North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

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kancha
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by kancha »

I know. Didn't mean to disparage the individual. Just that this might lead to wrong conclusions.
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by kancha »

Here's a perspective - crisp and to the point

Image

Image
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by A_Gupta »

"Army Steps up Hunts for Manipur Killers, Reviews Situation"
http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/ ... 851069.ece
IMPHAL: The army on Friday stepped up its hunt in Manipur for militants who massacred 18 soldiers, as the army chief, General Dalbir Singh Suhag, took stock of the situation.

Soldiers fanned out in Chandel district - where the audacious ambush occurred - and other parts of the state bordering Myanmar following the worst attack on the army in 30 years that also injured 11 soldiers.

The army deployment along the India-Myanmar border was also stepped up, official sources said.

Gen. Suhag reviewed the situation with senior army commanders in the state and Manipur Police officials. He also flew over the mountainous area where the ambush took place.

Although the army did not reveal what was discussed, militaty sources said there would be some changes in the operational tactics against the militants now.

The Thursday massacre is being viewed as a major intelligence failure. Sources in the home ministry in New Delhi told IANS that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) was likely to probe the ambush.

The National Socialist Council of Nagaland-K led by its chairman S.S. Khaplang on Thursday claimed responsibility for the killings along with the Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL) and the Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP).

The militants, said to number around 50, reportedly came in from their camps in Myanmar and returned after the massacre.
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by A_Gupta »

"Manipur attack shows northeast rebels' new strategy: 'Target soldiers not on combat mode'"
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-new ... 55391.aspx
Rebel groups in the northeast seem to be working on a new strategy of hitting the armed forces when the latter have lowered their guard, as exemplified by Thursday’s attack in Manipur that killed 18 soldiers.

An ambush each in Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Manipur since April by the NSCN-K (National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang) has had a pattern. The targets were armed forces not in full gear or in combat mode.

On April 2, five days after the NSCN-K unilaterally called off a truce with New Delhi, rebels ambushed an administrative convoy of 4 Rajput battalion near Khonsa in Arunachal Pradesh. The attack left three soldiers dead and four injured.

Thursday’s attack was also on an administrative convoy, this time of 6 Dogra battalion, at Larjong in Manipur’s Chandel district. The battalion was on de-induction or moving out of a base near the Myanmar border and the rebel ambush killed 18 of the convoy's 46 members.

Unlike a combat convoy that moves prepared for conflict, an administrative convoy is relatively relaxed in its movement.

In between these two operations, the NSCN-K killed eight Assam Rifles personnel who had gone to fetch water from a source in Nagaland’s Changlangshu area close to the Myanmar border.

“Rebels chose to be head-on earlier. For instance, the NSCN in May 1981 attacked an army outpost in Tuensang district (Nagaland), killed 12 soldiers and looted arms and ammunition,” a senior army officer said, seeking anonymity.

“They repeated it on an Assam Rifles outpost at Oinam (Manipur) in July 1987 and killed nine soldiers. The strategy now seems to attack the armed forces when the chances of retaliation are slim,” the officer said.
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by kancha »

prahaar wrote:Kanchaji, for most people who do not follow NE like many on BR, the entire NE is tribal. The level of awareness about the entire east is very poor (even Orissa is a black hole for most in India) in MH. Our school education as well as mainstream discourse (or rather lack of it) is significantly responsible for this. And I guess Hrithik might have had his schooling in Mumbai.

Added later: I did not think that you were disparaging in any manner. It was just a clarification.
Hrithik Roshan says armymen killed by Manipur 'tribals', gets trolled

You were right. He's had to tweet a clarification.
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by vijaykarthik »

SS Khaplang is the leader of NSCN(K) - a militia of konyak nagas. The K denomination severed ceasefire agreement with GoI a month or so ago. They then entered into a ceasefire agreement with the myanmar govt. They now run things from that side of the border.
Nitpicking point. --> you got it backwards, I think. they first entered an agreement with Myanmar... and then the K faction protested that they cannot accept that and unilaterally broke the ceasefire with the Indian side
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by nvishal »

https://twitter.com/ShivAroor/status/60 ... 92/photo/1

FULL LIST: Names of the 18 Army jawans killed in yesterday's terrorist ambush in Manipur.

