Pack up by June 10: Myanmar to NE UG groups
NIA arrests PLA's 'secretary, External Affairs Wing' from Odisha
Source: Hueiyen News Service
New Delhi, May 29 2012:
To shore up its ties with India, Myanmar government has ordered Manipur-based militant outfits to shut their camps and training facilities and leave its soil by June 10.
Quoting intelligence inputs, official sources said the Myanmar Army's order was issued on May 24 -- three days before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh embarked on his visit to the neighbouring country -- and the move is considered as a goodwill gesture from Nay Pyi Taw.
There are 12 to 15 camps of Manipur based insurgent groups like PLA and PREPAK across the Indo-Myanmar border where more than 2,000 armed cadres are taking shelter, they said.
The militants often come to Manipur to carry out subversive activities and leave the state to escape action by security agencies.
The sources said if the Manipur militant groups are forced to close down their camps by the Myanmar Army, it would have significant impact on the security situation in the northeastern state.
Besides, they said, other northeastern militant groups having bases in Myanmar may also have to face the heat of the neighbouring country with improved bilateral relations between the two countries.
Prime Minister Singh will return to New Delhi today after a three-day visit to Myanmar.
Meanwhile, an alleged member of the banned People's Liberation Army (PLA) of Manipur was arrested from Odisha by the NIA which is probing the nexus between Maoists and terror groups of Northeast.
According to official spokesperson of the National Investigation Agency, Asem Ibotombi Singh alias Angou was arrested yesterday with the assistance of Odisha Police in Gopalpur area of Ganjam district, where he was settled and worked as an overground agent for PLA.
Singh is alleged to have been functioning as 'secretary' of the 'External Affairs Wing' of the banned terror outfit.
It was also alleged that PLA had imparted training in handling of fire arms and communication devices to Maoist cadres in Saranda forest on Jharkhand-Odisha border in 2010, the spokesperson said.
On May 23, the NIA had taken custody of Indranil Chanda, an alleged Naxal leader arrested by the West Bengal Police.
According to NIA sources, Indranil was in-charge of Maoist activities in Assam and also a key liaison between the Maoist and Peoples Liberation Army in Manipur.
NIA had filed its charge sheet earlier on May 21, which is the first documentary evidence submitted before a court about nexus between northeast insurgents and Maoists.
The charge sheet was filed before the designated court of NIA in Guwahati against N Dilip Singh, Senjam Dhiren Singh alias Raghu and Arnold Singh under various sections of Unlawful (Activities) Prevention Act.
Dilip, self-styled chief of the 'External Affairs Wing' of PLA, was arrested by Delhi Police, Dhiren was nabbed by Kolkata Police and Arnold was picked up by NIA last month.
The three were charged with imparting training to the cadres of banned CPI (Maoist) and supplying arms and ammunition to them.
The National Investigation Agency had on July 11, 2011 registered a case on the basis of reliable information that PLA has formed alliance with CPI (Maoist) for procuring arms, ammunition and communication devices for Maoists for carrying out terrorist activities.
The investigation indicated that in and around June 2006, the PLA leadership met the top leaders of CPI (Maoist), which followed several other meetings between the two groups in 2006-2008 .
These meetings resulted in establishment of an office of PLA in Kolkata towards the end of 2006 which started coordinating activities of these outfits in procurement of arms and ammunition and communication devices.
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