K Anurag in Guwahati
Congratulating Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi for the massive surrender, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram assured those who surrendered that they would be treated with honour and dignity. K Anurag reports.
Counter-insurgency efforts in Assam on Tuesday received a shot in the arm with 1855 militants belonging to nine insurgent groups based in the state, including four Adivasi outfits, laid down arms in the presence of Union Home Minister P Chidambaram in Guwahati.
Welcoming militants to peace and reconciliation, P Chidambaram said, "The government of India always welcomes militants to the path of peace. We believe that in a democracy everybody's voice has to be heard, everyone is entitled to live in peace and harmony and brotherhood. There is no problem that can't be resolved through dialogue, no hurdle that can't be crossed through talks and no knot that can't be untied with patience," he said.
The nine militant groups, which have laid down arms, include four Adivasi militant groups – Adivasi People's Army (APA), Adivasi Cobra Military of Assam (ACMA), Birsa Commando Force (BCF), Santhal Tiger Force (STF), and All Adivasi National Liberation Army (AANLA). The rest of the militant groups include Hmar Peoples Convention (HPC-D), Kuki Liberation Army (KLA), Kuki Revolutionary Army (KRA) and United Kuki Defence Army (UKDA). The militants deposited assorted arms and ammunition during the surrender ceremony held at Indira Gandhi Stadium in Guwahati.
'Govt will treat you as an equal citizen with honour and dignity'
"I assure all of you who have laid down arms today that the government of India and government of Assam will treat everyone of you as an equal citizen with honour and dignity. The past is behind us, we have to look forward to the future to build a great Indian nation and a great economy together," Chidambaram said.
He further said, "Today is truly a historic day. Not often does one witness a day when so many militant groups that had taken to militancy have decided to lay down arms and join the path of reconciliation, peace and brotherhood."
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'Gogoi has redeemed the promised he made to the people of Assam'
Congratulating Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi for the massive surrender, Chidambaram said, "It would not have been possible without the leadership and statesmanship of my friend and chief minister Tarun Gogoi. About a year ago people of Assam reposed faith in Gogoi and his team by re-electing him. They reposed faith because they hoped Gogoi would lead the state to the path of peace and development."
"It has been proved that judgement and trust of people was not misplaced. Gogoi has redeemed the promised he had made to the people of Assam," Chidambaram said.
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CM appeals to ULFA to 'come back to the path of peace'
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said, "The surrender should send a message to all the insurgent groups all over the country that violence will lead to no solution, it is always better to come back to the path of peace and reconciliation to solve problems. We always welcome negotiation to solve problems."
He took the opportunity to make an appeal to the anti-talks faction of the ULFA led by Paresh Barua to see the writing on the wall and come back to the path of peace otherwise the government will have to deal firmly with them.
The surrender ceremony was also graced by GoC 4 Corps of Indian Army. Lt Gen Shakti Gurung, GoC 3 Corp Lt Gen Dalveer Singh Assam DGP J N Choudhury, Joint Secretary of Union Home Ministry Sambhu Singh , Assam Home Commissioner J Baruah and senior officials of the CRPF, BSF and SSB.
The government has offered to recognize some select Adivasi tribes which are already enjoying ST status in other states, as Scheduled Tribe in Assam besides a rehabilitation package for riot-hit Adivasi population living in refugee camps in Assam since late 1990s.
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'Sustained, coordinated efforts of forces reason for surrender'
The Adivasi militant groups have also demanded ex-gratia payment to the riot-hit Adivasi people. They have submitted an estimate of 2.50 lakh riot-hit Adivasis living in camps. The riot had occurred in 1996 in western Assam areas involving Bodo tribe and Adivasi people.
The leaders of the militants groups felicitated both Union Home Minister P Chidambaram and Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi in traditional way before laying down arms. They also submitted their separate charter of demands to the Union home minister.
Additional Director General of Assam Police (Special Branch), Khagen Sharma, said the massive surrender by militants of various groups had been possible because of the sustained and coordinated efforts of the Counter-insurgency Unified Command comprising of the Army, police and paramilitary forces.
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