Irrawaddy-Mar 20
Members of the Assam Rifles, an Indian border security force, have entered Paletwa Township twice so far this year, causing concern among ethnic Chin residents and resistance groups in Myanmar’s Chin State. About 15 troops from the Assam Rifles, an Indian paramilitary force responsible for guarding the border, entered Shwe Lai Wa Village in Paletwa Township on March 13 and fired their guns in the air as they left, according to the Chin Defense Force (CDF)-Paletwa. Shwe Lai Wa, a village located on the border between Myanmar’s Chin State and India’s Mizoram State, and nearby areas form the base of the CDF-Paletwa’s Battalion 2. Salai Paul, chairman of the group, said it was the second time the Indian force had trespassed in the area. According to resistance groups and local news reports, Assam Rifles personnel do not merely trespass in the area, but also frequently arrest ethnic Chin ethnic people with ties to the anti-junta resistance, including some who have been members of the resistance since mid-2021, when armed revolt against the regime began. Residents of Shwe Lai Wa confirmed that Assam Rifles troops arrived in the village on March 13 and fired 10 rounds into the air. They said the group earlier moved into the area in February.
“Residents of the whole township are still very concerned that they will be trapped in an intense conflict situation again. If something happens suddenly, our township will be trapped and we could all face shortages of food and all necessities,” said a 43-year-old man who operates a civil society organization in Paletwa. Read more at: https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/indian-border-security-forces-incursions-into-myanmar-alarm-chin-residents.html
