Cadres undergo training at the RPF camp. A Telegraph picture

Somewhere along the Manipur-Myanmar border, May 7: To any outsider it would appear like a regular army camp — complete with barracks, mess, parade ground, firing range, watchtowers and armed guards.

The discipline is arguably just as rigid.

It is 6am and the training command headquarters of the Revolutionary Peoples Front, the political wing of the People’s Liberation Army, is abuzz with activity.

Cadres are out on the ground for an early morning training session under the watchful eyes of senior “officials”, a few are busy in the kitchen preparing lunch while many more, armed with sophisticated weapons, patrol the area with hawk-like alertness.

As part of a media team invited to the camp from May 4 to 6, we had to walk for 10 hours through snake and insect-infested jungles to reach the camp.

There are other routes but they are avoided for security reasons.

Life at the camp is secure — the only problems being malaria and getting supplies without attracting attention.

The cadres, of course, know how to tackle both.

“Any person can die without taking part in a war. But it would be an honour for me to sacrifice my life for the cause of our motherland,” said one of the cadres escorting the media team.

Leaders of the RPF, trained in China, do not generally meet reporters.

In fact, this is the first time that any officer holding a post in the executive committee (the highest body of the outfit) has spoken to the media.

Vice-president Manoharmayum Ngouba had invited the media team to announce the party’s new policies and programmes adopted by the “second party congress” held from July 14 to December 4 last year.

The PLA was established in September 1978 with the aim of restoring Manipur’s sovereignty. The RPF, its political body, was formed later.

At 2.30am on May 5, when the media team reached the camp, Ngouba stood at the gate to welcome the guests.

The hospitality was excellent.

“I am glad you reached here safely. I invite you here to announce our policies and programmes,” Ngouba said, shaking hands with the mediapersons.

This camp, close the Myanmar border, is a medium-sized one and is located in a not so thick jungle.

The constructions are temporary. The huts are made primarily from wood and plastic sheets. There is also an auditorium for conferences. For lights, they use generators.

Tele-communication is not a problem. For security reasons, the strength at the camp is not disclosed but it is sizeable.

“We have enough men here to beat back the enemy,” a senior leader at the camp said. Watching the training session, one is reminded of the Shaolin Temple.

Like in the movie, the training courses included various forms of martial arts, including Manipur’s traditional martial art form, Thang ta. The physical drills are gruelling.

Besides, there are lessons in the use of arms.

Ngouba’s presence is cause for celebration at the camp because not all cadres are fortunate to meet their top-ranking leaders personally.

There are several schemes in the pipeline, says Ngouba. These include a full-fledged “university” called Ningtam Maheikol (roughly, Freedom University). A vice-chancellor has already been selected.

It will be an underground institute and the students will be cadres of the RPF, he said. Earlier, the group was concentrating only on military training.

Ngouba said his group has learnt lessons from the LTTE experience in Sri Lanka.

“Military strength is not enough for achieving our goal. So we will go all out to internationalise our struggle. We are also mobilising support from people in India,” he said, harping on the importance of political dialogue to resolve a conflict but firmly declaring that the RPF/PLA will not sit for talks if the agenda is not sovereignty.