Manipur extremist groups feeling heat of Myanmar’s civil war heat after ambush of pro-junta militia
The Hindu
Ambush on a pro-junta group in December underlines the change in attitude of Myanmar locals to Manipur’s Valley-Based Insurgent Groups, officials said
Extremist groups of Manipur operating from their hideouts across the international border are increasingly feeling the heat of the civil war in adjoining Myanmar.
Officials of the security forces manning the 1,643 km India-Myanmar border said the once-tolerant locals have been turning on the members of Manipur’s extremist groups, specifically the Valley-Based Insurgent Groups (VBIGs) over the past few months.
VBIGs is a term for groups comprising people from Manipur’s Imphal Valley. Six of these groups, including the Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup and the Revolutionary People’s Front (RPF), often operate under the Coordination Committee.
The pressure on the VBIGs is learnt to have increased since December 28, 2022, when three pro-democracy groups joined hands to ambush and kill seven members of the Shanni Nationalities Army (Red), a Burmese militia aligned with the Myanmar Army. The ambush happened between Myothit and Mintha on the Indo-Myanmar Friendship Road that India’s Border Roads Organisation built more than a decade ago.
The VBIGs, virtually driven out of Manipur after intensified counter-insurgency operations, have reportedly been fighting alongside the Myanmar Army as a quid pro quo arrangement for using the country as a hitherto safe haven.
The three pro-democracy outfits that carried out the ambush are the 1 Battalion of the People’s Democratic Force of the Tamu region near Manipur’s border town Moreh, the Kuki National Army (Burma) and the little-known Kabaw Chin National Defence Force.
These groups mostly comprise the communities belonging to the Kuki-Chin ethnic group. The Kuki-Chin people live on either side of the India-Myanmar border.
As Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N. Chandrababu Naidu is all set to take oath as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh for the fourth time, at Kesarapalle IT Park located near Vijayawada on June 12 (Wednesday), arrangements are underway for a live telecast of the ceremony at eleven places across the Nellore district.
Governor S. Abdul Nazeer has invited the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), which is part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), to form the government in the State. The swearing-in ceremony will be held at Kesarapalle near here on June 12 (Wednesday). Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a host of national leaders will take part in the event
Ambassador of Finland to India Kimmo Lähdevirta on Tuesday said Finnish companies “face issues” in Tamil Nadu due to regulations that prevent their participation in tendering processes. Interacting with senior journalists of The Hindu at its head office in Chennai, he said certain regulations imposed by the State government were limiting.