Author: Kishalay Bhattacharjee
Publication: NDTV
Date: May 5, 2003
URL: http://www.ndtv.com/morenews/showmorestory.asp?slug=Garo+Hills+easy+route+for+infiltrators&id=37741
While infiltration on India's western
border has been a worrisome issue for over the past two years, the illegal
movement across India's international border with Bangladesh has received
little attention.
India's eastern border is not only
porous, it is also unguarded at several points making it a big attraction
both for infiltrators and arms smugglers.
BSF personnel patrol the well-guarded
fence along the Assam-Meghalaya stretch of the Indian border with Bangladesh
- it is one of the most protected stretches of the border. But at other
places, it's a different story.
"The only problem we face here is
that people come across and steal cows, bufflows," says Chand Miyan, a
border resident.
Along the border, there are visible
signs of the region becoming more and more porous. Areas, which can be
fenced, are still open. And in the reserve forest area, many existing fences
have been pulled down.
In the Angratoli Reserve Forest
of South Garo Hills, India's international border with Bangladesh is completely
unguarded and unchecked. This is the route that militant groups like ULFA
and NDFB take to carry arms.
"These Bangladeshis come anytime
they feel like. They come everyday and whoever feels like can come. There's
no border here," says Dwarika Sangma, who lives in Angratoli Basti.
BSF jawans say it's impossible for
five personnel to guard a stretch of five kilometres of dense reserve forest.
And it's probably this vulnerability
that has begun to show. The Garo Hills region is now an arms depot of the
biggest militant groups in the Northeast.
"It's an open secret that militant
groups like NDFB, ULFA or ANVC take shelter here. So in that regard this
district is facing almost four or five militant groups. Our hands are full
with this challenge," says a BSF official.
Those who know the region say the
neglect of border villages may be one of the reasons why militants have
been able to penetrate the Garo Hills region.
But it's an advice the Centre must
look at to stop the beautiful stretch of Meghalaya from becoming the new
base of militancy in the Northeast.
