ChatGPT Login News About

Carving a Christian nation in South Asia? As Ukrainians and an American get arrested for arming and training terrorists, read how NE India-Myanmar border region is a part of a larger plot

· OpIndia

Months before her forced ouster from power in August 2024, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had raised alarms against an alleged US plot to carve out a Christian nation from parts of India’s Northeast, Bangladesh, and Myanmar. A lot has happened since then, which indicates that her assertions might not have been baseless.

The recent arrest of six Ukrainian and an American citizen by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for providing arms and training to Chin National Army-linked militants in Myanmar indicates that there are many dots that, if connected, may lead to the heart of the subversive activities of the US in the India-Myanmar-Bangladesh border region.

Visit asg-reflektory.pl for more information.

The arrested foreign nationals have been booked under Section 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for criminal conspiracy to commit illegal or terrorist acts.

The American citizen arrested by the NIA has been identified as Matthew Aaron Van Dyke, the founder of the Sons of Liberty International (SOLI), a non-profit security contracting firm.

Meanwhile, the six arrested Ukrainians have been identified as Hurba Petro, Slyviak Taras, Ivan Sukmanovskyi, Stefankiv Marian, Honcharuk Maksim, and Kaminskyi Viktor.

The NIA informed the court while seeking custody of the arrested foreign nationals, that the accused arrived in India on a valid visa, but then they entered the protected area in Mizoram illegally. Eventually, the accused persons entered Myanmar and contacted ethnic war groups hostile to India.

The NIA further stated that the arrested Ukrainian and American nationals were giving training to ethnic armed groups, which have links with insurgent groups in India.

As per the NIA, these ethnic armed groups were “supporting some proscribed Indian Insurgent Groups by way of supplying weapons and other terrorist hardware and training them”.

According to the NIA, the arrested foreigners brought a huge consignment of drones from Europe through India. The investigation revealed that all the accused had entered India on valid visas but reached Mizoram without the mandatory Restricted Area Permit (RAP).

The arrest of foreign nationals by the NIA has reignited the dormant speculations that the US and several other foreign powers are providing both soft and hard support to anti-junta forces in Myanmar.

Daniel Courney then, Matthew VanDyke now: American missionaries and war veterans pushing the Christian nation agenda in South Asia?

There have been other instances of foreign nationals, especially Christian missionaries, accessing Myanmar via Northeast India, fuelling insurgency in both countries.

Take the case of Daniel Stephan Courney, who first entered India on a tourist visa in the year 2009, stayed for over a decade and participated in and supervised conversions to Christianity throughout what was formerly Andhra Pradesh.

In 2017, Courney was deported and blacklisted from India. However, in the year 2023, he re-entered India on a tourist visa. involved in proselytisation activities in Manipur under the pretext of doing social service and preaching Christianity. He later also distributed Bibles and delivered hate speech against Hindus and the BJP-led Indian government, even though it is illegal to propagate any religion or undertake religious conversions in India while on a tourist visa.

On 5th August 2023, Daniel Stephan Courney posted a live video from Manipur and claimed that Christians were being persecuted and that the community was being deliberately targeted. OpIndia reported earlier how the Christian missionary from the United States was spreading hate and misinformation against the democratically elected Modi government and called it a “radical Hindu government” while accusing the government of inciting violence against Christians in Manipur, and said that northeast India is a holy land of Christians.

Notably, Courney is a US Army veteran who has also been accused of coordinating the supply of weapons, explosives, advanced communication devices, drones, and “logistics” to violent outfits in Manipur and other northeast Indian states. In December 2024, an old video, likely from August 2023, went viral on social media wherein Courney, who came on a tourist visa, was seen distributing bulletproof jackets and drones to Kuki militants to monitor their enemies—Meitei Hindus in a strife-torn area.

In 2024, one UK national, Daniel Newey, was arrested with one live round of ammunition in June 2024. Newey was nabbed at the Lengpui Airport and was booked under the Arms Act, 1959. Although he was later acquitted, the acquittals in such cases are not very surprising.

In November 2025, Evangelist Franklin Graham from the United States, who was scheduled to visit Kohima in Nagaland on 30th November for a Christian event, was denied a visa. As reported earlier, Graham’s organisation, Samaritan’s Purse, has been involved in conversion-oriented activities in the country, using aid, food distribution, and other material assistance as a tool for evangelism. 

Now, let’s come to the recently arrested American national Matthew VanDyke.  Born in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1981, VanDyke has been a prisoner-of-war in Libya as he had joined the rebellion against Muammar Gaddafi.

