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11/08/2011: "Press Release 7th November 2011 Naga Women Union condemns Manipur Force Violence Against Peaceful Protectors"

Press Release

Naga Women Union condemns Manipur Force Violence Against Peaceful Protectors
The Naga Women Union (NWU) denounces the statement of Mr. Y. Joykumar, Director General of Police (DGP), Manipur published in Imphal based news daily http://thesangaiexpress.com/sangai-express-news.php?newsid=10445 and http://www.ifp.co.in/imphalfreepressfullstory.php?newsid=2777&catid=1 encouraging by justifying the brute and violence actions of Manipur Police Commandoes and Indian Reserved Battalion personnel on 5th November 2011 against the peaceful and democratic protestors of Luangmai (Noney) people. The statement is concocted with intension to mislead the general public and to justify the violence, loots and slanderous actions of the Manipur Police Forces. The present Manipur Police Chief has distinctive records of deceiving not only the public but even the Manipur Legislative Assembly in delusion with Mr. Okram Ibobi Sigh, Chief Minister of Manipur. There is a grotesque and brutal history of Manipur police commandoes and police chief making a covered up statement. For instance, Mr. Okram Ibobi Singh made a false and misled statement prepared the Police Department on floor of the Manipur Legislative Assembly during infamous extra judicial killing of Mr. Chongkham Sanjit and Mrs Rabina, 23rd July 2009.
The memory of indiscriminate firing upon peaceful Khumji Naga Village, (an act of declaring war against Zeliangrong Naga Community) on May 28th 2010, inflicting serious injured to three persons by Manipur Police Commandoes is till ringing loud and clear, where the diesel tanker bearing registration number MN01-6458 was trailing behind the rest of 120 trucks/oil tankers being escorted from Jiribam when it turned turtle all by itself while climbing up the slope toward Khumji village. Why the Manipur Police Commandoes should resort indiscriminate firing and tear gas canisters to disperse the innocent villagers who were presence in and around the area as well as in the ground of the village church for diesel tanker turned turtle?
The people of Luangmai and adjoining areas are protesting against the divisive and MoU signed between the Manipur Government Sadar Hill District Demand Committee attempts to segregate the Naga Peoples and its territories under the aegis of United Naga Council. They were protesting by peaceful and democratic means by calling 72 hours general strike from midnight of 3rd- 6th November 2011 in Naga in-habitat districts of Manipur.
On 5th November 2011, the people of Luangmai areas are peacefully and democratically protesting by ensuring general strike. Well armed Manipur Police Commandoes and Indian Reserved Battalion personnel without any provocation arrived on scene and started violence actions by torching one Tata Sumo bearing a registered no. MNO3P 2257 belong to one Ringjuanang of Thingra village. They further proceed to destroyed another vehicle belong to BRTF stationed nearby. Then the people intervened and tried to reason out. In meantime, heavily armed convoys of police re-enforcement arrived and start to fire. The police further proceed to break open many shops, pulled up the occupants, beaten up with riffles buds and pressing with barren tips, etc. They rampantly looted the belongings like Cash, gold, Cloths, Naga Chilly (”Umarok” known among Meetei) and business related important documents. They thrashed and inflict injured aged women, Manipur Government Employee, religious leaders and bystanders, destroyed shops and partial burnt many houses. These is crime against Naga Community (Humanity) and Imphal based news daily too conveniently failed to report the malicious actions of the Manipur police force.
The Naga Women Union expresses total indignation over the police extreme violent behaviour and is in absolute opposition to the used of force to the peaceful protestors and the destruction of the houses & vehicles, looting of goods and belongings and degrading treatment to Luangmai areas. We express our support and solidarity to all victims of Manipur Police Force. The struggle for Naga Peoples will continue and cannot be impeded by such divisive, anti-democratic, unlawful and violent conduct of the Manipur Police Force.
Sd/- Aram Pamei President, NWU.
Solution must be just and honorable: NSCN/GPRN morungexpress
Dimapur, (MExN): For the convenience of administration, the Zeliangrong Region of NSCN/ GPRN has been divided into three region-Makuilongdi Zeliangrong Region, Ashalu Zeliangrong Region and Zailad Zeliangrong Region. Makuilongdi Zeliangrong Region was inaugurated at Tenning by V.Horam , Kilonser, Ministry of Internal Security, NSCN/ GPRN on November 3, a note from the MIP informed.
In his address, V. Horam praised the Zeliangrong people for their contribution towards the “national cause.” He said they are one among the pioneers in the movement that began under the leadership of Haipou Jadonang, whose campaign against the British invasion of Nagalim left foot prints in the pages of Naga history in "golden letters." Horam paid tribute to those who gave their lives for the love of motherland.
Horam pointed out that the creation of Zeliangrong region was necessitated by the huge population and vastness of the area spread out into Assam, Nagaland and Manipur states. He dispelled confusion and doubt, and assured the Zeliangrong people that it is never the intention of the government to either disintegrate the Zeliangrong region as a whole nor is it designed to disturb the solidarity of the people. But it is a sincere effort of the government to devolve more power to Zeliangrong region. Touching on the Indo-Naga political solution Horam said it is on the edge of finalization and NSCN has taken stand that the solution must be based on the "political and historical rights of the Nagas which is just and honorable.”
On the Naga reconciliation issue, he said it is the decision of the NSCN/GPRN not to leave out anyone from the purview of the Indo-Naga solution. For that reason, he said, they have reconciled with Gen. (Retd) Khole led GPRN/NSCN and Brig,(Retd) Singnya led NNC at the highest level meeting facilitated by the Forum for Naga Reconciliation(FNR), and agreed to form “one government” whereby modalities are being discussed. He expressed gratitude to the FNR for their sincere effort in bringing warring groups together and closer towards a common vision. He said all other groups should also listen to the clarion call of the people and fall in line while the best opportunity that prevails, He mentioned that the government also fully acknowledges the Zeliangrong Elders" Forum of Peace Brokers” for initiating peace among the Naga groups operating in Zeliangrong area.
On the issue of Manipur, he minced no words to point out that the communal policies of the Meitei-majority Manipur state government towards the Nagas in particular and the tribal in general should be effectively countered. He said the diabolical move to carve out new districts out of Naga territories such as Jiribam, Sadar Hills and others is a deliberate attempt to pitch one community against the other so as to fish in troubled water.
Guest of honour, MK Winning, Dy. Kilonser Kilo Affairs assured that the cadres under Makuilongdi Zeliangrong shall stand by the principle and constitutional integrity of the NSCN/GPRN to protect and defend the people and the cause.
Committee against creation of Sadar Hills district formed Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, November 05 2011: A committee christened as 'Committee Against the Creation of Sadar Hills District' has been reportedly constituted unanimously during a public meeting convened by Zeliangrong Union (Assam, Manipur & Nagaland), ZU (AMN) yesterday.

