Monday Musing
[ Bengia Ajum ]
Some of the youths who joined the United Tani Army (UTA) and went to Myanmar for training were allegedly tricked by their recruiters. The Arunachal Pradesh Police has managed to trace a few of them and is helping to rehabilitate them back in the society.
Earlier this year, the state police arrested one Tana Hasi, who is alleged to be a recruiter for the UTA. As per police sources, one man in his mid-20s, who came into contact with Hasi, went to Myanmar for training. For security reasons, we are not naming him in this article and are referring to him by the pseudonym ‘X’.
Coming from a poor economic background and jobless, X saw an opportunity to make a living when the recruiter offered him the chance to join the UTA.
Towards the end of 2023, X, along with two other youths, was taken to Myanmar through the Changlang district. Once they crossed the border, they were taken to a training centre. The UTA operatives are currently using the Absolom Rockwang-led NSCN (IM) faction training camp. Rockwang was chargesheeted by the NIA for his alleged role in the Khonsa massacre case, in which 11 people, including MLA Tirong Aboh, were killed on 21 May, 2019. UTA chairman Anthony Doke is considered to be a close aide of Rockwang.
After a few days of training, X was sent to northwestern Myanmar’s Sagaing region to fight for the junta Army. At that time, the region was witnessing intense battles between the People’s Defence Force (PDF), which supports the pro-democracy movement, and the Myanmar junta Army. X was forced to fight against the PDF on behalf of the junta Army. His phone was taken away, and he had no contact with anyone. As days turned into months, X began to feel homesick and started looking for an opportunity to flee the camp.
He feared for his life as the region witnessed deadly battles between the PDF and the junta. At one point, he had even given up hope of returning to Arunachal. Here was a man who had no idea what the PDF was or who the Myanmar junta are, fighting a war that had nothing to do with him.
In November 2024, he somehow managed to escape and began his journey back to Arunachal. He had no money but managed to recover his mobile phone. Carrying only a few kgs of rice and a few eatables, he began his trek back to India. He journeyed through dense jungle for seven days and finally reached Ukhrul district in Manipur. Upon reaching there, he managed to contact people in Arunachal and eventually returned home.
Since then, he has been cooperating with security agencies. He deeply regrets his decision to have joined the UTA and believes his return is a miracle in itself. Escaping from a war-torn area unfamiliar to him, X pulled off a miracle by returning home without a scratch.