The Eastern Command of the Indian Army, which carried out a strike against the NSCN(K) insurgents on Wednesday, has claimed success in inflicting “heavy casualties” while suffering no losses. More significantly, the statement declared that the special anti-terrorist corps did not cross the international border into Myanmar. While we would not like to disbelieve the Army, it’s possible that a part of the operations ran across the very porous border. The NSCN(K) group, led by the Myanmarese, Khaplang, until his reported death last June, is said to have its camps in Myanmar not far from the Indian border while its guerillas have been crossing over to carry out attacks, including a major one last year in which 20 soldiers were ambushed in Manipur. India hit back with a raid that was much publicised as a “cross-border operation”.
Considering the sensitivities of the sovereignty of nations, the Army may have underplayed the cross-border part. The price of freedom is eternal vigil while the state of several insurgency movements in the Northeast calls for a proactive approach towards making the territory secure. The nature of the game is such India faces many militant movements, said to be several score according to intelligence agency estimates. Wisdom would suggest that, on a parallel track, peace also be pursued with the Indian Naga rebels and the like whose differences with the State do not seem irreconcilable, although a Naga state carved out of India and Myanmar is a stated objective of some of the more militant groups.
