39 youth abducted by rebels, taken to Burma

By MANOJ ANAND - Asian Age

Guwahati, February 6, 2008: NSCN (K) rebels are alleged to have abducted 39 youth from Tirap district of Arunachal Pradesh and to have taken them to training camps in Burma.

However, at least six of them are said to have returned, but they are not in a position to say anything about their abduction or subsequent release.

The powerful All-Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union has threatened to launch a movement if the state government fails to secure the return of the abducted youth at the earliest.

Security sources said the youth were kidnapped on January 21 and are said to have been taken to the outfit’s hideouts and training camps across the border in Burma. Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Dorjee Khandu has sought Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s urgent intervention for their early release. Mr K.D. Singh, the principal secretary to the Arunachal Pradesh chief minister, on Wednesday issued a press release at Itanagar saying that the chief minister has taken up the matter with the Prime Minister.

The Arunachal Pradesh chief minister, in his message to the Prime Minister, said it is a matter of grave concern that militants are able to operate with impunity despite the district being declared "disturbed" under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act.

Mr Khandu has also taken up the matter with national security adviser M.K. Narayanan and Maj. Gen. Jitender Singh, GOC 2nd Division, in Tinsukia. He has informed them that the kidnapped youth have reportedly been taken to the outfit’s hideouts and training camps in Burma.

Since this issue assumes international dimension, it is beyond the means of the state government to deal with the problem, the release said. The return of the youth may not be possible unless Burma is asked to drive the separatist group out of its territory, he added. Mr Khandu said this has also severely eroded the people’s faith in the government and that it is high time that a concerted effort is made to ensure their release.

The abduction of so many youth came to light soon Arunachal Pradesh governor J.J. Singh visited the district headquarters last Sunday. No senior police officer in the state was available for comment while Arunachal director-general of police Ajay Chadha was in New Delhi.

Meanwhile, the general secretary of the powerful Northeast Students’ Organisation, Mr Gunjan Haider, told this newspaper that most of those taken by NSCN (K) rebels are school students. "We have set a deadline of 10 days for the government to secure the release of those kidnapped. If the government fails to do so, we students of Arunachal Pradesh will launch a vigorous movement in the state," said Mr Haider.

Talking over the telephone from Itanagar, Mr Haider said they have also sought the intervention of the Arunachal Pradesh governor to ensure that the militants release these boys. He, however, denied the report that some students have come back. "We are in touch with people in Tirap district. All 39 students are still traceless," asserted Mr Haider.