12-29-2003, 08:23 AM
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1031229/asp/...ory_2729926.asp
<b>Delhi readies flushout list for Dhaka </b>
New Delhi, Dec. 28 (PTI): Buoyed by Bhutanâs operation against Indian insurgents, Delhi is planning to exert pressure on Bangladesh for a similar action against the northeastern insurgentsâ camps on its soil.
A list of 180 camps operating in Bangladesh and 85 prominent insurgents based there will be handed over to Dhaka during a five-day director-general-level meeting of the Border Security Force and the Bangladesh Rifles beginning on January 6 here, official sources said.
During the meeting, which will be attended by top officials of the home and foreign ministries, India will ask Bangladesh to shut down or destroy these camps and hand over the insurgents wanted for various crimes in the country, the sources said.
The list mentions the specific location of each camp and points out the groups running them.
Bangladesh has been denying existence of any such camp in its territory, insisting that it would not allow any anti-India activity on its soil.
The sources, however, said 25 new camps have been detected recently, taking the number to 155. Delhi gave such a list to Bangladesh at the last biennial DG-level meeting in April.
A top Indian official said: âThey (Bangladesh) say they have checked and found no such camps. We would like to believe them. But we know militants come here from that side after training. We have caught many of such men.â
These establishments are receiving patronage from fundamentalist elements in Bangladesh, besides support from Pakistanâs Inter-Services Intelligence whose presence has seen constant increase in that country, he said. Intelligence reports have also suggested presence of al Qaida in Bangladesh and âsuch information cannot be ignoredâ.
The concentration of camps has been seen in Khagrachar, Bandarban and Rangamati tracts of Chittagong hills, besides those in Coxâs Bazar and Maulvi Bazar districts, the sources said. Camps have also been detected in Habibganj, Sylhet, Sherpur and Kurigram.
Most of these camps are run by the Ulfa, National Democratic Front of Boroland, National Liberation Front of Tripura, All Tripura Tiger Force and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak Muivah, the sources said.
The list also includes training camps run by the Peopleâs Liberation Army, Muslim United Liberation Tigers of Assam, Achik National Volunteer Council, Chakma National Liberation Front and the Dima Halam Daoga, they added.
Delhi will also raise the nagging problem of illegal immigration from Bangladesh and that of joint patrolling.
At their last meeting, both sides agreed in principle to start joint patrolling from July 1 but Dhaka failed to respond to New Delhiâs draft to implement the proposal sent in June. The proposal, under which both the BSF and BDR will move together on their sides of the 4,900-km border at a selected time and place, was mooted to end friction over illegal immigration that India considers a serious threat to its security.
BSF then prepared a draft on the modalities and sent it to Bangladesh in June. But Dhaka has been silent on the matter since then.
<b>Delhi readies flushout list for Dhaka </b>
New Delhi, Dec. 28 (PTI): Buoyed by Bhutanâs operation against Indian insurgents, Delhi is planning to exert pressure on Bangladesh for a similar action against the northeastern insurgentsâ camps on its soil.
A list of 180 camps operating in Bangladesh and 85 prominent insurgents based there will be handed over to Dhaka during a five-day director-general-level meeting of the Border Security Force and the Bangladesh Rifles beginning on January 6 here, official sources said.
During the meeting, which will be attended by top officials of the home and foreign ministries, India will ask Bangladesh to shut down or destroy these camps and hand over the insurgents wanted for various crimes in the country, the sources said.
The list mentions the specific location of each camp and points out the groups running them.
Bangladesh has been denying existence of any such camp in its territory, insisting that it would not allow any anti-India activity on its soil.
The sources, however, said 25 new camps have been detected recently, taking the number to 155. Delhi gave such a list to Bangladesh at the last biennial DG-level meeting in April.
A top Indian official said: âThey (Bangladesh) say they have checked and found no such camps. We would like to believe them. But we know militants come here from that side after training. We have caught many of such men.â
These establishments are receiving patronage from fundamentalist elements in Bangladesh, besides support from Pakistanâs Inter-Services Intelligence whose presence has seen constant increase in that country, he said. Intelligence reports have also suggested presence of al Qaida in Bangladesh and âsuch information cannot be ignoredâ.
The concentration of camps has been seen in Khagrachar, Bandarban and Rangamati tracts of Chittagong hills, besides those in Coxâs Bazar and Maulvi Bazar districts, the sources said. Camps have also been detected in Habibganj, Sylhet, Sherpur and Kurigram.
Most of these camps are run by the Ulfa, National Democratic Front of Boroland, National Liberation Front of Tripura, All Tripura Tiger Force and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak Muivah, the sources said.
The list also includes training camps run by the Peopleâs Liberation Army, Muslim United Liberation Tigers of Assam, Achik National Volunteer Council, Chakma National Liberation Front and the Dima Halam Daoga, they added.
Delhi will also raise the nagging problem of illegal immigration from Bangladesh and that of joint patrolling.
At their last meeting, both sides agreed in principle to start joint patrolling from July 1 but Dhaka failed to respond to New Delhiâs draft to implement the proposal sent in June. The proposal, under which both the BSF and BDR will move together on their sides of the 4,900-km border at a selected time and place, was mooted to end friction over illegal immigration that India considers a serious threat to its security.
BSF then prepared a draft on the modalities and sent it to Bangladesh in June. But Dhaka has been silent on the matter since then.