By Veronica Khangchian
According to a May 30, 2012, report, the Myanmar Government has ordered insurgent groups operating in India’s Northeast like the Manipur-based insurgent groups such as the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK), to shut down their camps and training facilities and leave Myanmar by June 10, 2012. Sources in the Indian Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA) added, in New Delhi, that the Myanmar Army’s order was issued on May 24, 2012. There are an estimated 12 to 15 insurgent camps of these groups across the Indo-Myanmar border, where over 2,000 armed cadres take shelter. The militants make frequent forays into Manipur to carry out subversive activities and attacks, and cross back into Myanmar to escape action by Indian security agencies. Government officials in India are hopeful of the Myanmar Army sending a similar message to other North-eastern militant groups in the near future.
Meanwhile, on May 31, 2012, India sought the custody of militants from its Northeast, in case they were captured in Myanmar. Union Home Minister (UHM) P. Chidambaram stated, “Our concerns are two-fold. First, we don’t want any part of Myanmar territory to be used as camps by the insurgent groups. Secondly, if the Government of Myanmar manages to apprehend any of the leaders, we would like them to hand (them) over to India”.
Significantly, Indian Prime Minister (PM) Manmohan Singh made a three-day visit (May 27-29, 2012) to Myanmar, to become the first PM, since Rajiv Gandhi to visit the country since December 1987. On May 29, 2012, Manmohan Singh indicated that India and Myanmar were likely to carry out joint operations in order to flush out Indian militants operating from Myanmar, and added that Myanmar had sought information from India on the insurgents groups hiding out there. According to PM Singh, “Myanmar President Thein Sein has assured (us) that no Indian militant outfit will be allowed to hide and operate from Myanmar soil. Myanmar has given us a green signal to carry out operations against insurgent outfits hiding along the Indo-Myanmar border, while Myanmar will also carry out similar operations from their side.” During the meeting both the countries asserted that they would work out a joint strategy to tackle terrorism and insurgency. They also emphasized the need for enhanced cooperation between Security Forces (SFs) and border guarding agencies, in order to secure peace, security and stability in the border areas.
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