According to a statement issued by General Secretary of ZU (AMN) K Poushinglung, as decided in the public meeting, the Committee has also been entrusted to organise a public rally at Imphal at the earliest as initial step of protest.

Furthermore, the Committee has been entrusted to organise various democratic protest and agitation to oppose creation of Sadar Hills district until the aspiration of the Zeliangrong people in particular and other affected communities in general is attained.
Hijacking of Democracy morungexpress
The present NPF led government in Nagaland has still not come out with any official statement with regard to several important issues demanding attention. One of them is obviously the implementation of 33% reservation for women in Urban Local Bodies (ULB) in Nagaland. Despite passing a law to this effect in the Nagaland Legislative Assembly, the Neiphiu Rio government has been unable to fulfill its own commitment. No doubt the government has been confronted by the male dominated tribal bodies, a majority of whom are against the 33% reservation for our womenfolk. Now the recent judgment of the Kohima Bench of Gauhati High Court directing Nagaland Government to conduct the long-due election to the municipal and town councils before January 20, 2012, along with 33% reservation of seats for women, has left the Rio government in a fix. As rightly mentioned in a report carried in this newspaper, the implementation of women quota in the coming municipal elections will prove to be a herculean task taking into accounts the technicalities and modalities to be involved in a first time exercise. However we have a State Election Commission (SEC), which should get on with the preparation for the smooth conduct of municipal elections as directed by the court. Hopefully, the SEC will act without fear or favour so that the independence of the Office is protected. As far as the Kohima bench of Gauhati High Court quashing the state cabinet’s decision of indefinite postponement of municipal council and town council elections in Nagaland which were due in January/February 2010, the judiciary has done the right thing.
Strange as it may sound, but the present government have been giving one pretext or the other in order to delay elections to urban local bodies. The opposition to women reservation, Naga political issue, census etc has been some of the arguments put forth by the government to delay the inevitable i.e. to conduct the democratic exercise of elections. And since the question of Advisors appointed by the present political dispensation has now come into the public domain, it is only fitting that we comment on this as it is of public importance. All of us will be aware of the fact that the NPF had strongly opposed the proclamation of President’s Rule in the State ahead of the last Assembly Elections. Massive protest rallies were held to condemn the role of the Nagaland Congress and the decision to dismiss a democratically elected government and imposition of Central rule on the eve of Assembly polls. So as is the case during President’s rule, the Governor of the State rules the State through the bureaucracy. So what is happening in Nagaland at present with the urban local bodies is also similar to imposition of direct (undemocratic) rule. The only difference being that it is the ruling State government which will administer the ULBs through the Governor and through the appointment of Advisors who are handpicked at the discretion of the ruling political dispensation. It is another matter whether it is better to have democratically elected councilors or political appointees to run our municipal councils. But the fact of the matter is that the NPF government despite its own opposition to President’s Rule has now imposed its rule over the ULBs. This is a contradiction in principle which the NPF can well avoid given its past stand against hijacking of democracy by the Nagaland Congress.
Kyong Rejoice in midst of Hopes for the Future Al Ngullie Morungexpress

