A little more on Paul’s story, as this seems to be a fairly regional crackdown.
Myanmar has launched a military offensive against Indian separatist bases similar to the crackdown in adjoining Bhutan, Indian officials said Monday. "The offensive by the Myanmarese Army began over the weekend targeting rebel bases belonging to the S.S. Khaplang faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN)," an Indian intelligence official told IANS.
The NSCN (and you have to love the name) is mainly made up of Christian nuts, IIRC. I think that it’s more of a disgruntled tribal group than anything else.
"Details of the operations are not immediately available."
"We dunno what the hell's going on! We can say no more!" |
"The attack on the NSCN camps means other rebel groups staying under their protection would also be targeted by Myanmar," the intelligence official said. Indian intelligence officials say up to 1,000 militants belonging to the outlawed United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) could be staying with NSCN cadres inside Myanmar. There has been no official confirmation on the military offensive from Myanmar and it is not known if the Indian Army is helping in the assaults.
| I think I'd rather have the Bhutan army, was it up to me... |
Fighting is on along the mountainous border that separates India’s Nagaland state from Myanmar’s northern Sagaing region, an area where dozens of separatist groups fighting against New Delhi or Yangon have been active for nearly 40 years.
| 'Nother words, it's in the interests of both parties to clean house... |
"Myanmarese soldiers have attacked several of our camps although we managed to repulse the offensive in many areas," an NSCN (Khaplang) spokesman told journalists on telephone from an undisclosed location.
| ... probably not too comfy close to the fighting. |
"The Myanmarese forces are advancing towards our headquarters where our leader S.S. Khaplang is currently based."
| "Khaplang, we will defend you with our blood!" |
Indian Army chief Gen. N.C. Vij Friday said India was training troops in Myanmar for a possible joint operation against separatist bases.
| That was a quick train, wasn't it? |
"The Myanmarese offensive has been launched at the behest of the Indian Army," the NSCN spokesman claimed. "We have not suffered any casualties in the attacks so far." The NSCN (Khaplang), fighting for an independent tribal homeland in Nagaland, is observing a ceasefire with New Delhi although peace talks with the group are yet to start. The NSCN (K) operates out of Myanmar and is known to provide weapons training and shelter to many of the separatist groups active in India’s northeastern region. "After the military crackdown in Bhutan, the militants are now trying to shift bases to Myanmar and so we have put our security forces on maximum alert along Nagaland’s border with Myanmar," Nagaland Home Minister T. Lotha told IANS on telephone from state capital Kohima. Myanmar in the past has launched several crackdowns on Indian separatist bases although the scale of operations were not massive and lacked the sting. |