‘China given evidence of its aid to NE insurgents’

India has given China evidence — on several occasions — of its involvement in aiding insurgency movements in India’s northeast, government officials have told HT.

“There was evidence that insurgents from India’s northeast were meeting Chinese intelligence officials regularly in Yunnan (China) and in Nepal. We tracked top NSCN (National Socialist Council of Nagaland) arms procurer Anthony Shimray who had ordered a massive supply of weapons. The procedures involved in shipment, export orders, regulatory compliances, etc are impossible without China’s involvement,” said GK Pillay, former home secretary.

“We have also given China details of Ulfa (United Liberation Front of Asom) chief Paresh Barua’s travel to Yunnan, including airline tickets, period of stay, etc,” he said.

In the past, India had always distinguished between state and non-state actors when it came to Chinese involvement.

“On several occasions, we have given concrete proof of certain elements from the Chinese establishment aiding northeast militants. The Chinese government, at least at the prefecture (provincial) level, was involved in such activity,” said a senior government official, who did not want to be named.

The evidence was also submitted to the ministry of external affairs, which took it up during the January 16-17 talks in New Delhi between national security adviser Shivshankar Menon and Dai Bingguo, China’s special representative, the official said.

The evidence mainly pertained to regular interactions of the insurgent leaders with Chinese intelligence agencies regarding supply and shipment of weapons to rebel outfits like Ulfa, NSCN, United National Liberation Front (UNLF) and the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of Manipur.

Intelligence reports say fresh consignments — comprising weapons like Heckler and Koch rifles (HK 33), T81 rifles — have landed in the hands of the rebels in substantial numbers.

What is more worrying for India is the coming together of forces. “We have information that top Chinese intelligence officials have told all these outfits to unite under a single umbrella and devise joint strategies. We are witnessing that unification move now,” the official said.