Mizzima News (www.mizzima.com)

Guwahati, 3 January 2004

Indian army chief, General NC Vij, hinted there would be an army operation in Burma to flush out militants the north east India from Burmese soil. However, he refused to give the exact timing of the Burmese operation saying only that a massive operation was on the cards in Burma to dismantle the insurgent camps.

Addressing a press conference yesterday in Guwahati, Assam, the army chief said that the Indian army is now closely connected with the Burmese army to launch an operation in the bordering areas to drive out the insurgents of north east India currently undergoing training in various places.

The Indian government has already submitted a proposal to the Burmese junta
for a joint military operation in Burma. Referring to this proposal, the army chief revealed that the Indian army has been assisting the Burmese army to fight militancy. "We are optimistic that this time the Burmese army would provide all possible assistance to dismantle the ultra's camps,” Vij said. In this context, he said that the Indian army has been providing training to the Burmese army personnel on guerrilla warfare.

In 2001, Burmese army personnel conducted a raid on the camps of the United National Liberation Front (UNLF), one of the leading underground groups in north east India, arresting several of it’s members. But after some time, the Burmese junta released all detainees following an agreement wit the UNLF. Since then, the Indian government has been pursuing the Burmese junta to carry out joint military operations to drive out the militants of the region.

Asked about the possible operation in Burma, Vij said, “it is too premature to make any comment. We have chalked out a strategy to teach a lesson to the ultras.” According to a report by the Indian Home Ministry, there are approximately 500 underground north east Indian insurgents undergoing training in the Tamu, Namphalang and Kachin areas of Burma. The underground groups NSCN-K, ULFA, NDFB, UNLF and MPLF have set strong bases in the bordering areas of Burma.