Myanmar seeks maps of NE insurgent camps

Taking a step towards closer security cooperation, Yangon has told New Delhi to provide satellite imagery of anti-India insurgent camps based across the border in Myanmar, so that military operations can start.

Taking a step towards closer security cooperation, Yangon has told New Delhi to provide satellite imagery of anti-India insurgent camps based across the border in Myanmar, so that military operations can start.

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India has assured visiting Myanmar delegation led by President U Thein Sein that it has no truck with Kachin Independent Army (KIA) anti-Burma rebels, and has kept options open to supply arms and gunboats to Yangon.

Government sources said the Indian side led by national security advisor Shiv Shanker Menon raised concerns about presence of Northeast insurgent camps in Taga area across the Tirap-Changlang sector of Arunachal Pradesh, and the area across the border with Manipur.

While Taga has NSCN(K), PLA and ULFA rebel camps spread over 20-30 kilometres, PLA and UNLF rebels are based across the north and south of Moreh border in Manipur.

India has also proposed upgradation of army-to-army contacts on the border and wants corps commanders of both sides to meet twice a year.

Currently, post commanders meet once a month and sector or division commanders meet four times a year with ministry of home affairs (MHA) officials meeting their Myanmar counterparts once in six months.

Although Myanmar security officials led by Lt General Hla Htay Win tried to convince their Indian counterparts that action was being taken against anti-India rebels, New Delhi wanted the action to be evident on the ground, particularly across the Tirap-Changlang sector.

In this context, the Myanmar generals asked New Delhi to provide satellite imagery of existing camps across the border, with the assurance that action would be taken against them on the basis of specific inputs.

The visiting delegation claimed that New Delhi had dropped food supplies to KIA rebels through helicopters, and said KIA insurgents were based in Tirap-Changlang area. This was denied by the Indian side.

New Delhi is also learnt to have raised the issue of Chinese companies getting contract to build the Stillwell Road connecting Myitkina in Myanmar to Arunachal Pradesh border.