Two teenage boys from Mizoram returned to their homeland after a week of torture by Myanmar militants. The boys from Zokhawthar, a border town in Mizoram’s Champhai district, were held captive by the Hualngoram faction of the Chin Defence Force (CDF). The release, confirmed by local authorities, came nearly a week after the boys were abducted.
The boys, aged 15 and 16, had ventured across the border, along with their three friends on two motorcycles for a visit to Rih Dil Lake, a popular spot for locals. They crossed into Myanmar's Rihkhawdar town on September 1.
According to an Assam Rifles officer, the group was halted by CDF-Hualngoram militants and assaulted due to a prior altercation with members of the resistance group. The two boys who were captured were initially held in the Rih Dil area for two days, while others managed to escape. They were later transferred to the Liando Camp in Seik village, Myanmar, where they were severely tortured. Reports indicate that the captives were tortured, including having their heads tonsured, being burned with cigarette butts, and one boy losing a front teeth.
The CDF-Hualngoram, an armed faction fighting the military junta in Myanmar, reportedly released the boys following certain negotiations involving the Zokhawthar village council and local NGOs. Rodinga, the general secretary of the Hualngoram People’s Organisation (HPO), said that the release was contingent upon the boys' alleged involvement in an attack on a CDF-Hualngoram member.
Security officials in Mizoram have expressed concern over the influence of militant groups operating near the India-Myanmar border and the potential repercussions for local communities. The presence of more than 30 CDF factions and other resistance groups along the India-Myanmar border adds to the challenge of maintaining peace and security in the area.
The Government of India has recently implemented strict measures to address the volatile situation, including restrictions on the Free Movement Regime, which allowed cross-border travel without a visa. However, the state government of Mizoram has resisted these changes, arguing that they exacerbate the region's unique cross-border dynamics.
