Northeast India Affected By Narco-Terrorism

By R C Ganjoo

In May 2023, Manipur was engulfed in a deadly conflict between two major communities, the Kukis and the Meiteis. The conflict was compounded by inadequate guarding of the India-Myanmar border. There have been several ways of cross-border migration from the border areas of Myanmar, like Chin State, into the border areas of India, particularly Manipur and Mizoram. These migrations are mostly done by people who were impacted by the recent military takeover, or those seeking a better life, and people who did so for political reasons. But it is difficult to differentiate between them since they enter the country without proper documents.

According to a paper published by the Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS), a number of insurgent groups such as the United National Liberation Front (UNLF), Peoples Liberation Army (PLA), the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN), and small groups of Kukis and Zomis have built camps in Sagaing Division, Kachin State and Chin State in Myanmar.

These insurgents, after taking shelter in Myanmar, have procured arms, trained cadres, and most importantly, are involved in smuggling of drugs and selling weapons to raise funds. This is possible because of the porous borders and frequent misuse of FMR (Free Movement Regime).

Therefore, managing the border areas efficiently could help in reducing drug trafficking and illegal border crossing on unfenced borders. It is a big challenge before India. When the crisis in Myanmar escalated subsequently the influx of refugees increased, and India suspended the FMR in September 2022.

When Manipur was engulfed in violence, about 718 Myanmar nationals, including 301 children and 208 women, entered Manipur’s Chandel district on 24 July due to the ongoing clashes between the Army and the civil forces in Myanmar, as stated officially. The state government asked the Assam Rifles to push back the Myanmar nationals, Manipur Chief Secretary Vineet Joshi said in a statement, adding that the government sought a detailed report from the Assam Rifles to clarify on the facts and reasons, as to why and how these 718 Myanmar nationals were allowed to enter into India in Chandel district without proper travel documents.

Myanmar nationals have been staying in seven locations of the Chandel district – Lajang, Bonse, New Samtal, New Lajang, Yangnomphai, Yangnomphai Saw Mill, and Aivo Jang, all villages along the Myanmar border.

It is pertinent to mention here that after the military takeover in Myanmar in February 2021, thousands of Myanmar nationals crossed borders and entered Mizoram with around 35,000 men, women, and children from that country now staying in the mountainous state. Around 5,000 Myanmarese had earlier taken shelter in Manipur. Manipur has around 400 km and Mizoram has 510 km of unfenced border with Myanmar.

India is sandwiched between Golden Crescent and Golden Triangle. Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran are Golden Crescent countries. Burma, Thailand, and Laos are Golden Triangle countries. Golden Crescent and Golden Triangles are opium, Cannabis Sativa producing centers.

The United States of America took action to break the French-Turkey drug smuggling connection in 1970s. Thereafter, Singapore, Hong Kong, Korea, and Malaysia enforced strict drug prohibition laws effectively and contained drug abuse and illicit trafficking. During the late 1970s and early 80s, the Iran-Iraq war, the civil war in Afghanistan, and the fluid situation in the Middle East, along with public execution of drug peddlers in the Middle East caused a sea change in drug trafficking from Golden Crescent countries.

Theereafter, illicit production of opium steadily increased in Golden Triangle countries. Opium production remained static in Thailand. Whereas, in Laos and Burma it trebled. The morphine and heroin produced in Golden Triangle countries are being smuggled to India through Myanmar. The opium from the Golden Triangle countries is being smuggled to India through Nepal. By virtue of its geographical location India has become a transit country in the global illicit trafficking of drugs. Opium and Ganja derivatives produced in Golden Triangle countries are being smuggled into India from Mandalay- Timu Champaya- Izol- Singathpur- Morah- Calcutta route.

India has a 5700 km long porous border with Pakistan, Nepal, Myanmar, and Bangladesh. The illicit smuggling of Ganja and opium is on the increase from the Golden Triangle and Golden Crescent countries. Since old drug routes and drug syndicates have become inoperative, drugs are smuggled to India from these centres and further on to the West.

As a result of breaking away from old drug syndicates and drug routes, the emergence of new drug syndicates have come to the notice of the authorities. In recent years, Nigerians, Pakistanis, South Africans Srilankans, and Myanmarese are engaged in the illicit trafficking of drugs from India to the West.

Illicit opium cultivation has come to the notice of enforcement authorities in Dehradoon and Chakrathadu in Uttarakhand, Izol, Champi and Siaha districts in Mizoram, Chaunglez and Thirab districts in Arunachal Pradesh.

Due to these drug networks, eastern states of India like Assam, Mizoram, Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya, and Tripura are affected by extremist/secessionist activities. As a result, the law and order situation is not at its best in these states. What we have been seeing in the North East is also a proof of Narco-Terrorism.

(R C Ganjoo is a senior journalist and columnist having more than 30 years experience of covering issues concerning national security, particularly Kashmir. He has worked with several prominent media groups and his articles have been published in many national and international publications.)

Source: OneIndia