Image
Army sources in the Eastern Command say that the ambush was carried out by 15 cadres of the Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL) a Meitei outfit formed in 1994.
Intelligence intercepts indicate Thursday's ambush was carried out by a self-styled 'Lieutenant' Tamba who is now headed for a village south of Tamu in Myanmar after the ambush
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by Hari Seldon »

^The number wentup to 20 y'day. Some of the injured succumbed, am told. :(
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by nvishal »

Regarding the manipur ambush, there are a lot of gossips being floated on the net about the people involved. Kindly detest from posting them unless it cites confirmed sources.

Meanwhile,
Body of NSCN (K) cadre killed in ambush identified
The body of the armed cadre who was killed in the encounter between the 6 Dogra Regiment and insurgents of the combined force has been identified.

Family members have identified it as Rajabglung Kamei (30) son of Alu Kamei of Noney in Tamenglong district.
This guy was a naga.

But how the meitei militias collaborated in this attack is yet unclear.

A second body(belived to be of a succumbed ambush militant) was discovered in the jungles enroute myanmar but pending identification.
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by kancha »

@manupubby 48m48 minutes ago
A very interesting update on the Manipur attack soon. Army, air force and special ops ...

@manupubby 43m43 minutes ago
More on this soon but announcement likely soon on a special ops strike to avenge the Manipur attack. Cross border ops.

@manupubby 37m37 minutes ago
Special forces appear to have neutralised some militants involved in the Manipur attack in a cross border operation in Myanmar. #developing

@manupubby 30m30 minutes ago
Now confirmed: Indian special forces carry out cross border operation into Myanmar. Several militants who carried out Manipur attack killed.

@manupubby 26m26 minutes ago
Bold action: Indian Army goes into Myanmar, takes down militants involved in Manipur attack. A very rare cross border operation by India.

@manupubby 22m22 minutes ago
The best part about the cross border operation into Myanmar? All our boys are back safe. Militant casualty high.

@manupubby 6m6 minutes ago
Of course, do not expect an on record confirmation that Indian special forces went into Myanmar. But facts very clear, no doubts.
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by nvishal »

News confirmed by army spokesperson briefing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1X1uvUXVi4

Today morning, the indian army in conjunction with the myanmar army busted two separate militant camps close to the border on myanmar side. Some militant casualties and both sites destroyed.
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by Rahul M »

nvishal
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Post by nvishal »

Absolutely vomitting behaviour being displayed by indian media. At one moment they are in pseudo secular mode and this same media morphs into overtly jingoistic mode on a complex issue. I highly doubt if their purpose serves something positive to india or perhaps that maybe their purpose.

We have raided and destroyed militant camps in the past and this operation was no different. It is a complex issue. Ever wondered why myanmar won't raid these camps? They would rather have the indian army unleash on the nagas than to have to do it themselves. The ambush deserved a response but there was no need to play a deshbhakti PR propoganda.

The nagas are a victim of colonial history. They are neither our enemies or friends. They are literally pariahs to the outside world. I'd actually request people to abstain from covering or commenting on tribal insurgency in the NE for the sake of tribal communities and india.
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by A_Gupta »

nvishal wrote: The nagas are a victim of colonial history. They are neither our enemies or friends. They are literally pariahs to the outside world.
Anything you can write or provide on the above would be most helpful for the most of us. Thanks in advance.
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by chaanakya »

nvishal wrote:News confirmed by army spokesperson briefing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1X1uvUXVi4

Today morning, the indian army in conjunction with the myanmar army busted two separate militant camps close to the border on myanmar side. Some militant casualties and both sites destroyed.
Is there any statement from NSCN(K) group or from any other organisation or any picture of dead /injured militants or video of actual ops? Casualty figures quoted by media seems very high sometimes reaching into 100s. No casualty from SF side. Its unusual though possible. We need not compare this ops with that of anything inside Bakis as here we had coops from Myanmar Army.
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by nvishal »

Body of second militant who succumbed to injuries during the ambush identified, a meitei.

Slain KYKL man identified
Family members identified the deceased at JNIMS morgue as Keisham Rajen (29) s/o K Khamba of Nongren Maning Leikai in Imphal East district.

Rajen left home 10 years back to join KYKL.
It confirms reports that a meitei faction has indeed joined hands with a naga faction.

--------------

Myanmar denies India killed rebels inside its territory

Meanwhile, "Zaw Htay, director of Myanmar’s presidential office", clears some mystery
“According to the information sent by Tatmadaw (Myanmar army) battalions on the ground, we have learned that the military operation was performed on the Indian side at India-Myanmar border,” he said.