In 2014, Matthew VanDyke formed the Sons of Liberty International after his friends, American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff, were executed by ISIS. Operating as a licensed 501(c)(3) non-profit, SOLI is essentially a private security contracting company.

The outfit claims to provide supplies, military training, and consulting services at no cost to “vulnerable populations” facing terrorist groups and authoritarian regimes. The Nineveh Plain Protection Units (NPU), an Assyrian Christian group battling ISIS, were trained by SOLI during its first deployments in Iraq.

A significant point to note about VanDyke and SOLI is their unwavering support for Ukraine after Russia started the Special Military Operation 2022. Ever since the war broke out, SOLI has been actively training, advising, and supplying the Armed Forces of Ukraine. VanDyke’s deep military and ideological connection with Ukraine, his open admission to having partaken in America’s regime change operation in Venezuela, and now his arrest alongside six Ukrainian nationals in India, the dots are not too blurry to be connected.

VanDyke’s social media profile, which is more like a digital diary of his activities in various countries, offers an insight into his deep ideological support for the ethnic armed organisations (EAOs) in Myanmar.

Matthew VanDyke’s social media posts indicate his deep belief in Christianity, so much so that he casually hands out ‘bad Christian’ certificates to anyone, be it American President Donald Trump or Russian President Vladimir Putin.

However, many more VanDykes are operating in Myanmar. One such is ex-US Special Forces officer and ordained Christian minister, Dave Eubank, who runs Free Burma Rangers (FBR). Eubank, by his own admission, not only provides ‘humanitarian aid’ and military training to Myanmar EAOs, but also proselytises locals into Christianity.

Coming back to foreign powers meddling in Myanmar’s internal affairs via India, Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma had raised alarms over the presence of Ukrainians, particularly those with war experience, on the porous borders of India and Myanmar in March 2025 itself. The Chief Minister had publicly stated that foreigners, particularly from the US and UK, are crossing into Myanmar through Mizoram via the porous borders. These foreigners are entering Myanmar to train insurgents, he added.

Addressing the Mizoram assembly, CM Lalduhoma revealed that between June and December 2024, over 2,000 foreigners visited Aizawl. However, they were never seen on the streets, fuelling the suspicion that they entered Mizoram only to cross into Myanmar and interfere in the neighbouring country’s internal affairs.

CM Lalduhoma had also said that among those who entered Myanmar via Mizoram had previously partaken in the Russia-Ukraine war. Lalduhoma’s revelation lent credence to what were speculations so far, that the Myanmar-Mizoram border has become a gateway for Western mercenaries.

“We have specific intelligence that the Ukraine war veterans travelled to Myanmar’s Chin State via Mizoram to train rebel outfits fighting the military junta,” CM Lalduhoma said.

Back then, CM Lalduhoma had also expressed surprise at the then US Ambassador, Eric Garcetti’s visit to Mizoram, hinting at the US government’s direct interest in the developments in India’s northeast and Myanmar.

Congress government’s ‘tourism boost’ misplaced priority, turned Mizoram-Myanmar border into a gateway for Western mercenaries and Christian missionaries

It is essential to note that the prevailing menace of foreign mercenaries and Christian missionaries making their way into Myanmar via Mizoram finds its roots in the Congress-led UPA government’s 2011 decision to relax the Protected Area Permit (PAP) requirements in Manipur, Nagaland and Mizoram to boost tourism. Exploiting this loophole, foreign elements arrived in India on ‘tourist’ visas and made their way into Mizoram via the porous borders.

The US-Ukraine versus Russia-China power dynamics in Myanmar: Who backs whom and why?

Since Myanmar is known to have been a battleground for control of power, given the country’s strategic location in the Indian Ocean, between China and the US, from where did a Russia-Ukraine connection emerge?

The answer to this lies in the sides these countries have historically picked. Russia and China have been perpetual supporters of the Myanmar military junta, led by Min Aung Hlaing. The junta, Tatmadaw, has also reciprocated the Russia-China backing. Tatmadaw supported the Russian invasion of Ukraine while Moscow had supplied Naypyidaw with fighter jets, drones, and surveillance devices that the Tatmadaw uses against insurgent groups. Russia has also been a reliable oil supplier to Myanmar. It is, thus, in Ukraine’s interest to drain Russia of its resources and weaken Moscow’s allies.

In March 2025, the Myanmarese junta invited Russia to extract gems and minerals in conflict zones, construct an oil refinery and a port in the coastal city of Dawei.

