GUWAHATI, April 5 � The Government of India may consider entrusting the Border Security Force (BSF) with the responsibility of guarding the international border with Myanmar if the performance of the Assam Rifles is not found to be satisfactory. The Union Home Minister has already taken up the issue with the Defence Minister as the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is of the view that keeping a close watch on the border has become vital in view of the fact that a number of militant groups of North East have strong bases in the neighbouring country.
Highly placed official sources told The Assam Tribune that though the Assam Rifles was given the responsibility of guarding the border with Myanmar, the MHA is not satisfied with the performance of the force in the area as the movement of militants into India from the bases in Myanmar has not been checked. India has 1640 kilometres of border with Myanmar and the dense forests in most parts make the border very vulnerable.
Sources said that at present, most of the posts of the Assam Rifles are located well inside Indian territory and only a handful of posts are located near the zero line, which makes it easier for the militants to sneak in to India easily and once they manage to come inside Indian territory from the bases in the neighbouring country, it is almost impossible to trace them. The MHA is of the view that the Assam Rifles should immediately move troops right up to the zero line, at least in the vulnerable areas of the international border, but the force is having problems like lack of infrastructure including buildings, roads etc.
Sources pointed out that though the Assam Rifles is under the administrative control of the MHA, it works under the operational control of the Defence Ministry and the Home Minister, P Chidambaram has taken up the issue with Defence Minister on several occasions and requested him to direct the Assam Rifles personnel to move up to the Zero line. The Home Minister also made it clear that if the performance of the Assam Rifles in guarding the international border does not improve soon, the MHA would be forced to consider deployment of BSF in the border, sources added.
The Assam Rifles was entrusted with the responsibility of guarding the border with Myanmar in 2002 and at that time, the strength of the force was 30 battalions. Gradually, the strength of the force has been increased to 46 battalions with raising of 16 new battalions. The Assam Rifles authorities recently placed a demand for raising 20 more battalions to improve guarding of the border with Myanmar, but the MHA has rejected the demand and said that raising of new battalions would be considered only after the troops move up to the zero line.
Meanwhile, the Army personnel of both India and Myanmar are working out plans for launching coordinated operations against militants on both sides of the international border, sources added.
It may be mentioned here that different militant groups of North East have strong bases in Myanmar and recently, the Government of Myanmar has agreed to launch coordinated operations along with Indian Army on both sides of the international border to flush out militants. Almost all the Manipur based outfits have their bases in Myanmar, while, the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) have at least three major camps including the headquarter of the 28 battalion of the outfit in the neighbouring country.