“Myanmar will not accept any foreigner who attacks neighbouring countries in the back and creates problems by using our own territory,” he added.
Perhaps myanmar army was informed in advance of possible spill over.

Image
In this image released to the media, the Joint Assault Team of the NSCN (K), KYKL and KCP which struck the convoy of 6 Dogra Regiment on June 4 in Chandel pose during the "victory reception" at an unknown location.

morungexpress . com/nscn-k-kykl-and-kcp-build-spirit-of-camaraderie/

morung express contributes(they're actually press releases from militant spokespersons) reports from eastern part of the naga world. The daily is close to the K faction.

--------------

@chaanakya

IMO, the army strike was an average raid amplified into huge PR propaganda. That said, how the army conducts actual anti-insurgency operations are not pretty and best left alone.
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by gandharva »

Zaw Htay, director of the office of Myanmar President Thein Sein, confirmed Wednesday that Indian troops had entered his country. He said that there was “coordination and cooperation” between the Indian troops and Myanmar’s armed forces based in the area of the raids, but added that no Myanmar soldiers were directly involved.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/indian-army ... 1433927858
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by vijaykarthik »

Great article from Lt Gnrl (Retd) Syed Ata Hasnain

http://swarajyamag.com/politics/the-arm ... orth-east/
This must also be an occasion to reconfigure ourselves for a long struggle ahead. The operations have not ended. In fact they have just begun.

The Indian Army got it right, to the last full stop. Less than five days after severe losses due to an ambush on a convoy of 6 Dogra in Chandel district of Manipur, it hit back and publicly released information of an operation in which massive casualties have been inflicted on the militants who perpetrated the ambush. There have been some outstanding operations by the Army and Assam Rifles in the North East in the past but none may have drawn the kind of eyeballs that this news story is attracting.

Firstly, the timing has been superb. Just five days. The public at large honestly loves the Army and has great confidence in it. However, the loss of 18 soldiers in an ambush was severely denting the Army’s image and some dilution of confidence was evident on social media. With the universal and clichéd perception of being the Nation’s last resort, expectations from the Army are always high. There were analyses galore, including one by me, advising on return to basics. The Indian Army is such an institution that the emotional bond with the public does not permit open berating; Thank God for that which is why it was important that image retrieval was so essential.

On social media I commented that the handling of the post operation situation and information management is as important as the operation itself. That is the reason the Army’s slow release of information is the correct way. There will be speculation whether the operation was a hot pursuit, across the international border with Myanmar or within our territory. This could remain in the grey for the moment. Whether it was a classic commando raid, ambush or search and destroy mission is also unimportant. It is the success which is significant and the fact that all warriors returned safely to base.

The Army made a brief mention of the traditional cooperation with the Myanmar Army and the excellent relationship it enjoys but stopped short of saying whether this was a joint, coordinated or a facilitated operation. All have their own connotations. Why am I promoting the concept of greyness in information management (notice I am not using the clichéd term media management)? It is simply because this is not the last operation that the Army has conducted. The mess that is the North East, created by ignorance, delays in decision making, lack of vision and perspective and inability to back up the work done by the Army and the Assam Rifles, will understandably continue to cause much turbulence in the near future.

Militant groups in the North East are hardly ideological; they are mostly disparate and criminal in outlook with personal ambitions for riches and power. The nation has to seriously use the development and perception management route along with strong commitment towards security and full back up to follow what the Army and Assam Rifles succeed in achieving. We cannot afford a situation where bureaucrats and other government servants pay taxes to these criminal gangs. The National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang) or commonly referred as NSCN (K) decided that it can reap greater dividends in subsequent parleys if it adopts a hard stance and puts the forces under pressure. The scope for targeting the security forces in such an environment is very large.

The terrain favors the militant; the population grudgingly or otherwise supports the militants otherwise the retribution can be swift and lethal. Militants live among the population or in faraway jungle hideouts and in most cases the logistics and training camps are in Myanmar. The Army and Assam Rifles (also led mostly by Army officers) have posts deployed in a grid system. Any of them can be targeted by a local concentration of militants. Logistics convoys have to move and these too can be targets for militants.