And here come America and American mercenaries in the picture. The US backs Ukraine militarily, financially and diplomatically against Russia. The US also backs Myanmar’s ethnic armed organisations (EAOs) against the Russia-China-backed Myanmar military junta.

In fact, both China and the US have for decades meddled in Myanmar’s political affairs, with CIA backing Nationalist Chinese (KMT) remnants in northern Myanmar in the 1950s, 1970s and 19080s while China provided covert support to the Burmese Communist Party guerrillas.

In recent years, the US Congress passed the  Burma Unified through Rigorous Military Accountability Act or simply the BURMA Act. The act was aimed at providing “technical and non-lethal assistance” to “pro-democracy organisations”, including the People’s Defence Force (PDF) and EAOs. Here, the term “non-lethal” does not mean that the US committed not to provide military assistance to anti-junta forces in Myanmar. The Act sufficiently covered a range of military assistance short of arms and ammunition, body armour, uniforms, radars, and medical equipment, etc.

Though the Act is yet to be ratified by the US Senate, there is no denying that powerful political forces in the USA are at play to meddle in Myanmar.

Several reports say that the US has plans to establish a “massive supply dump” in Bangladesh, to back anti-junta military operations in Myanmar by supplying arms and logistic support to insurgent groups such as the Arakan Army and Chin National Front.

In a nutshell, a pro-US, which by extension would mean a pro-Ukraine, regime in Myanmar would expand America’s presence in the Indian Ocean, allowing it to gain an edge against Russia, China, and even India in the region while also harming Russia and China’s economic and strategic interests in the region, not to mention keeping India’s North-Eastern border always threatened. China backs the Myanmar junta against EAOs, which are predominantly Christian, for arms and Belt and Road access. With the arrest of Matthew VanDyke and six Ukrainian nationals, India, however, has put out a strong message that New Delhi’s neutrality must not be confused for a weak sense of national security.

Since we have understood the Russia, Ukraine, China, and the US soft-to-hard power spectrum in Myanmar, let’s revisit Sheikh Hasina’s “America plotting to carve out a Christian nation in South Asia” allegation.

Sheikh Hasina’s 2024 ‘Christian nation’ warning turning out not to be just a desperate political statement but a warning of the unfolding reality

Back in June 2024, then Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, made a sensational claim that a plot was being hatched to carve out “a Christian state like East Timor,” from parts of Bangladesh and Myanmar.

Interestingly, the US had declared open support for the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Islamist political outfit, Jamaat-e-Islami, both of which eventually backed anti-Hasina protests and played a key role in illegally ousting Hasina from prime ministership, and now enjoy power in the country. The US has also faced allegations of orchestrating the regime change in Bangladesh.

Map of proposed Zo state ‘Zalengam’ comprising areas of Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Mizoram. (Image via Swarajya)

The Awami League leaders had confirmed that Sheikh Hasina was talking about a conspiracy to create a Christian nation “Zogam” for Zo people, also known as Zomi, Chin-Kuki-Mizo.

It is said to be on the lines of “Zalengam” [land of freedom], a proposed Kuki State. This separate nation would comprise large parts of Sagaing Division and the Chin state of Myanmar, the Indian state of Mizoram, and Kuki-inhabited areas of Manipur, and the Bandarban district and adjoining areas of Bangladesh’s Chittagong division.

These people find their historical origins in the Chin Hills of Myanmar and the adjoining areas of Manipur, Mizoram, and Nagaland in India. During the British colonial period, the Zo people came into significant contact with Christian missionaries. The early 20th century saw a widespread conversion to Christianity, which resulted in profound changes to their socio-cultural fabric.

Post independence, this community got divided by national boundaries, with India recognising them as Scheduled Tribes, which provided certain constitutional safeguards. In Myanmar, several militant groups, including the Chin National Front’s armed wing Chin National Army, the Chinland Defence Force (CDF), and the Chin National Defence Force (CNDF) is engaged in an armed conflict against the Myanmar junta. In Bangladesh, the Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF) has been carrying out killings and lootings in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT).

In Mizoram, the ruling Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM), the opposition Mizo National Front (MNF), and Congress alike are reported to be in favour of the unification 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 church bodies, particularly the US-based Baptist Church is instigating this “Zo-unification” demand. OpIndia has earlier highlighted how these church bodies are reported to be closely linked to the US’s Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

OpIndia has consistently raised alarms over the activities of the US-based World Vision International. The Christian NGO received funding from the now-defunct USAID, which had a record of funding anti-India and anti-Hindu outfits and individuals. With activities confined not just to Northeast India, World Vision pretends to be a humanitarian organisation; in reality, it is a Christian fundamentalist organisation that allies with other Christian fundamentalists to convert unsuspecting Hindus, especially children and women, for seven decades, as the Nehru government gave the Christian fundamentalist outfit a free hand.

