The Hindu : Surrendered militants go on hunger strike

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, May 06, 2002

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Other States - Tripura

Surrendered militants go on hunger strike

By Our Correspondent

IMPHAL MAY 5. Out of 141 former insurgents of the Tripura Resurrection Army, as many as 40 have been on a hunger strike since April 30 in Tripura demanding Government jobs and implementation of other rehabilitation measures.

In Manipur, about 100 former insurgents went on a hunger strike, ceasework strike with similar demands. In Nagaland, the former insurgents, who were lodged in peace camps in the State and some Naga-populated areas in Manipur, were killed and their camps burnt down. In Assam, many surrendered militants were smoked out and gunned down. All these have sent wrong signals to the insurgents who might be planning to surrender.

The State Governments in the north-east have not rehabilitated the surrendered insurgents. In some instances, family members of the former insurgents went to court contending that the Government had backed out of its commitment.

Though the Government had hiked the rewards for surrendered weapons and rehabilitation funds besides setting aside 15 per cent of the Government contract works for these former militants and reserving grade three and four for them, they were soon forced to assist the State and Central forces in counter insurgency operations. The move paid rich dividends since the surrendered militants knew the identity of many insurgents and their modus operandi well. But when they were killed, their family got nothing since they were not Government employees.

Talking to presspersons, the former militants said their parents had to sell cattle and paddy fields to foot their bills for food, clothes, and medicines. After the volte face by the State Governments, it is not surprising that there have not been many surrenders.

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Surrendered militants go on hunger strike