Future surrender likely to be in jeopardy
SHILLONG: After a series of surrender by militants recently, there is a fear that the delay in release of benefits under the rehabilitation package may create hurdles for future surrender of militants.
The maximum surrender of militants was in the run up to the May 16 Tura by-poll, though the authorities had pointed out that the surrender had nothing to do with the by-election and that it was intended to create peace in the Garo Hills region.
Hundreds of militants belonging to GNLA, LAEF and others surrendered before the police, but many grievances have come to the fore related to proper rehabilitation of the cadres.
There are also reports that some surrendered militants are being used for anti insurgency operations in Garo Hills, which however was denied by the police.
Unhappy with the delay in their rehabilitation, commander in chief of Liberation A’chik Elite Forces (LAEF), Mathew Momin, and ten others, who had earlier surrendered, met officials of the North Garo Hills district administration last week to press for their demands.
They expressed concern over the delay in rehabilitating them even as the district administration assured that necessary steps will be taken.
A cadre is granted Rs.1.5 lakh as one time financial package and Rs.3500 as stipend during the period of rehabilitation under the Centre’s rehabilitation scheme of the militants.
Earlier on May 17, annoyed over the delay in peace settlement including the financial package, a delegation comprising former chairman of ANVC, Dilash M. Marak and his adviser Saileng R. Marak submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister besides meeting the Union Home Ministry officials in Delhi.
The ANVC and the ANVC-B cadres were disbanded in Tura in December, 2014 following the signing of a memorandum of settlement with the Centre and the Meghalaya government.
During the disbanding ceremony, 748 cadres including 447 from the ANVC and 301 from the ANVC-B were present.
A State government official said that the issue related to the release of financial package is pending with the State police headquarters.
Another Garo Hills based militant group whose proper settlement is awaited is the UALA.
It was on December 18 last year that the Agreed Text of Settlement was signed between the State government and UALA with a promise of proper rehabilitation package and other benefits.
While the government had made elaborate plans to rehabilitate UALA militants on the premises of Baljek Airport, the verification of over seventy cadres of the outfit is yet to be completed.
Earlier, the State government had fixed many dates for holding the disbanding ceremony of UALA. A new date is likely to be announced only after the verification of the UALA cadres.