nathan Bom was in a location 17km away from Mizoram's capital Aizawl. But recently he moved to an area called Thulsi in Saiha district of Mizoram. This is along the border with Myanmar.

This officer feels that Nathan is sheltered there by local Mizo people in Mizoram.