GUWAHATI: Three cadres of the outlawed National Democratic Front of Boroland (Songbijit faction) who were apprehended recently along the India-Myanmar border have revealed that they were “tricked” to join the outfit and instead used as “bonded labourers”.
An official defence statement here on Monday informed that the trio had escaped from the NDFB militant camp in Myanmar and were found disoriented and in a poor physical state at the time of their apprehension by the Village Guards of Upper Dan, Tuensang district of Nagaland.
“On being provided with food and comfort, the three broke down and narrated their litany of woes. The three confessed they were working as labourers in Bengaluru since 2013. However, they were contacted by a middleman named Timitigiry who lured them to join NDFB (S) June 11, 2018, asking them to fight for the Bodo cause and falsely promised good pay,” the statement said.
They were then taken to Assam and from there were made to cross over to Myanmar on foot via Longleng district of Nagaland.
“On reaching Taga camp of the outfit in Myanmar, they were used as bonded labourers and employed to cultivate poppy, rice and vegetables. They were even forced to work in the coal mines owned in parts by the senior insurgent leaders,” the statement said.
The three stated that they were not given any military or weapon training and were harassed by senior cadres.
“They lived a wretched life there with minimal food, no salary and only one pair of clothes to wear. On asking for better conditions, the three were beaten up and tied to wooden posts. Eventually the three finally managed to flee when the Myanmar Army recently occupied Taga Camp. They then travelled along jungle trails eating whatever nature provided them with. They traced their journey back to India from Taga to Dan through Nampha, Nautun, Lahe and Ponyu,” the statement said.
Physical and mental abuse of new recruits is not unusual among insurgent groups. “This has become even more rampant with desperation setting in, especially amongst cadres of ULFA (I) and NDFB (S); consequent to the recent crackdown by Tatmadaw (Myanmar Army) that ensued loss of bases of these groups,” it said.