(^18) THE WEEK NOVEMBER 12, 2017
ASSAM
Forward pass: The Assam government
has asked Prime Minister Modi to speed
up the deportation of Paresh Baruah
(centre), who is said to be shuttling
between Myanmar and China
RAJEEV BHATTACHARYYA
BY RABI BANERJEE
W
hen Prime Minister
Narendra Modi vis-
ited Myanmar in
September, India's
northeastern states observed closely.
The Rohingya crisis had worsened,
and there were reports that Rohingya
militants, who were fighting the
Myanmar army, were being courted
by the United Liberation Front of
Western South East Asia (UNLFW),Hot pursuit
India is closer to catching ULFA’s Paresh Baruah
an umbrella organisation of terrorist
outfits that saw India as an enemy.
The Union government feared that
the Rohingyas might be provoked into
attacking India. Assam, in particular,
watched Modi's visit closely as there
was speculation that Paresh Baruah,
a top leader of the United Liberation
Front of Assam (ULFA), would soon
become UNLFW chief.
In Myanmar, Modi spoke about
the Nationalist Socialist Council
of Nagaland (Khaplang), a Nagainsurgent group that operates from
Myanmar, and pressed for the hando-
ver of Baruah, who was said to be
shuttling between Myanmar and
China. The Myanmar government
told India that such groups, and pos-
sibly Baruah, could be hiding in areas
of Myanmar controlled by autono-
mous administrative councils.
Modi sought Myanmar State
Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi's help in
the fight against terrorists. In return,
India would help Myanmar deal with