The Manipur government has clamped prohibitory orders during the night along a 3 km belt within India, along Myanmar and the Ukhrul district.
The order issued by the district magistrate of Ukhrul on Monday says that the border with Chandel, another border district, is also covered by this prohibitory night order effective from 6 pm till 4 am.
Official explanation is that miscreants have been crossing the international border through the Ukhrul district, carrying firearms and other contraband goods. Nobody is allowed to travel in the prohibited areas during the specified period. Hunters and fishermen also cannot move around. Those persons who have to travel on unavoidable circumstances should seek permission from the Army and the Assam Rifles who are manning the border areas.
Following the > report in The Hindu on the > recruitment of cadres by the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) after > signing the framework accord on August 3, local media has been highlighting further developments.
The latest reports said that the NSCN(IM) is recruiting cadres even in the heart of Imphal, the State capital.
The NSCN(IM) had signed ceasefire with the Indian government on June 25, 1997. Intelligence officials suspect that new recruits are taken out to the camps in the no man's land and the prohibitory orders were clamped to check the movements.
The authorities had started construction of the 10 km long border fence at Moreh in Chandel district. Intelligence sources said that there is free movement of insurgents, with recruits taking advantage of the legalised border trade. Since thousands of people cross the border everyday ostensibly to buy foreign goods, many rebels could jostle with them by masquerading as traders and get lost in the no man's land.
