New Delhi, December 21, 2006: India wants Myanmar to mount flush-out operations against militants holed up in the country ahead of Manipur polls, scheduled to be held early next year. India reiterated its plea for a coordinated operations against the insurgents operating out of the country. India’s sense of urgency was on account of the forthcoming Assembly elections in Manipur. India fears that Myanmar-based insurgents might try to disrupt the Assembly polls.
At a meeting between the Home Minister of Myanmar, Major General Maung Oo and Union Home Minister, Shivraj Patil, various issues of mutual interest and concern to India and Myanmar including those relating to security, drug trafficking and effective border management were discussed here today, official sources said here.
Both the sides assured full co-operation with each other in this regard. Patil assured the visiting dignitaries of all possible assistance in the field of training and capacity building of the Myanmar.
While India had in the past requested the Myanmar Government to target the NSCN (K) and ULFA camps in Sagain Province across Arunachal Pradesh, this time, the focus has shifted to areas across Sajik Tampak area in Manipur.
In 2004, just ahead of the Parliamentary elections, the Indian Army in coordination with the Myanmar Army had launched a massive crackdown along the India-Myanmar border in the remote Chandel district which was the hot bed of activities of four major outfits including PLA, PREPAK and UNLF, besides KCP
Armed militants numbering over 3000 had laid seize of the Outer Manipur Lok Sabha constituency, targeting political parties and working letting loose a reign of terror. The militants had called for a poll boycott.
Meanwhile, India has gone all out to woo the visiting four-member Myamarese delegation led by Major General Maung Oo. The delegation has been taken on a tour of the country and they were taken on a tour of IT centre in South India.
The delegation, which is here on an invitation of the Union Home Minister visited Bangalore and Hyderabad. The delegation was also taken to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) at Bangalore and the National Police Academy and the software development facility of a leading firm at Hyderabad.
Once in Delhi, Major General Maung Oo was also taken on a tour of a Compact Disc Manufacturing Unit at Greater Noida, near here. Myanmar Home Minister also extended invitation to Patil to visit Myanmar at his earliest convenience, sources said.
As reported earlier, India had agreed to supply Myanmar with all the military hardware it had sought from India. Mynmar wanted India to supply light weapons, artillery and advanced light helicopters among things.
India and Myanmar today arrived at a broad understanding to set up intelligence network at national and field levels. Both the countries also decided to set up local units and police liaison posts at international borders.
Source: Assam Tribune