Men folk of Lotha community dance during the Tokhu Emong, a post harvest festival of the Lotha tribe at Dimapur, on November 7. The post harvest festival celebrated by the Lotha Naga invokes the blessing of god for an abundant harvest and mark the end of harvesting of crops. (Photo/Caisii Mao)

The Kyong community of Dimapur today celebrated the gift of life, of harvest and all blessings in being a brotherhood, a community and a people and sharing in retrospection of who they as a people can give more to the progress of the state and the peoples they are a part of.
Thousands from the Kyong Naga tribe thronged a sun-drenched ‘state stadium’ in Dimapur October 7 to make merry in ‘Tokhu Emong,’ the principal festival of the community, where Chief Minister of Nagaland Neiphu Rio was the chief guest.
Among others in attendance was Minister for Forest MC Konyak, Minister for Agriculture Dr. Chumben Murry and Minister for Soil & Water Conservation P Longon and President of Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee SI Jamir, parliamentary secretaries and members of Nagaland Legislative Assembly and senior state government officials.
‘Tokhu Emong’ is primarily a feast of harvest to mark the conclusion of activities of the community in a year and commemorative of welcome for the New Year ahead. Interestingly, the festival also coincided with the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the Lotha Hoho of Dimapur. The Kyong ‘hoho’ was the first tribal organization formed in Dimapur, said Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio.
Stating that the Kyong Naga is one of the leading Naga tribes, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio urged the community to promote and forest peace amongst the people and in the state. “You need to foster peace if you want to celebrate festivals.’
The chief minister acknowledged the Kyong Nagas as one of the ‘leading’ Naga tribes. ‘You have the highest literacy rates and per capita income and promote the society; let us have peace so we can continue to celebrate more festivals in the land of festivals,” Neiphiu Rio said
“Let this celebrate ignite more enthusiasm in the years to come; ignite enthusiasm to harvest even more,” chief minister Neiphiu Rio told the community. ‘Yours is a land of plenty; you have oil deposits; hydro potential; you have more and have even more.”
As is a tradition, community revelry highlighted the event. Cultural groups from various sections of the city’s Kyong populace sang and danced to celebrate the harvest of the year; dedicating hopes for the New Year; felicitations for the community’s pioneers leaders and citizens.
The community also shared in retrospection over the progress the Kyong Naga community has made over the decades in the field of economy, politics and society and in the recent times, their role and place in the larger aspirations of Nagaland and the Nagas.
“Culture is a resource; some of the values of tradition have to be discarded; some of the traditions have to be valued,” Minister for Agriculture Dr. Chumben Murry told the gathered mass. “As we celebrate 50 years and Tokhu Emong, the question now is: where are we going to be in (year) 2036; what legacy would we have left for our people and society in the next 50 years?”
The theme of unity and sense of brotherhood with one and all characterized the appeal of the Kyong leaders who spoke during the main function. Parliamentary Secretary for Border Affairs Yanthungo Patton challenged the community to use unity as good, productive and enriching ‘weapon’ to build the community. Addressing the people in Kyong, the parliamentary secretary appealed to the tribe to keep reminded that peaceful existence with one and neighbor, tribe and community is itself strength. This strength would take the tribe forward, and in the process take the state and peoples ahead.
Zeliangrong land shrinking : ZUF Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network
Imphal, November 07 2011: " The Zeliangrong land is shrinking day by day because of the uproars in the NC Hills (Haflong) in Assam caused by the Dimasas, Itangki forest in Nagaland by the Semas and the present tense situation in Manipur over the creation of Sadar Hills district", said the militant outfit Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF) on Monday.

