NLFT-B has set up 7 new camps in Mizoram: Sarkar

Headlines Vol. 2 Issue No. 7

July 7 - 21, 2003

NLFT-B has set up 7 new camps in Mizoram: Sarkar

Tripura Chief Minister, Manik Sarkar has said that activists of the Biswanath group of the outlawed National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) are openly moving around in Aizawl of neighbouring Mizoram where they have set up seven camps.
“I have definite intelligence inputs that NLFT (B) faction has camps in Mizoram and they openly move around in Aizawl” Sarkar said. “But I do not believe that the Mizoram Government has indulged them in setting camps. They might have set up the camps without the knowledge of the Government”, said Sarkar who holds the home portfolio.
When it was pointed out that Mizoram Chief Minister, Zoramthanga had already denied existence of insurgents’ camps in his State, Sarkar said “he is a politician he can say many things for political cause but I do not want any confrontation with him because he is my personal friend.’
Mr. Sarkar said the fact came to   light at the meeting of the heads of the security forces in the State including BSF and Assam Rifles on May 28 last year when intelligence reports regarding the camps were placed with evidence. He said Chief Secretary V Thulasidas who had chaired the meeting later informed the Mizoram Chief Minister and the Union Home Ministry regarding the camps.
Mr. Sarkar said he had taken up the matter with Zoramthanga during the Chief Ministers’ meeting organised by the North Eastern Council at Guwahati on November 14, and handed him necessary documents when he had said that he was not aware of it. The Chief Minister further said that on the basis of the inputs provided by the State Government, the Centre took up with Bangladesh the matter that ultras of the North-East, especially those of Tripura, were using the soil of the neighbouring country and they had   camps there.
The Bangladesh Government, however, denied having camps of Indian insurgents there and made counter charge that there were camps of Chakma rebels of Bangladesh in Tripura “but we have conducted extensive search in the state and did not find any such camp”, Sarkar said. The Chief Minister said that his Government had despatched full details including maps of insurgent camps in Bangladesh to the Central Government for necessary steps. Stating tht Bangladesh police had recently recovered from a pond a cache of ammunition and explosives, which belonged to Tripura insurgents, he said Bangladesh media were also writing about presence of Indian insurgents in their country.

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