There are two essential ways of minimizing the possibility of militant initiatives; first is focused and timely intelligence and the second is the time tested system of adherence to basic drills. In such operations stamina is essential as much as patience. Domination by patrolling will ward off dangers of militant strikes; good relations with the population will ensure flow of intelligence. However, this has to combine with offensive operations which will disallow the initiative passing to the militants. The just conducted successful operation is just the kind of which puts the militants on the defensive. Smaller operations of this kind should be the follow up.

The message necessary to convey here, at the cost of repetition from other similar analyses, is the absolute need to ensure that the collateral from such operations affects the population the least.

Coming to the operation per se. I can visualize the media’s impatience to get more detail as much as that of the public. However, operations are in a continuum. Revealing too much at this stage militates against security. The zone of grey keeps the militants guessing and forces them to commit mistakes. Thus it is virtually a national responsibility at this stage to be content with the amount of information put in the public domain. Sensitivities are involved with another nation and diplomatic compulsions have to be kept in mind.

Information which is within the acceptable domain pertains to the involvement of the Air Force in the transportation of the Special Forces troops committed to the operation. It is also legitimate to speculate that the two operations were conducted in the vicinity of the border; whether across or inside our territory is immaterial. Possibly a raid on a hideout or a camp the intelligence of which was gained most professionally; it is again irrelevant how such intelligence was gained.

That it was a precision and surgical strike with the use of high quality weapons of the Special Forces is a given because such forces are trained for precisely such operations. The unit involved has a rich history of success behind it. In 2008 it conducted an outstanding operation by stealth using modern technology for acquisition of accurate information and struck using unconventional transportation means. It was hardly revealed in the public domain just like this operation must not be revealed either. It adds to the value of and effectiveness of such operations.

There is also much speculation that with the possibility of this operation being in the realm of hot pursuit there is every possibility of replicating this in the western borders. Let us remember a few things while doing such speculation. The situations are diametrically opposite. More importantly, the Army’s time tested system within its own ranks remains alive; offensive operations are never discussed.

Lastly, retribution for the killing of our brave soldiers is celebration time but this must also be an occasion to reconfigure ourselves for a long struggle ahead. The operations have not ended. In fact they have just begun.
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by nvishal »

Most daily circulations in the area have covered the army strike in an abstract manner. Disinterest(and silence) was being made visible.
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by Aditya_V »

nvishal wrote:Most daily circulations in the area have covered the army strike in an abstract manner. Disinterest(and silence) was being made visible.
N Vishal, doesnt the INC also have a stranglehold on power especially in Manipur, given thier stance, they are worried aabout the political fallout. If Army raid was a failure, it would have been hugely covered. There are also Politicians Babus who would feel left out in the Miltancy Black money gravy train. Look at the prices off items in Manipur.

Given this stunned silence, disinterest indicates a shock for those who oppose and fear of miltant/ pro terror lobies on any editor journalist who shows support. After all Miltants/Maoists/ Paki Terrorists proper Human rights compatible processes with respect to Killing journalists or thier families.
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by Raja Bose »

Tripura: A day in the life of Larabati

Typical situation in the NE. :roll:
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by A_Gupta »

"NSCN-K plotters on the run in Myanmar"
http://www.asianage.com/india/nscn-k-pl ... yanmar-835
The National Investigation Agency has zeroed in on four masterminds of the worst attack on the Indian Army on June 4, that was led by key NSCN(K) operative Niki Sumi, who incidentally is also in charge of the outfit’s military operations.

The plot was hatched in Myanmar, with intelligence sources saying Niki Sumi had escaped just hours before the retaliation by Indian Army special forces, who attacked his Ponue camp in Myanmar.

Sumi is now learnt to be shifting base every 15 days.

In addition, the role of two other key NSCN(K) members, Neymlang and Starson Lamkang, is also being looked into. While Neymlang is said to be a military operational strategist, Lamkang looks after the financial resources of the terrorist group.

While the operation was carried out by the NSCN(K), it also got logistical support from local KYKL chief Oken, top sources said.
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by nvishal »

On the indian army, the myanmar army and their joint efforts in combating tribal separatists groups along each others border. Also on the indian media peddling a loud mouth donkey.

Squandering away the Myanmar advantage
In 1986, as the intelligence officer of an army brigade in Nagaland, I oversaw the first Indian army patrol that went into Myanmar. With clearance from Yangon, we linked up with a forward post of the Myanmar military, or Tatmadaw, and proposed joint action against insurgents fighting for Nagaland’s secession from India.

