644 Assam militants lay down arms

In what is being termed historic in Assam's nearly four decades of fight against militancy, a total of 644 cadres belonging to eight rebel groups laid down their arms on Thursday.

Around 600 insurgents also came overground for dialogue with the Centre and the Assam government.

The surrendered militants, who also include some top leaders, belong to the United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) — 50 cadres, National Liberation Front of Bengali (301, the highest number), National Santhal Liberation Army (87), Adivasi Dragon Fighters (178), Rabha National Liberation Front (13), National Democratic Front of Bodoland (Saoraigwra) (8) and the CPI (Maoists), one.

Many of the cadres had undergone training in their camps in Myanmar but had to flee after the neighbouring country launched a crackdown on Indian rebel groups last year.

"Yes, the crackdown is one of the reasons. But we also want a solution to the cause for which we had taken up arms. We hope talks can address the problems," Dipjyoti Handique of the Ulfa (I) told DH after surrendering before Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal at a formal function here.

The chief minister appealed to other militant groups to join the peace process.

While the Ulfa (I) still fights for a "sovereign Assam", the NLFB wants an end to the citizenship crisis faced by the state's Bengali community. The Adivasi groups want Scheduled Tribe (ST) status while the Rabha and NDFB demand separate states.

The surrender ceremony comes days after the NDFB (S) led by B Saoraigwra signed a suspension-of-operation agreement with the Centre and the Assam government. The group is likely to sign a "comprehensive agreement" along with three other factions of the banned outfit. Nearly 600 cadres of Saoraigwra group are also likely to lay down their weapons soon.

"We hope and urge all of them to create an atmosphere of permanent peace in the state and be part of the development process. They can reap the benefits of the government's efforts to project the Northeast as the gateway of South East Asian nations under the Centre's Act East Policy," Sonowal said.

The militants laid down 177 weapons such as AK47, AK56, Heckler & Koch, M16, INSAS rifles, Beretta pistols, grenades and bombs.

The Centre had last year revised the grant for surrendered militants to Rs 4 lakh from Rs 1 lakh and the monthly stipend to Rs 6,000 from Rs 3,500 for three years. The revised policy also includes provisions for vocational training, funds for construction of rehabilitation camps and compulsory Aadhaar biometric registration.

The surrender-cum-rehabilitation policy was first implemented in the Northeast in 1998. It was revised last year to attract more militants to the mainstream. However, a large number of cadres belonging to the Ulfa (I), KLO and others are still out of the peace process.

R-Day boycott

The Ulfa (I) issued its customary "general strike" call on January 26 and asked everyone to abstain from Republic Day celebrations. In a statement emailed to DH on Thursday, Abhijeet Asom, the chairman of the banned group, asked residents to register their protest against the "colonial rule in Assam".

The Ulfa (I) led by fugitive leader Paresh Baruah and Abhijeet Asom is believed to have their camps along the Myanmar-China border.