In a recent statement, the PM of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina made a shocking claim that a plot is being hatched to carve out a Chirstian state like East Timor from parts of Bangladesh and Myanmar with a base in the Bay of Bengal, which she said that will not allow at any cost. She claimed that a white man who visited her prior to the elections in Bangladesh in January 2024 assured her that there will be no problems if she permitted them to build an airbase in Bay of Bengal.
Last year, the US also extended support to the Islamist Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its Jihadist Ally Jamaat-e-Islami. The US and other Western Countries expected the Awami League government to step down and hand power to a caretaker regime along with releasing all jailed BNP and Jamaat Leaders to ensure free and fair elections. However, India and China despite their own disputes backed Sheikh Hasina in dealing with US pressure resulting in Hasina’s victory.
Since there have been reports that the US is attempting to meddle in the Bangladesh elections by imposing sanctions on the Bangladesh Rapid Action Battalion and some officials alongside placing visa restrictions on Bangladeshi officials, it is speculated that the airbase offer was put forth by the US. The US interference in Bangladesh is not confined to influencing elections. It has emerged that Shiekh Hasina was hinting at attempts to carve out an independent nation for the Zo-Christians.
Speaking to an Indian media agency, several leaders of the ruling Awami League have confirmed that PM Hasina was talking about a conspiracy to create a Christian nation called the Zogam for Zo people. It is said to be on the lines of Zalengam a proposed Kuki State. This separate nation would comprise the districts of the Sagaing Division and the Chin state of Myanmar, the Indian state of Mizoram along with the Kuki inhabited areas of Manipur and the Bandarban district and adjoining areas of Bangladesh Chittagong Division.
Except for Mizoram, the other regions have been grappling with the militancy of Kuki-Chin terror groups. Notably, the Zo people, also called Zomi, Kuki-Chin Mizo are an ethnic group inhabiting the hilly regions of India, Myanmar and Bangladesh. Their historic origin trace back to the Chin Hills of Myanmar and th adjoining areas of Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland in India. Over centuries, they migrated and settled across this region forming distinct yet related communities.
During the British colonial period, the Zo people came into contact with Christian missionaries. The early 20th century saw their widespread conversion to Christianity which resulted in profound changes to their socio-cultural fabric. After the independence of India and Myanmar, the Zo people found themselves divided by national boundaries. In India they were classified as Scheduled Tribes (ST), which gave them safeguards. In Myanmar, several militant groups such as Chin National Army, Chinland Defence Force, Chin National Defence Force is engaged in an armed conflict with killings and loot in the Chittagong Hilly Tracts.
Meanwhile in India, the Kuki militants under the banner of the Kuki National Army, Kuki National Front and Kuki Liberation Army have been carrying out killings, kidnappings and extortion in Manipur and are closely involved in ongoing ethnic strife in the Northeast. In Mizoram, the ruling Zoram Peoples Movement and Mizo National Front (MNF) as well as the state unit of the Congress party endorse the demand made by the Mizoram based Zo reunification Organisation (ZRO) whose main objective is the unification of all Zo inhabited areas in the three countries.
It has been reported that the church bodies, particularly the US based Baptist Church is instigating this Zo unification demand and these church bodies are closely related to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Moreover, in June 2023, the World Kuki Zo Intellectual Council (WKZIC), submitted a memorandum to the United Nations and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu seeking their intervention to carve out a separate Kuki state from hilly regions of conflict hit Manipur.
The memorandum stated “to grant Kuki statehood under Article 3 of the Indian Constitution for self-governance free from the control and discrimination in all aspects by the majority community. In case of any hesitancy from the part of Government of India (GoI) for the creation of a Kuki State, your kind Intervention is a must for declaration of Kuki Country.
Despite the Manipur conflict being India’s internal matter, the WKZIC move was seen as a blatant attempt at giving the foreign entities an opportunity to question India’s territorial integrity. It was seen how US Ambassador Eric Garcetti although deemed that the Manipur issue as India’s internal matter, offered to assist India if asked. Thus, it is a matter of concern not just for Bangladesh and Myanmar, but also for India when Sheikh Hasina says attempts to carve out separate Christian nations comprising portions of territories of these countries.
Carving out a separate Christian nation in South Asia serves the interests of the US since Buddhist Myanmar is heavily under the influence of China. The hostility in the US-China relations is widely known, the latest example is visible when US President Joe Biden announced tariffs on Chinese products.
On the other hand, the US extortion of influence in the internal matters of a Muslim majority Bangladesh has miffed their citizens. Meanwhile, India which is strategic ally of the US under the Modi government does not allow foreign influence in its internal matters and prioritises its national interests. Thus, establishing an easy to control state (poor and desperate) Christian nation in this strategically important region could provide the US with enhanced geopolitical leverage over South and Southeast Asia.
Besides, the territories inhabited by the Chin-Kuki-Zo people are rich in natural resources including minerals, narcotics, oil and gas. A new Christian state aligned with US interests would help its ambition of establishing military bases a reality, which Bangladesh under Sheikh Hasina, India under Narendra Modi and the Myanmar junta influenced by China would never allow. Notably, the establishment of military bases in Zalengam would also bolster the US presence near China and give it a counterbalancing to Chinese influence.
The alleged attempts by the US can exacerbate ethnic and religious tensions in already volatile region, leading to prolonged conflicts and humanitarian crisis and diplomatic fallout with Bangladesh, India and Myanmar. A retired senior Army officer in Bangladesh Director General of Forces Intelligence, said the United States is frustrated to acquire a firm ally in South Asia. A Christian country which looks upto it will fit into USA long term plans to play a decisive role in South Asia perfectly.
Meanwhile, an Indian intelligence officer has reported that the Kuki-Chin groups are strengthening themselves for a final push, an intensive operation against security forces of Bangladesh, India (Manipur) and Myanmar. They also have joined hands with Islamic terrorist group Jama’atul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya. Last year it was found that these Islamic terrorists were training under the supervision of Kuki Chin National Front in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT).
In Manipur, India, the Kuki-Chin groups have built a narrative that peaceful co-existence with the Meiteis in the state, is not possible. These Kuki-Chin groups have brought tens of thousands of Chins from neighbouring Myanmar to illegally enter Manipur and settle down in the state and this has exponentially boosted Kuki-Chin population. Kuki’s have deliberately created situations that would result in exodus of Kukis from Imphal Valley to foment a divide with the Meiteis. Initially they plan to demand a separate state and then demand merger with Mizoram.
Notably, these militant groups earn money through the cultivation of opium and trafficking drugs, including synthetic drugs, from Myanmar and Manipur through Mizoram and Bangladesh. The revenue generated from these activities is then used to buy weapons and peddling false victimhood on social media and other forums building a narrative that they are being persecuted by the Hindu Meiteis in Manipur, the Buddhist regime in Myanmar and Islamists in Bangladesh. The sole motive behind this is to justify their demand for Zalengam.
Thus, Sheikh Hasina’s statement should not be taken lightly, particularly by India since Manipur is still far from achieving peace in the state. The Indian security forces and intelligence must effectively counter the separatist groups and puncture the sinister designs of foreign entities to harm India’s territorial integrity.