Myanmar’s military government controlled just 20 per cent of the country’s territory, the remainder being in the hands of Kachin, Keran, Wa and Shan separatists, and powerful Naga groups along the Indian border. Even knowing that, our officers were surprised at how embattled the Tatmadaw unit was, and how relieved at the prospect of Indian collaboration against Naga undergrounds holed up in Myanmar’s Sagaing division, bordering Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh.

Cooperation between India and the Tatmadaw thus goes back decades. Over the years, the Indian Army has conducted several operations inside Myanmar with the Tatmadaw’s tacit agreement, but has wisely refrained from embarrassing Yangon, or Naypyidaw (the capital since 2005) with public statements. In the wildly successful 1995 Operation Golden Bird, the two armies jointly killed and captured some 150 militants.

Such cooperation, and improving political relations, led the two countries to sign a “Memorandum of Understanding on Border Cooperation” in Naypyidaw on May 8, 2014. The ministry of external affairs announced that it “provides a framework for security cooperation and exchange of information between Indian and Myanmar security agencies. A key provision is that of conduct of coordinated patrols on their respective sides of the international border…”

Stretching the agreement for “coordinated patrols”, Indian troops struck two underground camps several kilometres inside Myanmar on June 9, retaliating against an ambush on June 4, in which a mixed group of undergrounds from at least three militant organisations killed 18 infantry soldiers of the 6 DOGRA battalion, and wounded 15 more, in Chandel, Manipur.

The militant ambush was led by the Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang faction), or NSCN(K), which last year ended a 14-year ceasefire with the Indian government. The group’s veteran leader, Khaplang, had long been propped up by Indian intelligence to weaken what they considered the more capable and dangerous rival grouping---the NSCN faction led by Isak Swu and Thuingaleng Muivah, or NSCN(I/M). When, in 1988, the army apprehended Khaplang’s operations chief, Jesop Konyak, New Delhi quickly interceded to free Konyak and hush up the incident.

New Delhi’s steadfast support of Khaplang turned in 1997, when the NSCN(I/M) signed a ceasefire with New Delhi, making Swu and Muivah the favoured interlocutors for a final Naga settlement. A beleaguered Khaplang too signed a ceasefire in 2001, but realised to his chagrin that the NSCN(I/M)---drawing support from the larger and more influential Thangkhul, Chakhesang, Lotha and Mao tribes---would corner the lion’s share of the spoils. Khaplang’s NSCN(K), supported mainly by Konyaks and Myanmar-based Naga tribes, would be left holding the wooden spoon.

Matters came to a head last year, when Khaplang refused to renew the annual ceasefire agreement. Although the NSNC(I/M) ceasefire continued, it was clear Khaplang needed a big operational success to underline his relevance. Two small ambushes in Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland during the last three months suggested a big ambush was coming. RS Pande, New Delhi’s interlocutor in the Nagaland peace talks from 2010-13, wrote for NDTV that Khaplang’s withdrawal from the ceasefire “was a major event and should have been taken note of… [which] means preparing for the kind of attack [that came on June 4]”.

Even so, the intelligence and military failure of the June 4 ambush might have been partly mitigated by the flawless retaliatory operation carried out on June 9 by 21st Battalion, the Parachute Regiment (Special Forces) on the underground camps in Myanmar. The number of militants actually killed is debatable, but there is no doubt that the operation signalled to underground groups that any further attacks will invite retaliation, even in erstwhile safe havens in Myanmar.

For that signal to be credible, however, the Tatmadaw would have to remain on our side. The army’s statement, issued once everyone in the raiding party was safely back in India, was carefully calibrated to keep faith with the Tatmadaw. It deliberately avoided mentioning that it had crossed into Myanmar.

“The Indian Army engaged two separate groups of insurgents along the Indo-Myanmar border at two locations, along the Nagaland and Manipur borders. Significant casualties have been inflicted on them. As a consequence, threats to our civilian population and security forces were averted", said the army.

Nothing more needed to be said. News of the cross-border raid would spread like wildfire through militant networks, while sparing the Tatmadaw awkward questions about Indian troops operating on Myanmar’s soil.

“There is a history of close cooperation between our two militaries. We look forward to working with them to combat such terrorism”, affirmed the army.