The ZUF always stands to protect the Zeliangrong land, its people, and resources and uplift its culture, said joint secretary of the group A Remroi Inpui.

"Zeliangrong people are peace loving by nature and they are living together with other neighboring communities since time immemorial," the ZUF said.

"The NSCN-IM is chasing and hunting after ZUF instead of protecting the Zeliangrong land and its people," Ramroi lamented.

"What is the NSCN-IM doing in the Zeliangrong land? Are they protecting the land or instigating bloodshed and inciting violence among the Nagas", questioned Remroi and asked the group to response if it is really fighting for the Nagas as a whole.

He also asked the general public of Zeliangrong Inpui, Chiru and other minorities to try to understand the real image of the NSCN-IM which is practising 'divide and rule policy' in the name of fighting for Naga sovereignty.

The militant leader urged every good citizen of Zeliangrong, Inpui, Chiru and other minority people living in Assam, Manipur and Nagaland to speak out the truth and stand firmly to protect their land.

He said ZUF condemns the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the state Government of Manipur and Sadar Hills Districthood Demand Committee (SHDDC) on October 31 on the formation of Sadar Hills district without the consent of the indigenous Zeliangrong people.

The group will not remain as a silent spectator in this regard but it will stand protecting the land so that even an inch of it is not carved out in the process, he added.

Remroi also stated clearly that ZUF wants to co-exist among different communities in peace and harmony and appealed to all concerned not to intrude other's ancestral territory so as to avoid turmoil.
National Advisory Council Working Group on Dalit Issues
Draft Recommendations on Reforming Scheduled Castes Sub-Plan
Approach Paper to the 12th Plan states that “An important initiative in closing the gap between the SCs/STs and the rest is the concept of Special Component Plan, consisting of the Scheduled Castes Sub‐Plan and the Tribal Sub‐Plan. This strategy purports to direct plan resources towards meeting their needs in proportion to their share in the total population. Its implementation, however, has been deficient both in the States, and the Centre. A new system must be devised for the Twelfth Plan which can overcome the difficulties experienced in the past and ensure that the sub‐Plans are implemented in letter and spirit”.
In order to achieve this objective, the Working Group on Dalit Issues in the NAC recommends that planning and implementation of Scheduled Castes Sub-Plan needs to be reformed so as to realize the objective of bridging the gaps on development indicators, between SCs and the rest of the population, in a time-bound manner.
The Key Principles:
The key principles of reform agenda are:
(i) A proportion of the total Plan outlays of Centre and States, equivalent to the proportion of Scheduled Castes in the population at national and state level, should be set apart as Scheduled Caste Sub Plan (SCSP), before the Plan outlays are allocated to the Ministries/Departments by the Planning Commission in the Centre or Planning Department in the States. The SCSP set apart as above is not meant to be parked with any Ministry, but needs to be allocated to the Ministries/Departments for implementing such schemes which are directly benefitting SC individuals, households or SC localities. The allocation to the Ministries/Departments which are already implementing such schemes shall be protected and if need be, augmented if they have high potential to bridge the development gaps of Scheduled Castes. The practice of showing notional outflows by Ministries/Departments to account for SCSP shall be discontinued.

(ii) There is a need for well- designed, dedicated institutional set-up at Centre and State level, which shall allocate SCSP funds to the Ministries/Departments, duly taking into considerations the development needs of SCs, so that Ministries/Departments can show clearly the schemes for development of SCs separately under a separate budget minor head.

(iii) The Institutional set-up referred to above will also be responsible for approvals and issue of sanctions and effective implementation and monitoring of SCSP.


(iv) SCSP funds should be deployed to implement schemes with a clear objective of bridging the gap in socio-economic development of SCs with particular focus on education, income generation and access to basic amenities in SC localities in the country.

(v) Following Schemes may be accorded highest priority in the 12th Plan period:

a. Two residential schools – one for boys and one for girls – to be set up in each block in rural areas and similar schools for boys and girls in urban areas per 1 lakh population.
b. Pre-matric and post matric scholarships schemes of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment need to be reformed to extend support to all students belonging to scheduled caste, except those excluded based on well defined criteria. The quantum of support should enable the students to access quality education either in public or private sector.
c. Schemes to secure greater access of Schedules castes to irrigated land, promotion of self employment schemes, and enterprise development.
d. Basic amenities conforming to certain quality norms should be provided to all SC localities.

