After failing to establish their stronghold in the Northeastern region, nine major militant outfits have formed ‘United National Liberation Front of West South East Asia’ in Myanmar.
According to reports, the outfits include NSCN (Khaplang), Paresh Baruah faction of ULFA and Songbijit faction of NDFB.
The new unified front also includes KCP, KYKL, PRPK, PLA and UNLF.
Minister of State for Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, said militancy has no place in the Northeast and everyone should contribute for peace and prosperity of the region.
“We are trying to do whatever possible for Northeast and we need the support of the people of Northeast and state governments. Even those who are involved in underground activities should also come out and participate. After all the Northeast needs to develop like the rest of the country. We cannot be known as a place where only terrorism flourishes. We should be an area where there is peace and we want to be prosperous,” said Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs.
However, experts blame China for encouraging these militant outfits to regroup. China is also supplying weapons to these groups though the China-Myanmar border.
S S Khaplang and Paresh Baruah are suspected to be based in Myanmar.
“I have somehow got the feeling that China could be behind the initiative because China has always been telling these groups that if you want some kind of assistance from us, you better form some kind of an umbrella grouping and come together; don’t come one by one. And it is a well known fact that many top leaders from many of these groups that are part of this UNLFW have taken shelter in China and this can’t happen without the knowledge of the Chinese government. The Chinese government has a deliberate policy now to support these insurgent groups, not because China wants to escalate violence in Northeast but because they want to retain control over Myanmar,” said Rajeev Bhattacharyya, senior journalist.
The Northeast region has suffered because of prolonged insurgency.
For the last few years, there has been a decline in the violence and people have chosen the path of peace and development. (ANI)