But while the army’s message was directed at anti-India militants, India’s political leadership was more interested in voters. A couple of hours before the army’s official briefing at 6 p.m. on June 9, senior government officials called up a handful of “trusted” journalists, meaning those who would report what they were told without cross-checking or contextualising. These scribes were told that --- notwithstanding the carefully worded briefing that army headquarters would give later --- the operation had been a cross-border strike into Myanmar. It was made clear that news reports should highlight the top leadership’s lion-heartedness in ordering them.

“Someone, somewhere, was feeding them”, pointed out Vikram Sood, former Research & Analysis Wing (R&AW) chief, citing the pattern of reporting and a published photograph of the commandos who allegedly conducted the raid.

Later that evening, the government abandoned discretion entirely and deputed a junior minister, Colonel (Retired) Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, to tom-tom the raid on television. Rathore, an Olympic silver medallist in trap shooting with little experience of soldiering, duly shot his trap. “Our prime minister has taken a very bold step and given a go-ahead for hot pursuit into Myanmar…” he pronounced. “We are confirming that Indian armed forces crossed over into Myanmar and carried out strikes on two of the militant camps…”

Starkly displaying the political agenda, Rathore trumpeted: “(T)he entire nation wanted it and that’s perhaps a reason why they voted a strong government at the centre.”

Rathore’s jingoism, played up by a drum beating media, evoked a predictable backlash. Zaw Htay, director of Myanmar’s presidential office, flatly contradicted Rathore, declaring that while there was “coordination” between the two armies, Indian troops never crossed into Myanmar.

AFP reported that Zaw Htay posted on Facebook: “Myanmar will not accept any foreigner who attacks neighbouring countries in the back and creates problems by using our own territory.”

Meanwhile, Islamabad responded aggressively to Rathore’s threat that the Myanmar raid was “a warning to other countries”. Pakistan’s interior minister, Nisar Ali Khan, warned India that “Pakistan is not a country like Myanmar”, a reminder that raiding across the heavily militarised Indo-Pakistan border would not be easy.

New Delhi’s politicisation of the Myanmar raid successfully subverted the military’s message to Naga and Manipuri militants. Instead of projecting a quiet menace in the north-east, India’s defence minister Manohar Parrikar --- who is rapidly gaining a reputation as a loose cannon --- engaged in a slanging match with Pakistani officials over India’s military capability.

Says a top serving general ruefully: “I can only say that we soldiers were dismayed at how the benefits of a flawless military operation were squandered by leaders scrabbling for credit.”

Notwithstanding the political bumbling, this raid into Myanmar raises important issues. The army now knows it can expect political clearance for cross-border strikes on militant camps in response to grave provocation --- so far only in Myanmar, but potentially also in Pakistan. The government’s willingness to use military force puts the onus on the military to develop a cross-border response capability against Pakistan.

This demands a more sophisticated, calibrated approach to escalation. Our Special Forces currently cannot conduct surgical strikes across the heavily defended Indo-Pakistan line of control (LoC), but India can credibly strike Pakistani targets with fighter aircraft, rocket salvos and cruise missiles. The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government disregarded these options after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks in 2008. So too did the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government after the 2001 terror strike on Parliament --- the NDA unwisely leapt up the escalation ladder to full-scale military mobilization, stopped short of war only by Pakistan’s nuclear deterrent. Now that the Indian military is aware that it can cross borders in retaliation, it will have to think and plan beyond Myanmar.

Finally, even the most successful cross-border raid cannot wish away the worrying question of how an Indian infantry battalion allowed itself to be ambushed with such heavy losses. There are real questions around the military’s force planning, procurement and promotion policies, and its treatment of ex-servicemen. But few doubt that our infantry battalions are formidable fighting units that deliver on the battlefield. Hopefully the Chandel attack, in which 18 infantrymen lost their lives for the reported loss of just two militants, was an aberration, and not a sign that the army’s combat edge is eroding.
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

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Claim: Myanmar raid didn't kill anyone
http://news.yahoo.com/doubts-emerge-ove ... 36039.html
One rights activist from Manipur, Debabrata Roy Laifungbam, talked to villagers on both sides of the border, joining an Indian Red Cross Society team.

“All local people we met…said that Indian soldiers had indeed launched a military operation inside Myanmar on June 9. But, it did not result in any casualty in the area, they all confirmed,” according to Dr. Laifungbam, president of an indigenous people’s NGO. “Villagers … heard gunshots on the morning of June 9 and found the camps had been fired upon and destroyed by Indian soldiers."

