Myanmar, India pledge not to let any organization use their territory against another 

29 February 2020
Myanmar, India pledge not to let any organization use their territory against another 
Photo: ANI

The leaders of Myanmar and India pledged Friday not to let any organization use their territory for attacks against the other nation.

The Myanmar delegation led by President Win Myint met India President Shri Ram Nath Govind and Premier Modi on separate meetings on February 27 and they made this pledge which is mentioned in the joint communiqué issued by the two governments.

The joint communiqué issued by India embassy in Myanmar reads, “Two leaders reiterated their pledge not to let any organization use their territory in any hostile action against the other nation.”

During the official visit of Myanmar President Win Myint to India, the two countries signed ten MoUs and agreements including border affairs between two countries, border trade and the Kaladan multimodal project.

In addition, India will provide US$5 million in aid for implementing 29 additional projects in the 2020-21 financial year.

Myanmar President Win Myint is on a four-day official goodwill visit to India from February 26 to 29. 

Indo-Myanmar relation expert Dr. Tint Swe said that India was not a hostile country to Myanmar and it may provide more aid for Myanmar’s needs.

“At the time of SPDC government (military regime), India requested Myanmar to clear those groups which were based on the Indo-Myanmar border and attacking against the India government, say frankly the rebel groups in northeast India. And then the Myanmar government pledged at meetings and dialogues that these rebels groups would not be on Myanmar soil but they are still in Myanmar,” he told Mizzima on February 27.

Moreover the two leaders agreed to cooperate in information sharing for counter terrorism and extremism and also on strengthening international cooperation.

India wants cooperation with Myanmar for stability and maintaining peace on the Indo-Myanmar border and in the northeast region in India. Ethnic armed groups from India such as the Naga, Meitei, Assam are operating near the border contiguous with Myanmar for launching attacks against India.

On the other hand, the Myanmar ethnic rebel group Arakan Army (AA) is operating in area contiguous with Mizoram State in India and they are attacking against the Myanmar government.

Khamti military strategic command under the command of Northwest Military Region Command sent 400-personnel strong force to National Socialist Council of Naga-Kaplan faction (NSCN-K) headquarters in Taga village, Nanyun Township, Naga Self-Administered Area, Sagaing Region, Myanmar on January 29, 2019 and the Myanmar Army is still controlling this area until today.

And then over 20 Assam and Meitei rebels who were operating in the NSCN-K controlled area were arrested and after that Khamti district court sentenced them to two-year imprisonment in April 2019.