73 UG cadres lay down arms before Chief Minister
Second mass surrender in 2 months
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 20 2012: Altogether 73 cadres of different militant outfits have laid down arms before Chief Minister Okram Ibobi during a 'home-coming ceremony' held today at Hqs IG AR (South), Mantripukhri.

Today's surrender is the second such mass surrender of UG cadres in the last two months.

Another large group of 103 UG cadres surrendered to the Chief Minister at the same venue about 50 days back.

Addressing the 'home coming' ceremony, Chief Minister O Ibobi welcomed the 73 cadres including a woman for having taken the 'right decision' to change their path towards ushering in peace and normalcy.

Stating that there is no place for violence in a democratic country, Ibobi urged all underground members to come forward for dialogue.

He applauded the Assam Rifles for facilitating the surrender and helping the 'misguided youths' of the State through various rehabilitation programmes.

The surrendered cadres along with the CM, HM, DGP, IGAR (S)

Lauding the police mechanism for maintaining law and order in the State, Ibobi remarked that the prolonged armed movement in the State has not achieved anything for the people except in bringing disorder and chaos in the society.

While the rest of the world is progressing fast, the State is still struggling with basic things like law and order, he said.

IG AR (South) Maj Gen UK Gurung said the cadres have come to the mainstream owing to various factorsself realization, mounting pressures from their families and the incentives and rehabilitation packages of the State Government.

He said Assam Rifles troops deployed along the Indo-Myanmar boundary in Chandel district are keeping a sharp vigil in view of the neighbouring country's announcement of flushing out North East rebels camping on its soil.

The 72 cadres laid down weapons including AK and G3 rifles, Lathode, carbines and pistol with bullets before Chief Minister O Ibobi, IG AR (South) Maj Gen UK Gurung, Home Minister Gaikhangam, Principal Secretary (Home) Suresh Babu and DGP Yumnam Joykumar Singh.

Of the 72 surrendered cadres, 14 belonged to the United National Liberation Front (UNLF), 12 to People's Liberation Army (PLA), 13 to Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup ( KYKL), 15 to different factions of Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP), seven to Peoples' Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (Prepak), eight to People's United Liberation Front (Pulf) , one to Manipur Naga Revolutionary Front ((MNRF) and three to KNLF.

Meanwhile, a press release issued by Assam Rifles claimed that today's event marked the progressive approach of underground cadres towards building a prosperous Manipur thus adding to Nation building.