In 1972, the Indira Gandhi government even allowed World Vision’s Billy Graham to visit Nagaland, much to Graham’s own surprise, since at that time, due to instability, foreigners were not getting permission to visit the Indian state. World Vision openly ran its conversion activities to harvest thousands of Hindu souls for Christianity under Indira Gandhi’s watch.

It was only in 2024 that the Modi government revoked its FCRA license, denting its conversion activity in India. OpIndia earlier reported how US-based Christian outfits like the World Council of Churches, the World Evangelical Alliance and World Vision rallied against anti-conversion laws.

In September 2024, Mizoram CM Lalduhoma met members of the Chin community during an official visit to the United States. Despite being the Chief Minister of a bordering Indian state, he called for the unity of the Zo (Chin-Kuki-Mizo) community spread across Myanmar and Bangladesh based on ethnic and religious lines.

“I would like to take this opportunity to address the elephant in the room and convey my apprehension that there is a real danger of our religion becoming a source of disunity and division, rather than being one that shepherds the flock and transforms the church into a united, strong and impenetrable fortress, which it should be,” the transcript of his speech read.

Lalduhoma said, “I want to let everyone here know that the primary reason I accepted the invitation to visit the United States is to seek a path towards unity for all of us. We are one people, brothers and sisters, and we cannot afford to be divided or apart from one another…While a country may have borders, a true nation transcends such limitations. We have been unjustly divided, forced to exist under three different governments in three different countries, and this is something we can never accept.”

In response to a backlash in India, CM Lalduhoma defended his statement, saying that he advocated for ‘cultural unity’ and not challenge India’s territorial integrity.

In June 2023, the World Kuki-Zo Intellectual Council (WKZIC) submitted a memorandum to the United Nations and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seeking their intervention to carve out a separate Kuki state from the hilly regions of conflict-hit Manipur. 

Wherever there is some ethnic conflict anywhere in the world, somehow the US government finds ways to insert its shadow-network roots there.

Attempts are being made to stir a religion-based conflict in the Indo-Myanmar-Bangladesh border region, while some militant Kuki-Chin groups have already established opium and drugs trafficking networks, joined forces with Islamic terror outfits like Jama’atul Ansar. It was already seen in Manipur how the Christian Kuki-Chin militant groups started a conflict with Meitei Hindus. The locals in Manipur and Mizoram have often raised concerns that Myanmarese infiltrators have outnumbered them in many areas. The Indian authorities have continuously been exposing a racket of issuing counterfeit Aadhaar and voter ID cards to illegal immigrants in Manipur. In many cases, Myanmarese nationals have been found to be residing in Mizoram and Manipur on counterfeit Aadhar cards.

The Modi government has been making efforts to expand border fencing on the India-Myanmar border areas. In 2024, Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced the decision to set up a fence along the 1,643 km-long India-Myanmar border. On 8th February 2025, Shah announced the decision to suspend the FMR agreement with Myanmar in the interest of internal security and preserving the demography of the Northeast states.

However, several Naga and Kuki Christian outfits often rise in opposition. In January 2025, the United Naga Council (UNC), Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP), a student body in Mizoram, and other such local outfits demanded that the Centre discontinue the Indo-Myanmar border fencing project as a ‘sinister design’ by the government of India to alienate the Naga people from their ancestral lands by imposing ‘artificial boundaries’. On the contrary, the Meitei Hindus had welcomed the fencing project, saying that it would curb the crisis in Manipur, which, they attributed to infiltration and narco-terrorism from Myanmar.

Conclusion

Clearly, from the Manipur crisis to the Myanmar conflict, foreign elements, particularly those with military and Christian missionary backgrounds, are active and operating in the Northeast India-Myanmar-Bangladesh border regions, waging asymmetric proxy wars with geopolitical objectives rooted in the idea of establishing a Christian nation, or, to be more precise, a conflict zone that can be easily manipulated through Christian puppet strings. However, in the interest of its national security and territorial integrity, India will never allow such nefarious designs to succeed, and the recent arrests of American and Ukrainian Christian insurgency enablers are the corroboration of the same.

Read at source