(vi) SCSP funds to be made non-lapsable and non-divertible

(vii) SCSP funds can be channelized only to such schemes where tangible benefits accrue to scheduled castes individuals or households or groups or localities.

(viii) Schemes taken up under SCSP should be closely monitored and the information should be hosted in public domain so as to enable anyone to track every scheme, every household and every rupee spent under the scheme. Social auditing of the schemes should also be facilitated.

(ix) A Central legislation for the SCSP should be enacted along the lines mentioned above.

(x) The original name, viz., “Special Component Plan for Scheduled Castes” (SCSP), which was in vogue from 1978 till 2006 should be restored.
ULFA`s Talkers In Assam Vs Stalkers In Burma Imphal Free Press By Anil Bhat
The “pro-talks” faction of the United Liberation Front of Asom ULFA came to New Delhi on August 5 to hold talks with Home Minister P Chidambaram. Led by ‘chairman’ Arabinda Rajkhowa the team included `vice chairman` Pradip Gogoi, `deputy-commander-in-chief` Raju Baruah, `foreign secretary` Sasadhar Choudhury, `finance secretary` Chitrabon Hazarika, `cultural secretary` Pranati Deka, `publicity secretary` Mithinga Daimary and political ideologue Bhimkanta Buragohain. They presented a charter of demands to the Govt., which according to sources include a special constitutional status for Assam and control over local resources.
Before leaving for Delhi, Rajkhowa told reporters at the Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International airport, Guwahati, “We have prepared a charter of demands, which we finalised in our recent meeting in Nalbari. The charter does not include the call for sovereignty.” Sounding confident of a positive outcome of the talks he then piped up with “Anup Chetia should be brought back to India so that he can take part in the talks,” Chetia, aka Golap Barua, is a cousin of Paresh Baruah, whose views against talks have been repeatedly reported. While Paresh Baruah leading the anti-talk faction has so far opposed any negotiation with the government, saying “There cannot be any dialogue until the government agrees to discuss ULFA`s demand for a sovereign Assam”, Rajkhowa reportedly claims, “So far Paresh Baruah has not opposed the peace process and we hope that he will come and participate in the talks.” This, as brought out earlier in tis newspaper, only means that the two are most likely in touch.
On Chetia’s extradition, Bangladesh Home Minister Sahara Khatun said,
“I don`t think there is any obstacle in handing him (Chetia) over to India … but definitely, there are procedures in extraditing someone who is in jail,”
On 08 September 2011, Parseh Baruah was reported to be been injured in a shoot out with Myanmar army in the north west jungles of Burma, while he was with a group of Manipur’s Peoples’ Liberation Army (PLA) terrorists also hiding there. In an email sent on 08 September 2011, Paresh Baruah claimed that Myanmar army had targeted the joint base of several militant groups from the northeast with `direct help from Indian government`, including heavy armaments and other military hardware.
Appealing to the people of Assam to extend support to the outfit, the e-mail also claimed that the Indian government has been pursuing all its neighbours to flush out Ulfa militants from their territories. “In 2003 it was Bhutan, which got Rs 1000 crore aid from India in reciprocation. Then came Bangladesh where India has pledged a loan of 1 billion US dollars. We have information that New Delhi has given an aid of Rs 2000 crore to Myanmar,” Baruah is reported to have said adding that it wanted to wipe out ULFA so that it could continue to exploit the rich natural resources of Assam without any obstruction.
Meanwhile, in a press release issued by the publicity in charge of the ULFA’s hardliner group, Arunodoi Dohotiya said that the Government of India paid substantial amounts of money to the neighbouring countries to launch attack on the ULFA’s bases. This release stated that the Government of India gave financial assistance of Rs 20,000 crore (as against Rs. 2000 crore mentioned earlier) to Myanmar along with weapons to take action against the “revolutionary groups” and that it also promised Rs 100 crore more if Paresh Baruah can be killed within September, the ULFA alleged. Paresh Barua has also interestingly commented that India is “trying to please Bangladesh with a border land swap deal’ to get custody of the insurgent group’s general secretary Anup Chetia…Bangladesh is trying to hand over Chetia against his wish and India is going overboard to please the neighboring country by signing the land swap deal in return,” Barua also criticised Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi for not protesting the proposed land agreement, which would allegedly “alter the geographical map of the Indian state…India is quite aware that the land swap deal would alter the map of Assam and this fact is well known to Tarun Gogoi. But instead of opposing the move, he is accompanying Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to witness the signing of the agreement,” Barua said and urged Gogoi to keep himself away from being a party to the “conspiracy” of land exchange and also asked people to protest against this move.
