GUWAHATI, Aug 19 - Though the level of violence in the insurgency-hit States of the North-east is coming down, involvement of �Chinese elements� in aiding the militant groups remains a major cause of concern, even as the Government of India is hoping that the framework agreement with the NSCN(I-M) would encourage other outfits to come for talks for political solution of their problems.
Sources in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) told The Assam Tribune that Chinese elements are facilitating supply of arms and ammunition to the militant groups of the North-east. Since 2008-09, some elements in China have been urging upon the militant groups of the region to join hands. The recent action of four militant groups to form a common platform may be due to the pressure from the Chinese authorities, sources said.
However, efforts are on to bring back the NSCN(K) to the negotiation table and the Naga civil society is also making such an effort. If the NSCN(K) comes back to the negotiation table, the other active groups, having bases in Myanmar, would face trouble as most of them are using the facilities of the Naga outfit.
Replying to a question on whether India took up the issue of Chinese elements helping the militants with the government of that country, sources said that the issue was taken up at various levels on a number of occasions. �There were instances when India gave pinpointed locations of the houses in Yunan province where the militants were staying. But China always denied the reports,� sources added.
Meanwhile, sources said that the change of attitude of the Government of Myanmar is a positive signal for India. The Government of Myanmar even gave green signal to India to operate within its territory with the condition that no citizen of that country should be harmed in any way. Such change of attitude would be helpful for India to carry out strikes against militants even within Myanmar.
MHA sources also asserted that the counter-insurgency operations would continue till the problem of militancy is resolved and the government would consider the issue of withdrawal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act only after the situation becomes normal.
