Nirmalya Banerjee, TNN | Nov 19, 2011, 02.58AM IST
KOLKATA:
A plan by CPI(Maoist) to use its connections with Peoples Liberation Army (PLA)
of Manipur to get sanctuary in Myanmar has come to naught because of
reservations of the rebel leaders from the northeast, according to an
Imphal-based defence source. PLA activists in Manipur have revealed this to
security forces, he says.
According
to the source, CPI(Maoist) leaders had requested PLA to arrange this shelter in
the middle of the current year, soon after the Maoists started feeling the heat
of stepped-up pressure of joint operations against Maoists in Chhattisgarh,
Jharkhand as well as West Bengal.
Leaders
of National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang), the "guardians"
of assorted rebel groups from northeast India sheltered in Myanmar, did not
favour this idea, security forces have learnt.
NSCN
(K) leaders have reasoned that the presence of Maoists in Myanmar would be
revealed in no time because the features of CPI(Maoist) members would not match
with that of members of northeastern rebel groups taking shelter there.
They
fear that if the Indian authorities learn of the presence of Maoists in
hideouts of northeastern rebels in Myanmar, they would put pressure on the
authorities in Myanmar to launch an offensive against camps of NSCN(K) and
other northeastern rebels there. Otherwise, the presence of NSCN(K) camps in
Myanmar is not a big threat as NSCN(K) has signed a ceasefire agreement with
the Centre.
A
large NSCN(K) camp is located at Taga in Myanmar where members of a number of
other rebel groups from the northeast, like United Liberation Front of Asom and
PLA, have also taken shelter. NSCN(K) chairman S S Khaplang, being a Myanmarese
Naga himself, wields more influence there than leaders of other rebel groups.
It
may be recalled that two PLA leaders arrested in Delhi in October this year
revealed to the police that CPI(Maoist) leaders were wanted to joint training
camps with PLA in Myanmar. Earlier, in October 2008, leaders of CPI(Maoist) and
of Revolutionary eoples Front, political wing of PLA, had signed an understanding
for mutual co-operation and issued a joint declaration.
Militant
groups of the northeast enjoy the advantage of crossing the international
border easily and take shelter in foreign soil when they find the pressure of
operations by security forces too much. Maoists operating in places far from
any international border find it difficult to secure such sanctuaries. Links
with rebel groups of the northeast would help Maoists to secure sanctuaries as
well as arms and ammunition, say sources.
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