Arunachal Pradesh Timeline - 2000

April 4

Nagaland Chief Minister S.C. Jamir said that the NSCN-K was in touch with Central agencies in a bid to open direct talks with the Union Government. Jamir said this amid speculations that Union Home Minister L. K. Advani might have met some top-ranking leaders or representatives of the NSCN-K during his two-day visit to Arunachal Pradesh that concluded on April 3.

Bowing to pressure from the Myanmar's Army, the banned ULFA has shifted three main camps from Myanmar to Arunachal Pradesh.

The General Officer Commanding 4 Corps Lieutenant General Shekatkar said that migration of the ULFA and NDFB cadres to neighbouring countries has almost stopped during the past few months due to stepped-up security operations. Also, some militants sought to move their base camps to Tirap and Changlang Districts, which were later neutralised by the Army, Shekatkar said.

Troops neutralised a camp of the ULFA cadres at Suha in Tirap District.

Troops neutralised a ULFA camp at Atongkhowa in Tirap District.

The report states that the NSCN-IM, after the extension of its cease-fire agreement with the Union government on August 1, has sent a top member to the Kunming province in China to strike a deal for a 'major' arms consignment, which security agencies suspect, is to be smuggled into the Northeast.

The report adds that the NSCN-IM is attempting to persuade Chinese authorities in Kunming to urge the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), a Myanmarese guerrilla group, to allow the arms cache through Kachin territory. The KIA has concluded a cease-fire agreement with the pro-China Myanmarese regime. It is also suspected that about 70 armed cadre of the NSCN-IM have been sent to Tirap and Changlang Districts of Arunachal Pradesh bordering Myanmar. These cadre are expected to ''escort'' the arms consignment into Arunachal Pradesh from where it will be channeled to NSCN-IM bases in Nagaland and other parts of the Northeast.

A suspected ULFA militant was captured by residents of Kakoi in Papum Pare District and handed over to the Assam Police. The militant was on an extortion mission in the village when he was apprehended.

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Mukut Mithi stated that the ULFA has set up four to five camps in the Changlang and Tirap Districts. He, however, said that as the Army is engaged in counter-insurgency operations, the State Government has no plans to take on the militants immediately.

Mizoram Chief Minister, in his recent meeting with the Union Home Minister, L. K. Advani, apprised him of his interaction with Th. Muivah and other NSCN-IM leaders in Bangkok. According to official sources, the Home Minister requested the CM to continue his peace efforts as the 'North-east rebels would understand his language.' As reported earlier, the CM, a former underground leader himself, was approached by the Centre as well as the NSCN-IM to broker a peace deal as the Naga talks were stalemated after the rebels insisted on extending the cease-fire into neighbouring Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh.

The cases of abduction of villagers in Tirap District by both factions of the NSCN have become an increasing phenomenon. A local politician was abducted by the NSCN-IM militants at Khonsa in Tirap District. The two factions are engaged in a war over territorial supremacy in parts of Arunachal Pradesh bordering Nagaland and Myanmar since May this year, when NSCN-K faction abducted six men from Barduria village, who were reportedly informers and sympathizers of the NSCN-IM.

A press release by the Arunachal People's Welfare Association stated that the Tirap and Changlang Districts were turning into a safe haven for the militants from Nagaland and Manipur. Two factions of the NSCN are indulging in extortion, abduction and killing of people. In recent events of violence, 21 people have reportedly been killed and seven were still missing.

The Central Government included Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh in the scheme to reimburse security-related expenditure and expanded its scope in Assam, Manipur, Nagaland and Tripura. This is expected to give a major fillip to the Northeastern States' battle against militancy. The total financial implication for all the six beneficiary states of the region is estimated to be about INR 400 million.

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Mukut Mithi reiterated in Itanagar his demand that New Delhi should deploy additional paramilitary forces to effectively counter the various terrorist outfits of the Northeast region taking shelter in the State and also step-up vigil along its international border. Mithi said, "We want the Centre to provide us Army along with additional paramilitary units to launch a counter-insurgency operation and drive out the militants from our State. It is our pledge to keep Arunachal an island of peace." He also added that in spite of repeated requests and appraisals to the Centre regarding growing terrorist activities in the State, the Centre has not responded effectively.

Arunachal Pradesh Government sounded a State wide red alert, in view of combing operations launched by the SFs to arrest the ULFA militants who are holed up in the dense forest of Arunachal Pradesh after committing the December 7 massacre in Assam.

Assam and Arunachal Pradesh have decided to launch joint operations to flush out the ULFA terrorists. The decision on a joint operation was taken at a high-level meeting of civil and Police officials of both the States held at Tinsukia in Assam. Official sources said that ULFA terrorists were reportedly taking shelter in the border areas of Arunachal Pradesh after carrying out the recent terrorist attacks in Assam. Meanwhile, the Disturbed Areas Act was invoked in the Tirap, Changlang and Dibang Valley Districts of Arunachal Pradesh, bordering the Tinsukia District following recent terrorist attacks.

The District administration of Tinsukia in Assam formulated a joint action plan with the adjoining Tirap, Changlang and Dibang Districts in Arunachal Pradesh, to combat ULFA militants targeting the non-Assamese community in Assam.

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Mukut Mithi asked the Centre, at a press conference, to seal the India-Bangladesh border with immediate effect to stop the large-scale infiltration of Bangladeshi nationals into India. Stating that infiltration of Bangladeshis has assumed an alarming proportion in his State, he said this trend might create a serious law-and-order problem in near future. According to him, "I am really worried over the reports and must check it with immediate effect. If steps are not taken by now, Arunachal may become another dumping ground for the Bangladeshi infiltrators, apart from the Chakma, Hajong and Tibetan refugees".