China helping N-E rebel outfits unite?
The level of violence in trouble-torn north-eastern states may have come down but security agencies are seriously worried about the growing harmony among the separatist outfits of the region operating from Burma and Bangladesh.
Disclosing that the home ministry is aware about these developments, authoritative security sources told this newspaper that the coordination committee of seven major rebel outfits of Manipur was exploring the possibility of investment in Burma to strengthen their presence in Burma.
Pointing out that pressure of security forces was not allowing them to carry out offensives, security sources, however, claimed that the way China was backing them by supplying weapons and facilitating shelter to their leaders, possibility of their revival cannot be ruled out. Security sources asserted that China was also acting as a catalyst in uniting the separatist outfits of the Northeast.
Regretting that China was following the policy of Pakistan to engage India on its north-eastern frontier, security sources said that the two major rebel groups of the region, the NSCN (IM) and the NSCN (K), though in peace mode, are still procuring and supplying arms to rebel groups of the region.
Referring to intelligence reports emanating from the ground, security sources said that growing harmony between the outlawed Ulfa, led by elusive commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah, and the People’s Liberation Army of Manipur is another area of concern.
Sources informed that the idea behind accepting the surrender of about 1,600 cadres of nine fledgling militant outfits in Assam was also aimed at stopping the trade of illegal arms in the region.
Stating that Dimapur in Nagaland has become the hub of arms dealings for the rebel groups of the Northeast, security sources said that offensives of NLFT and ATTF in Tripura have also come down but intelligence reports suggest that they are shifting their bases in Bangladesh closer to the Burma border. Similarly, rebel groups of Meghalaya, the HNLC and the GNLA, are shifting their bases in Bangladesh towards the Tripura border, security sources said.
However, they also said the home ministry was in touch with DGPs in trouble-torn states and keeping them updated about these developments so that necessary steps are taken to foil their attempt to create unrest in the region.
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