THE LIGHT OF ANDAMANS :: VOL: 32 ISSUE 05 :: 3 FEB 2007

*Kolkata Court frames charges against 34 Arakanese rebels*

Kolkatta: The City Sessions Court, Kolkata has framed charges against 34
Arakanese and Karen rebels, who were arrested in Andaman and Nicobar Islands
in 1998 by the Indian Navy,
The Court charged the ethnic rebels from Burma with the Arms Act, the
Explosive Substances act and the Foreigners Act.
The rebels, identified as members of the National Unity Party of Arakan, an
ethnic armed rebel group fighting against the Burmese military dictators,
were arrested in February 1998 by the Indian Navy during "Operation Leech"
in Landfall Island of Nicobar.
The rebels were detained and put on trial in a Port Blair court in the
Andaman-Nicobar archipelago. However, following appeals by human rights
organizations that the alleged rebels had no consular access in Port Blair,
the Supreme Court in October 2006 ordered the trial to be shifted to
Kolkata.
Sharma said the court today also fixed the trial of witnesses to be held on
March 21, 22, 23, on a witness per day basis.
According to the Indian Army, a huge quantity of arms, ammunition and
explosives were reportedly seized from the rebels when they were arrested.
But the rebels claimed they were betrayed by Indian Military Intelligence
after being used by them for several years to monitor Chinese naval
activity. The rebels also accused the Indian Military Intelligence of
killing six of their leaders in cold blood.
"The Court has also directed that all the arms and ammunitions which are
alleged to have been recovered from these persons [the rebels], should be
brought to the Court," said Sharma.
The rebels said they were brought to Landfall Island by an Indian Military
Intelligence officer Lt-Colonel Vijay Singh Grewal, a Burmese speaking
officer in 1997, on the promise that they would be allowed to set up their
operational base on the Island.
But on reaching the Island, Indian Military Intelligence betrayed the rebels
and killed six of their key leaders, who had reached an agreement with the
Indian Military intelligence, the rebels said.
The rebels, who are currently in Presidency Jail in Kolkata, said they faced
harassment and pressure by jail authorities. In December 2006, jail
authorities and some other convicts together attacked the rebels, when they
complained about the food being served.
Following the brawl, which resulted in three of the rebels being
hospitalized, the Home Department of the West Bengal Government issued an
order that the concerned "accused persons shall not be removed from the
prison in which they are now confined."
However, appeals from concerned civilians and intellectuals made the state
government withdrew the order on December 16, allowing the trial to continue
to be held in open court.
The Central Bureau of Investigation in their first information report (FIR)
had charged the rebels with the National Security Act and Indian Territorial
Authority Act.
"But in the charge-sheet they could not provide any document. So in the
charge sheet they have not even alleged these sections against them" said
Sharma.


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