Dhaka: The examination of the Indian government's witnesses in the trial of 34 Arakanese and Karen freedom fighters came to a close on 2 September after the last witness was questioned by the judge in the Kolkata court in West Bengal Province, according to a source close to the freedom fighters on trial.

The source said, "The examination of the Indian government's plaintiff witnesses ended on Wednesday after the judge examined the last witness of the plaintiff."

In the next stage of the trial, the court will examine the 34 freedom fighters on 14 and 15 September.

"The court ordered that the trial of the 34 Burmese freedom fighters resume on 14 September and that it will finish on 16 September," the source added.

The court will also examine the defendants' witnesses after the defendants themselves take the stand for questioning.

According to the source, the trial of the 34 freedom fighters will conclude this year, but the future of the men is uncertain because the UNHCR has refused to grant them recognized refugee status.

The 34 freedom fighters are from the Arakan Army and Karen National Liberation Army.

According to an Arakan Army source, the freedom fighters have been detained in India since 1998, when the Indian army escorted them to the Andaman Islands along with high Arakan Army officials on the pretense of building a naval base there under an agreement with India.

When the group arrived at the island, the Indian army officials brought the six Arakanese and Karen leaders, including Arakan Army Chief Bo Raza, to receive an Indian general they were told had also traveled to the island for the occasion.

While the six leaders were standing at attention to receive the general, Indian soldiers hiding nearby opened fire and shot them in the back, killing them at the scene. Soon after carrying out the assassination, the Indian soldiers were heard calling out loudly, "The operation is successful."

Many Indian human rights activists have denounced the shameful operation against the rebel army men who were innocent of any crime against India.