NE CMs want crackdown on rebels in Bangla, Myanmar

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

Aizawl, Sep 17: Northeast chief ministers are desperately seeking the Union government to put pressure on Myammar and Bangladesh governments to flush out anti-Indian rebels from their lands so that current trading among the South Asian countries through Northeast corridor grows further.

Terming the "internal security" meeting between the chief ministers of Indian states and Prime Minister Dr Monmohan Singh as progressive, Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga and his Tripura counterpart Manik Sarkar demanded intensifying policing against the corss border militancy along the two neighbouring countries.

In fact the chief ministers of Northeast wanted to have conducive atmosphere in their respective states to boost trading and industrialisation.

Highly placed sources here said, the NE chief ministers in the meeting had made a concerted effort to convince New Delhi about the importance to put pressure on Myanmar and Bangaladesh to launch operation against anti-Indian militants in their countries. They also wanted India forwarded a strong note to Myanmar during home secretary level talks in Delhi on boundary dispute issues two days ago.

Mizoram's home department asserted that it has taken steps to prevent cross border crimes, including drug trafficking, arms smuggling and to upgrade substantially bilateral cooperation with Myanmar. The administration has moved to identify the illegal foreign settlers in Mizoram besides intensifying close watch on all entry and exit points of Myanmar border, sources added.

According to Mizoram and Tripura chief ministers, a large number of NE militants including ULFA, NLFT and ATTF have been operating from Bangladesh since long.

Mr Sarkar pointed out that some 52 hideouts of Tripura militants were active in Bangladesh territory. "Despite many efforts from our part, Bangladesh is reluctant of taking action against the anti-Indian militants, which virtually threatened the security of our country at large", Mr Sarkar stated in the meeting.

He requested the prime minister to formulate a comprehensive strategy on diplomatic level to ensure Bangladesh's support against the NE miltants as well as completion of fencing along the border of Tripura with Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, intellegence sources here said Myanmar has declined the presence of Indian insurgents on its territory but promised to look into it. Myanmar, however, refused to elaborate on the question of a Bhutan like crackdown on the militants in 2003 or a joint operation on Indian rebels in its land.

The Indian authorities have also asked their Myanmar counterpart to maintain peace at the border where the atmosphere is often vitiated peace to unmarked boundaries running through rugged mountain terrains, sources added.

India shares about 1,643 km border with Myanmar and Arunachal Pradesh alone accounts for 520km followed by Mizoram 510 km. Manipur shares 398 km of its boundary with Myanmar and Nagaland another 258 km. India's home ministry expressed willingness to share intelligence inputs to prevent drug and arms trafficking from across the border apart from strengthening of cooperation in tackling the activities of arms smugglers, drug peddlers and other disruptive elements along the border.

UNI

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