This is indeed ironic as Baruah heading the undivided ULFA while he was ensconced in Bangladesh for almost two decades helped the process of demographical change in eight districts of Assam, by catalyzing the illegal influx and ensuring that the illegal entrants get settled. Barua was known to be enjoying the patronage of the previous Bangladesh Nationalist Party government in Bangladesh, had to face reverses and was forced to flee during a clampdown on Indian militants by Bangladesh authorities after Awami League returned to power. Apart from his many criminal and anti-India rackets and activities, he is one of the co-accused in smuggling 10 truckloads of arms and ammunition to Bangladesh, which were seized from a jetty of Chittagong Urea Fertiliser Ltd (CUFL) in the port city on April 2, 2004. The weapons, reportedly meant for terroristss in the northeast, were allegedly ordered by Barua.
Since the past almost two years Baruah, along with the PLA and National Socialist Council of Nagaland/Nagalim – Issac Muivah faction, are involved in acquiring arms and ammunition from China to supply to the Naxal-Maoists However, as far as Burmese Army’s operation against Indian insurgent-terrorist groups hiding in the Taga region of Burma, authoritative home ministry sources told this newspaper that it was an eyewash conducted after tip-offs to Indian insurgent-terrorist leaders about their proposed operation. Burmese Army had reportedly informed these groups at least a week before the operation, that they were entering Taga region on September 6-7. The sources also referred to a press statement emailed by Ulfa on September 7, in which the outfit claimed that the Burmese Army had launched an offensive against them in the morning, whereas it reached Taga area only on 7th evening. Security agencies keeping a close watch over developments in the border area had corroborating intercepts that there was no Burmese Army activity in Taga area till 3.30 pm on 7 September.
The security sources said they suspect the Burmese Army colludes with Indian insurgent leaders and that they have wireless communications intercepts indicating that the rebels had shifted to new locations a day before the Burmese Army fired on deserted camps. The sources said the Burmese Army routinely carries out cosmetic operations before thrice-a-year bilateral meetings with India and then claims to have cleaned up territory occupied by Indian insurgents.
Apart from Operation Golden Bird conducted in 1995, when 40 terrorists were reportedly killed and about 200 captured, quite often in past years Myanmar army has made a show of launching operations without actually doing any damage to the groups camping there.
India has a 1,630 km border with Burma. Insurgent groups such as the United National Liberation Front (UNLF), the People’s Liberation Army, and Naga and Kuki forces are active in four border states—Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram.
Trafficking of drugs and guns is carried out by Burmese Kachin, Wa and Shan armed ethnic groups and by Chins in western Burma. They had reportedly also also smuggled forged Indian currency into India.
Lt Gen NK Singh, former GOC of the Corps headquartered at Dimapur is reported to have stated to media some time in 2009: “There have been quite a few seizures of small arms and drugs in recent months. Most of those involved were Chins, who have the advantage of looking like the Mizos of Mizoram and speaking a similar language.”
Min Tang, a member of the Chin National Council in India’s Mizoram State, had reportedly said about 1,000 UNLF members lived on the Burmese side of the border. He said they traded heroin and Chinese-made weapons with the Chin—and he accused Burmese officials of accepting bribes to allow the trade to continue. In Manipur UNLF and other groups have often in the past made great shows of burning heaps of lower variety of drugs to project themselves as principled insurgents against anti-social activities etc.
Indian attempts to stem the trade and curb the insurgent groups have so far met with little success. Since 1993, the Indian government has developed a closer relationship with the Burmese junta, engaging in increased trade and providing it with military hardware. The Burmese government has agreed to support Indian attempts to combat the insurgent groups and their illegal trading, but says it is difficult to access border areas because of poor roads. The National Investigation Agency and Intelligence Bureau had made good gains and progress in the recent past by apprehending UNLF boss man RK Meghen and NSCN-IM’s key China link-man Antony Shimray. Capturing Paresh Baruah, will be lead to a large amount of information about many of ULFA’s “businesses” and anti-India operations.