Support for Myanmar resistance
swells in northeast
7 March 2021
THE HINDU
Amid reports of the increasing
crackdown on protesters in neighbouring Myanmar, organisations in
Manipur and Nagaland have joined their counterparts in Mizoram in
extending support to the civil disobedience movement (CDM) against the
military junta.
Officials in Mizoram said more than 50 people from Myanmar, including at
least eight police personnel, have crossed over fearing punitive action
by the Tatmadaw — Myanmar military — for opposing the coup which took
place in February.
Four northeastern States — Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and
Mizoram — not only share a 1,643 km border with Myanmar but also ethnic
ties with groups across the border. Mizoram usually feels the impact of
unrest in the neighbouring country more than the other States.
The dominant Mizo community in Mizoram are ethnically related to the
Chins in the adjoining Chin State across the border. The Chins are also
related to the Kuki-Zomi group in Manipur. Myanmar also has several Naga
communities with affinity to Nagas spread across Manipur, Nagaland and
Arunachal Pradesh.
Also read: More Myanmar nationals take refuge in Mizoram
“Martial law by means of military coup is direct horrendous suppression
of people’s participation in a government… The international community
regardless of any political, religious or ideological affinity must step
in to restore normalcy in Myanmar and save lives due to the presence
State-sponsored terrorism,” Romeo Bungdon, working president of the All
Manipur Tribal Union (AMTU) said in his appeal to the United Nations
Security Council.
The AMTU expressed solidarity with the people of Myanmar resisting the
military and condemned the overthrow of a democratically elected
government, as did the Tenyimi Students’ Union in Nagaland. Tenyimi is
an umbrella group comprising 10 Naga communities.
A report in the Myanmar-based The Irrawaddy said more than 600 police
officers have joined the CDM against the military regime with only the
Rakhine State, the epicentre of the Rohingya issue, reporting no
protests by security personnel.
The number of police resignations has risen sharply since the violent
crackdown in February, the report said and added that the dissenting
officers are from the Criminal Investigation Department, Special Branch
and Tourist Security Police besides the training centres.
Among the officers who have rebelled is Special Branch Major Tin Min Tun,
who posted on Facebook this week: “I no longer want to serve under the
military regime. I have joined the civil servants participating in the
CDM.:
|