Imphal, March 20: Manipur chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh’s promise to rehabilitate surrendered militants has failed to the cheer up the majority of the former rebels. Fed up with a “series of unfulfilled promises” many of them are now weighing various options, including returning to life in the jungles.
Ibobi had announced in the just-concluded budget session of the Assembly that surrendered militants would be given priority in the recruitment of the proposed 3rd India Reserve Battalion.
However, the surrendered militants have claimed that such promises are not new. “Three phases of recruitment were held over the past few months, but the results were never declared,” one former rebel said.
Responding to the rehabilitation scheme announced by the state government in April 1999, 152 militants belonging to the two NSCN outfits, the UNLF, the PLA, the Prepak, the KYKL and others had come overground. Of them only 23 were recruited as riflemen or constables in the police department.
Some of them were killed by their former colleagues, while many went back to their old jungle life.Sixty of them have been living in the complex of the state police dog squad over the past two years, awaiting the promised rehabilitation.
The rehabilitation scheme, announced by the government, includes a stipend of Rs 2,000 per month, free food and lodging, vocational training and cash rewards for surrender in weapons.
Director-general of police S. Bimolchandra Singh told The Telegraph that though a rehabilitation centre had been constructed at Lamphel, all surrendered militants could not be accommodated there as its capacity was only 30.
“Funds constraints have delayed the implementation of the rehabilitation scheme,” the DGP said. Sources said the police department had also not been allocated any funds to carry out rehabilitation work.