Yet the destruction of the camps did not result in fatalities, according to these villagers. “Even an injury of a rebel cannot go unnoticed … We spoke to different villagers at different places. They all confirmed that the rebels had not been fired upon by Indian soldiers on June 9,” Laifungbam says.
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From several days ago:
http://www.abplive.in/india/2015/06/11/ ... ally-false
The Revolutionary Peoples' Front (RPF) admitted that the army had attacked one of the mobile camps of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) located in Ukhrul district near Myanmar border on Tuesday.

"The PLA fighters retaliated and the army team fled, leaving behind some magazines loaded with bullets. The claim by top army officials about inflicting heavy casualties was cheap propaganda aimed at misleading the people. No PLA cadre was injured. Bloodstains were found in the area after the encounter, suggesting some army personnel were wounded," Ruben Khuman, "publicity secretary" of the RPF, the political wing of the PLA, said in a statement issued here on Wednesday.
The Khaplang group of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) said the Centre's claim of cross-border raid on militants was "totally false".



An NSCN (K) source said Indian security forces were trying to force Myanmar to launch an operation against the insurgent groups based in Myanmar through "false propaganda". The Naga outfit has demanded evidence of their raids on insurgent camps along the India-Myanmar border. "The unsubstantiated claim of cross-border raid by the Indian army is a conspiracy at the highest political-military-intelligence level of Government of India to coerce the Myanmar government to act upon the NSCN and also exude confidence on her demoralised and frustrated soldiers deployed along India-Naga-Myanmar border," the outfit source said on Wednesday evening from an undisclosed location.
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by vijaykarthik »

there was a recent news from CSM which doubted the Indian raid - with details from local villages who indeed heard the shots inside Myanmar but scoffed at reports of 10-20-30-100 dead.

I wonder if the govt messed this PR up.
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by Avinash R »

^ the author of the fake report was a mawali named Shaikh Azizur Rahman

watch his twitter timeline and you can understand his mentality https://twitter.com/azizinnews
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http://rt.com/news/270196-earthquake-rocks-india-assam/
5.6 quake rocks India's Assam, felt in Bangladesh, Nepal
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ITBP or Assam Rifles to man border with Myanmar
http://www.saharasamay.com/nation-news/ ... anmar.html
n the wake of the killing of 18 Armymen in Manipur, government plans to deploy either Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) or Assam Rifles for manning the 389-km-long Indo-Myanmar border in the state.

Talking about recent breakdown of ceasefire with Naga insurgent group NSCN-K, highly-placed sources in the Home Ministry said that there are "external angles to it as well."

The remarks came in response to a question whether Pakistan's ISI has got active in the area and influenced the Khaplang faction of NSCN into withdrawing from the ceasefire agreement with the Centre.
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by Singha »

Shillong: In a well coordinated joint operation by the Army and Meghalaya Police, two terrorists have been killed in the North Garo Hills district of the state on Sunday. After receiving specific intelligence inputs, security forces ambushed the terrorists near the Assam-Meghalaya border.

Acting on intelligence inputs given by the armed men in the area, a special police team and troops from Assam's 19 Dogra regiment raided the hideouts at Rari on Saturday night, district SP Ramesh Singh said.
One of the terrorists has been identified as Jimmy and was responsible for laying ambushes on Meghalaya Police.

At around 4:40 AM on Sunday, the terrorists opened indiscriminate fire after spotting the security forces, with two killed terrorists killed in the retaliatory attack, he said.

One of the terrorists has been identified as Jimmy alias Laknu. He is one of the most wanted terrorists and was responsible for laying ambushes on Meghalaya Police.

A 9 mm pistol with two live rounds, two empty cases, a 7.65 mm pistol with three live rounds, a mobile phone, three SIM cards and an airbag containing medicines and clothes were recovered from the slain terrorists, he said.

AMEF leader Jack Marak was gunned down earlier in May.
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by nvishal »

A_Gupta wrote:Who are these e-Pao people?
It's an index site. They don't make content but rather host third party urls from assamtribune, nagalandpost, sangai etc. They also host press releases which includes those from militants and/or their fronts, ie, NGOs and obscure unions.
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by vijaykarthik »

^ isn't it that Assam Rifles are already manning the Myanmar border but not very effectively.

