GUWAHATI, Jan 29 � Efforts by major militant groups of the North East to come closer as well as easy availability of Chinese weapons have become a serious cause of concern for the security agencies, while, the major ultra groups have started supplying weapons to the smaller groups.
Highly placed security sources told The Assam Tribune that with Bangladesh starting to act tough against the militants, most of the bases of the militant groups are being shifted towards Myanmar, while, Dimapur in Nagaland is fast becoming a hub for transaction of weapons.
Sources said that majority of the militant groups of the North East have strong bases in the Taga area of Myanmar and most of the groups are extending help to each other for training, shelter etc. Sources revealed that there is a growing feeling that China is acting as a catalyst to bring the ultra groups of North East on a united platform to keep India busy in the North East and almost all the groups have abundance of Chinese weapons. In fact, the major outfits are now supplying weapons to smaller groups.
Sources said that the growing nexus between the hard line faction of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and Manipur based group PLA is a matter of concern as the PLA already signed an agreement with the Maoist rebel groups. The militant groups of Assam, despite the strong action taken by the Government of Bangladesh, still have some bases in the interior places of that country. The hard line faction also has strong bases in Myanmar, but in recent days, the outfit is facing some problems due to inter-factional clashes between both factions of the NSCN.
In recent times, the ULFA suffered severe setbacks, which also demoralized the lower level cadres of the outfit. Interestingly, according to information available, newly formed outfit KLPT also established links with UNLF and KYKL for training the new cadres.
Sources revealed that most of the militant groups of Manipur have already shifted their bases from Bangladesh to Myanmar and the outfits have already come into a common platform. According to intelligence inputs, the Manipur based militant groups have also started making efforts to invest in Myanmar. But it is not known whether the groups have already invested in the neighbouring country.
Two Tripura based groups-NLFT and ATTF had strong bases in Bangladesh at one point of time, but the outfits have started shifting from one place to other and they are also exploring possibilities of setting up bases in Myanmar.
In Meghalaya, the GNLF and HNLC still have strong presence despite recent successes by the police and security forces in counter insurgency operations and both the outfits also have bases in Bangladesh along the Indo-Bangla border. But it is believed that the outfits do not have major camps in Bangladesh any more.
Though both factions of the NSCN are under cease-fire agreement with the Government of India, both the outfits are assisting other groups of the region. According to reports available with security agencies, both factions of the NSCN are still procuring Chinese weapons and providing it to other outfits of the region, while, several ultra groups are using the facilities of NSCN (K) in Myanmar.
