From MIZZIMA News Group (r)

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Indian army attacked Burma Rebel's Camp

By Our Reporter
July 3, 1999

MIZZIMA News Group


About sixty soldiers from the Assam Rifles in Mizoram State of India
attacked a mobile camp of Chin National Front (CNF) in the Indo-Burma
border on 23rd June 1999. The local sources said that the attack, led by
Captain N. Va Suderran from 1st Assam Rifles Battalion, occurred around
8 a.m. and lasted for thirty minutes. The Chin National Front (CNF) is
one of the armed ethnic groups fighting against the military regime in
Burma for self-determination and democracy in the country. CNF camp with
the strength of fifty soldiers was destroyed after the attack. The
Indian Assam Rifles soldiers surrounded the CNF camp at night and
launched the attack next morning.

Two CNF men were captured during the attack by the Indian forces and one
of them, Mr. Reng Hu escaped with gun injury. Sources said that two
Indian soldiers were injured. But the Assam Rifles did not confirm it.
One army officer from the 1st Assam Rifles Battalion said that they
attacked the CNF camp as CNF has been collecting taxes from the local
residents in Mizoram State of India. But CNF denied it. It said that Mr.
Jimmy, the one arrested in the attack was killed by the Assam Rifles.

There are a number of mobile camps of the Chin National Front along the
international border and its headquarters is believed to be situated
inside Burma's Chin State, bordering with Mizoram State of India. CNF
and Indian army had a fairly good relationship before 1994 but it was
worsened after the "Operation Golden Bird" which was jointly launched by
the Indian army and Burmese army in 1995 against the NorthEast
insurgents along the international border. During the "Operation Golden
Bird" which lasted for two months, there were skirmishes between the CNF
and Indian armed forces.

June 23rd incident was the last of a series of the Assam Rifles' attacks
against the Chin National Front, which, on the other hand, said to be
having a keep-in-touch relationship with the local Indian army units.

In November 1993, a CNF mobile unit was attacked on the international
border, two CNF soldiers were arrested and killed by the Assam Rifles.
In April 1995, a CNF leader Mr. Sang Hlun and a soldier Thawng Mang were
arrested and the duo died in the custody of Assam Rifles in Mizoram
State. Their relatives accused the Assam Rifles poisoning the two to

death. In January 1999, one CNF member Mr. Mang Duhtling was arrested
and handed over to the Burmese army. CNF former chairman Mr. No Thang
Kap and his family were handed over to the Burmese army in September
1996 by Indian armed forces.

When contacted, Home Minister of Mizoram Mr. Tawn Luaia denied the
attack but confirmed that a patrolling unit of Assam Rifles had a
fighting with the CNF soldiers.

Moreover, sources in Mizoram said that the Indian authorities have been
putting pressure on the Chin National Front (CNF) to enter dialogue with
the Burmese government.

During the last five years, there were attempts of intermediaries for
talks between the CNF and Burmese government. But the talks were not
materialized as CNF insisted that the dialogue should include discussion
on political matters, the condition which Burmese government rejected.

There has been increased cooperation and information exchange between
the border army units of India and Burma in the past few years. The two
governments have agreed to cooperate each other in containing the
insurgency in Northeast India. Recently, a 16-member delegation from
Indian National Defence College was visiting Burma from June 27th
onwards.

By MIZZIMA News Group