It does look like Ang Suu Kyi can't become President. They vetoed the changes but it also appears as if the Tatmadaw military is pushing for a completed ceasefire agreement [the earlier one was just a draft and it hasn't been signed / agreed unto yet]
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

Post by nawabs »

India prisoners baptized through Crossroad Bible Institute

https://www.mnnonline.org/news/india-pr ... institute/
The fruits of this ministry are evident: last year, CBI reported 46 prisoners in India had been baptized and gave their lives to Christ throughout the year.

And the fruits continue to grow: CBI India’s satellite campus director Mathotmi Vasha recently baptized twelve prisoners at Sajiwa Central Jail.

CBI India was established in 2012, and since then, Vasha has been busy visiting prisons in northeast India to preach the Gospel, hold Bible studies with CBI students, hand out CBI enrollment forms, and baptize dozens of prisoners who have come to know Jesus Christ as their Savior. Sajiwa Central Jail, located in the city of Imphal in the northeast corner of India, is one of the facilities on Vasha’s itinerary.
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

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NIA arrests key man behind Manipur ambush
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested a key member of Naga insurgent group NSCN(K) for allegedly being a part of conspiracy to carry out the June 4 ambush that killed 18 Army men in Manipur.

Khumlo Abi Anal, the self-styled ‘regional commander’ of NSCN(K), is alleged to be a part of the conspiracy that was hatched to carry out the attack on the jawans at Chandel area of Manipur on June four, the NIA said.
Giving details about the investigations, the NIA officials said that 23 NSCN(K) members participated in the attack, including the two killed, who were killed in the incident. Out of the remaining 21, the NIA has been able to identify 14 members, who had carried out the ambush.
During the investigations, the NIA examined several surrendered militants of NSCN(K), who also helped them identify many of the accused in the case.
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http://www.smetimes.in/smetimes/news/in ... 32501.html
"India begins work on bridge linking Bangladeshi ports"
India has started preliminary work, including making Detailed Project Report, to build a bridge over Feni river in Tripura to access Bangladeshi ports to carry goods and heavy machineries for the northeast region, an official said on Sunday.

"We have started preliminary work and making DPR (Detailed Project Report) to build the all-important bridge over Feni river," Sunil Bhowmik, chief engineer, Tripura Public Works Department, told reporters.

"After preparing the DPR within two months, it would be submitted to Tripura's industries and commerce department, which is a nodal department for the project," he added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladesh Premier Sheikh Hasina jointly laid the foundation stone of the Feni river bridge on June 6 during Modi's two-day Dhaka visit recently.

The 150-metre (490 feet) road bridge over the Feni river will connect the Sabroom border town (135 km south of Agartala) of southern Tripura with Ramgarh town in Bangladesh.

After completion, the bridge, located north of the Chittagong international sea port, would provide a significant road link to India's northeastern states and facilitate greater trade and exchanges between the two countries.
...
...
Chittagong international port and Ashuganj river ports are around 70 km and 40 km from Tripura respectively.
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http://indianexpress.com/article/india/ ... o-in-2015/
"Kidnapping in Mizoram drops to zero in 2015
Officials from the state Home Department confirmed that there had not been a single kidnapping incident so far this year."
The ebbing of militancy in Tripura has had a positive effect in the neighbouring state of Mizoram. As Tripura exited AFSPA with the number of extremist-related incidents, civilian deaths, security personnel deaths, kidnappings and encounters falling to zero this year, Mirzoram, too, saw the number of kidnappings by Tripura-linked militants drop to zero.
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

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On Rohingya Muslim refugees in india
Approximately 10,500 Rohingya Muslims have taken shelter in India and are staying in J&K, Delhi, Haryana, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Manipur.

This was stated by the Minister of State for Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju in a written reply to a question by Adhalrao Patil Shivajirao in the Lok Sabha.

One arrest of a Rohingya Muslim has been made by the National Investigation Agency from Hyderabad in connection with the Burdwan blast case.
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Re: North East & Eastern Himalayan: News & Discussion

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Isak Chisi Swu admitted to hospital in delhi
Isak Chisi Swu, 85, co-founder of the NSCN-IM, was admitted to the Fortis Hospital in south Delhi on July 5 following "severe kidney ailments and urinary tract infection", a doctor told IANS.

In Nagaland, mass prayers are being held for the early recovery of Swu, who along with Thuingaleng Muivah heads the NSCN-IM.

"His condition deteriorated a few days back but it is improving now, which is a good sign for the entire Naga Nation," said a senior NSCN leader.
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