New Delhi: Central security agencies assigned to maintain the law and order situation in Manipur have sent a report to the Union Home Ministry stating that the attack on the security forces at Moreh, a border town in Manipur adjacent to the Indo-Myanmar border has been carried out by the militants coming from across the border from Myanmar.
“…Militants from across the border sneaked into Manipur and carried out the attack on the security personnel at Moreh…,” a report submitted by the security agencies to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) informed. A senior official in the Home Ministry while quoting the report told ETV Bharat on Tuesday that the report has further substantiated the Centre's strategy to end the Free Regime Movement (FRM) along the India-Myanmar border.
A fresh bout of gunfight between unidentified gunmen and security forces was witnessed in the India-Myanmar border town of Moreh on Monday. In fact, on Sunday evening, a fierce gunbattle broke out at Moreh when unidentified gunmen armed with sophisticated weapons launched an attack on security forces.
Last week, four police commandos and one Border Security Force (BSF) jawan were injured in an ambush conducted by militants in Moreh. This incident, however, came a day after four civilians were shot dead in clashes between unidentified armed miscreants and locals in the Lilong area in Thoubal district of Manipur.
Ever since the ethnic clash broke out between Kukis and Meiteis in Manipur in May last year, security agencies have been suggesting that militants from across the border in Manipur have also been involved in several incidents. The security agencies in one of the reports submitted to the Home Ministry earlier, suggested giving serious thought to the FMR along the Indo-Myanmar border.
A Free Movement Regime (FMR) exists between India and Myanmar. Under the FMR, every member of the hill tribes, who is either a citizen of India or a citizen of Myanmar and who is a resident of any area within 16 km on either side of Indo-Myanmar border can cross the IMB on the production of a border pass (one-year validity) issued by the competent authority and can stay up to two weeks per visit.
The Assam Rifles has been assigned to guard the 1,643 km long Indo-Myanmar border. However, the influx of refugees continues along this border due to the FMR system. “Due to the free movement of people, criminals can also take advantage of the situation to smuggle weapons and contraband items to India. Though the Assam Rifles has been entrusted with the responsibility of guarding the border with Myanmar, it is not possible to keep an eye on every inch of the border because of the rough terrain,” the official said.
He informed that although the government has sanctioned the construction of fencing along the border, “it would take time as carrying machinery and materials to the border would be a tough task.”
Read more: Gunfight breaks out between militants, security forces in Manipur's Moreh
