Guwahati, Oct. 10: The pro-democracy uprising in Myanmar has made life a little easier for militants of the Northeast hiding in that country and a lot tougher for a security establishment that was banking on the junta to shunt them out.
A team of officials from central intelligence agencies will visit Myanmar to convince the army regime about the need to keep the heat on militant groups operating from that country.
Militant groups like the Khaplang faction of the NSCN are getting a respite from military operations across the Indo-Myanmar border because of the junta’s preoccupation with muzzling pro-democracy voices in that country.
A senior member of the Naga militant group confirmed that pressure from the military, which had peaked in the first half of the year, had slackened after violence on the streets of Yangon.
“The military movement that was noticeable in the early part of this year has not been seen of late. But we are not taking any chances,” the deputy kilonser (minister) of the NSCN (K)’s information and publicity wing, P. Tikhak, said from his hideout somewhere along the Indo-Myanmar border.
Ulfa is known to share camps with the NSCN and Myanmar could become its strongest base after Bang-ladesh, replacing Bhutan.
Officers of the army and paramilitary forces deployed in the region said there was no doubt that the Myanmarese military establishment had dropped its guard in the areas bordering India, which is exactly where several militant groups of the Northeast have their bases.
The junta had attacked these camps, including the council headquarters of the NSCN (K), last year and in 2005 too.
There was a massive build-up of troops in the Naga-inhabited areas north of the mountainous Sagaing division this year, but the units were recalled from the area recently, sources said.
“Recent developments in our neighbouring country have been a source of worry for us. Myanmar has been one of our more co-operative neighbours in taking action against militants. The preoccupation of that country with its domestic problems is a big disadvantage for us,” an army officer said.
Myanmar had been targeting militants of the Northeast not just for India’s sake but its own, too.
“The NSCN (K) has been fighting for a separate homeland for the Nagas of Myanmar, so it is in the junta’s interest to keep the group in check,” the army officer said.
The army recently told Delhi that it could crush Ulfa within a few months if it were allowed to continue counter-insurgency operations without political interference.
Source: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1071011/asp/northeast/story_8421771.asp
A team of officials from central intelligence agencies will visit Myanmar to convince the army regime about the need to keep the heat on militant groups operating from that country.
Militant groups like the Khaplang faction of the NSCN are getting a respite from military operations across the Indo-Myanmar border because of the junta’s preoccupation with muzzling pro-democracy voices in that country.
A senior member of the Naga militant group confirmed that pressure from the military, which had peaked in the first half of the year, had slackened after violence on the streets of Yangon.
“The military movement that was noticeable in the early part of this year has not been seen of late. But we are not taking any chances,” the deputy kilonser (minister) of the NSCN (K)’s information and publicity wing, P. Tikhak, said from his hideout somewhere along the Indo-Myanmar border.
Ulfa is known to share camps with the NSCN and Myanmar could become its strongest base after Bang-ladesh, replacing Bhutan.
Officers of the army and paramilitary forces deployed in the region said there was no doubt that the Myanmarese military establishment had dropped its guard in the areas bordering India, which is exactly where several militant groups of the Northeast have their bases.
The junta had attacked these camps, including the council headquarters of the NSCN (K), last year and in 2005 too.
There was a massive build-up of troops in the Naga-inhabited areas north of the mountainous Sagaing division this year, but the units were recalled from the area recently, sources said.
“Recent developments in our neighbouring country have been a source of worry for us. Myanmar has been one of our more co-operative neighbours in taking action against militants. The preoccupation of that country with its domestic problems is a big disadvantage for us,” an army officer said.
Myanmar had been targeting militants of the Northeast not just for India’s sake but its own, too.
“The NSCN (K) has been fighting for a separate homeland for the Nagas of Myanmar, so it is in the junta’s interest to keep the group in check,” the army officer said.
The army recently told Delhi that it could crush Ulfa within a few months if it were allowed to continue counter-insurgency operations without political interference.
Source: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1071011/asp/northeast/story_8421771.asp
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