India’s border on high alert Myanmar civil war forces refugees into Manipur
|
NEW DELHI, Feb 4
As the civil war in Myanmar escalates, security agencies in India are closely monitoring the refugee situation along the Manipur border and verifying reports of the death of a Manipuri youth in the conflict-hit neighbouring country, reported The Hindu.
Since 27 January, approximately 260 Myanmar refugees are reported to have crossed into Moreh in Manipur.
Meanwhile, the report in The Hindu also mentions that Indian officials believe the reports of Manipuri youth casualties in Myanmar may be exaggerated, possibly as propaganda by insurgent groups.
Last week, a public funeral was held for a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) cadre in Imphal East’s Andro, attended by hundreds of people. The PLA, a banned insurgent outfit, advocates for Manipur’s secession from India.
However, authorities clarified that the funeral was conducted in absentia, as no physical body was present. Following the circulation of the funeral video, the Government ordered an inquiry, though no action has been taken so far.
The deceased cadre was reportedly killed on 27 January in an armed exchange near the Manipur-Myanmar border. The Revolutionary People’s Front (RPF), the political wing of the PLA, alleged in a statement on 30 January that the cadre died from injuries sustained in an attack planned by the Indian Army.
They claimed that he had joined the PLA in September 2023, months after ethnic violence erupted between the Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities in Manipur on 3 May 2023.
The banned insurgent groups operate from Myanmar and are frequently engaged in clashes with the People’s Defence Force (PDF) and Kuki National Army (Burma), both of which are resistance groups fighting against Myanmar’s military junta.
On 1 February, intense fighting broke out between the PDF and Myanmar Junta forces near Tamu, just a few km from the Moreh border in Manipur.
In 2024, the Union Home Ministry (MHA) extended the ban on eight insurgent groups, including the RPF/PLA, for another five years, as part of its continued crackdown on extremist activities in the region.
Swarajya
As the civil war in Myanmar escalates, security agencies in India are closely monitoring the refugee situation along the Manipur border and verifying reports of the death of a Manipuri youth in the conflict-hit neighbouring country, reported The Hindu.
Since 27 January, approximately 260 Myanmar refugees are reported to have crossed into Moreh in Manipur.
Meanwhile, the report in The Hindu also mentions that Indian officials believe the reports of Manipuri youth casualties in Myanmar may be exaggerated, possibly as propaganda by insurgent groups.
Last week, a public funeral was held for a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) cadre in Imphal East’s Andro, attended by hundreds of people. The PLA, a banned insurgent outfit, advocates for Manipur’s secession from India.
However, authorities clarified that the funeral was conducted in absentia, as no physical body was present. Following the circulation of the funeral video, the Government ordered an inquiry, though no action has been taken so far.
The deceased cadre was reportedly killed on 27 January in an armed exchange near the Manipur-Myanmar border. The Revolutionary People’s Front (RPF), the political wing of the PLA, alleged in a statement on 30 January that the cadre died from injuries sustained in an attack planned by the Indian Army.
They claimed that he had joined the PLA in September 2023, months after ethnic violence erupted between the Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities in Manipur on 3 May 2023.
The banned insurgent groups operate from Myanmar and are frequently engaged in clashes with the People’s Defence Force (PDF) and Kuki National Army (Burma), both of which are resistance groups fighting against Myanmar’s military junta.
On 1 February, intense fighting broke out between the PDF and Myanmar Junta forces near Tamu, just a few km from the Moreh border in Manipur.
In 2024, the Union Home Ministry (MHA) extended the ban on eight insurgent groups, including the RPF/PLA, for another five years, as part of its continued crackdown on extremist activities in the region.
Swarajya