Agartala, July 7: The change of government at the Centre has cast a shadow of uncertainty over the peace talks with the two groups of NLFT militants, led by Nayanbasi Jamatya and Mantu Koloi-Kamini Debbarma. Officials of the tribal welfare department of the state government expressed disappointment over lack of progress in the peace process.
The officials also expressed concern about the expenses incurred for the upkeep of the surrendered militants.
The Union ministry of the UPA government has shown no interest in furthering the peace process.
Official sources in the tribal welfare department, the nodal agency overseeing the rehabilitation of surrendered militants in the state, said Nayanbasi Jamatya, leader of dissident faction of NLFT, and six top commanders of the group?s official faction had met the then Union home minister L.K. Advani in Delhi on April 15 and expressed their readiness to engage in peace negotiations. They had also submitted a 10-point charter of demands in their memorandum.
Nayanbasi Jamatya, however, wanted to begin peace negotiations while leaders of the official faction expressed their keenness to surrender.
Subsequently, altogether 72 militants of the NLFT?s official faction, led by Mantu Koloi and others, laid down arms in a ceremony at the police headquarters on May 6.
Since then, all the militant leaders and their followers have been in the custody of the state government. It was initially thought that the return of the NDA government to power would result in early beginning of the peace talks. But the loss suffered by NDA changed the profile of the peace process.
Sources said the cadres of the official faction were being imparted professional training at a camp at Lachi under Belonia subdivision of South Tripura while more than 50 followers of Nayanbasi Jamatya were being given training in Shikaribari camp in Kamalpur subdivision of Dhalai district.
The tribal welfare department is finding it difficult to provide food and shelter to the militant leaders and front-ranking cadres in Narsingarh and Khejurbagan areas of northern Agartala.
?Our trouble is that the militant leaders are bringing in more and more people claiming they are surrendered rebels and the police are also endorsing them. But our budget is limited,? sources said.
The committee formed for supervision of the peace process under the leadership of the joint secretary of the Union home ministry, tribal welfare commissioner G.S.G. Ayengar and DIG Rakesh Ranjan, has not been able to expedite the process even though nearly three months have passed since the militant leaders signed a truce.
The agreement on cessation of hostilities was signed for six months. Unless the Union home ministry takes an initiative to begin peace talks, the entire process will be derailed and the agreement on ceasefire might not be renewed.
Undue and exorbitant demands from the militant leaders are straining the annual budget of the tribal welfare department. NLFT commander Mantu Koloi had recently demanded Rs 100,000 for his son?s treatment in Delhi. The department was forced to sanction the amount.