Alarmed by the rapidly deteriorating situation in insurgency-hit Manipur, the Manmohan Singh government has decided to pump in extra troops, moving an entire Army brigade from Dimapur in Nagaland to Chandel near Manipur’s borders with Myanmar.The decision to relocate the 44 Mountain Brigade — some 3,000 troops — was cleared at the highest level after consultations with the ministries of Defence and Home. In what was virtually the first decision of the new government’s security establishment, the Chandel brigade headquarters was established two weeks ago.By moving troops close to the Myanmar border, the government may be waiting for Myanmar to do a Bhutan: crack down on N-E insurgents operating out of Myanmar territory.Engaged in counter-insurgency operations — Op Orchid at Dimapur — the 44 Mountain Brigade is now part of Op Hifazat in Manipur. The 57 Mountain Brigade is already stationed near Imphal for counter-insurgency duties.Not far from the Moreh-Tamu crossing on the Indo-Myanmar border, the Chandel brigade will check infiltration of insurgents from across the border and instil confidence among government employees to work in the interior areas of Manipur. Instructions to return to work have already gone out.The brigade commander will be on a hotline with his Myanmar counterpart to obtain real time information on movements of North-East insurgents and gun-running.Sources said that the urgency to move in more troops stemmed from the fact that underground outfits were virtually running a parallel administration, forming ‘‘liberated zones’’ in Tamenglong, Churachandpur and Chandel. Manipur government employees, scared by the spate of kidnapping for ransom and rampant extortion, had fled to relatively secure Imphal. This allowed insurgents groups like the UNLF, PLA, PREPAK, KNF, KYKL and big brother NSCN (I-M) to rule the interiors. Meanwhile, the UPA government has also reviewed the Centre’s dialogue with the NSCN (I-M), stuck on the issue of Greater Nagaland. Delhi’s special emissary K Padmanabhaiah and Director (Intelligence Bureau) have been talking to NSCN (I-M) leaders Isaac Chishi Swu and Thuingaleng Muivah for six years now. Padmanabhaiah, it’s learnt, wants to continue as emissary and even met Congress president Sonia Gandhi last month.North Block has reports that the NSCN (I-M) has been extending its geographical reach beyond Nagaland and this, officials say, can have serious consequences. They have also been watching the shrinking base of NSCN (Khaplang), once seen as a counter to the I-M group.
