Guwahati: After launching a crackdown on camps belonging to northeast-based separatist groups in Myanmar, a local court in the neighbouring country has sentenced 24 rebels to two years in prison.
The Hkamti District Court in the Sagaing region of Myanmar on Wednesday awarded the jail terms to the rebels from Assam and Manipur.
Speaking to News18, a Myanmar-based rebel leader said, “The jailed separatists belong to the United Liberation Front of Assam-Independent (ULFA-I), Manipur People’s Army (MPA), Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL), People’s Liberation Army (PLA), People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK) and People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak.”
On January 29, the Tatmadaw (Myanmar Army) had raided the headquarters of National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang faction (NSCN-K) in the “Naga Self-Administrative Zone” of Sagaing region.
Almost all camps in the region were destroyed and the rebels fled from the Ta Ga area in Sagaing.
During the operation, which is said to be still underway, the Tatmadaw arrested ULFA (I) and Manipuri rebels.
The Myanmar army then filed a complaint against the rebels under Article 17(1) of the Unlawful Association Act of Myanmar. It was at the sixth hearing of the case, that the sentencing of the 24 rebels was announced.
The Tatmadaw said it had also arrested five senior leaders of the NSCN (K) and charged them under the same law for harbouring Indian rebels from the northeast.
The NSCN (K) leaders were allegedly helping the separatists in their fight against India by providing shelter and allowing them to run military training schools.
The Tatmadaw accused the NSCN-K of violating the bilateral ceasefire agreement it had signed on April 9, 2012, with the Sagaing regional government.
In early March, more than a month after taking control of the NSCN-K’s headquarters at Ta Ga, the Tatmadaw arrested 10 of its top leaders and six cadres.
On April 5, it released five of detainees, who were identified as Tomthong, Ngaitum, Manglwan, Athrom and Longsa.
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