Govt inks MoU with three armed groups
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 13 2013: Initiating yet another peace process with armed groups operating in Manipur, the Centre, State Government and three outfits today signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding at the banquet hall of 1st Bn of Manipur Rifles today.

The three groups which signed the MoU were the United Revolutionary Front, which was constituted by the KCP (Lanheiba), KCP (Chingkheinganba) and KCP (Sunil Meitei) faction; KCP (Lamphel) which was constituted after the merger of KCP (Lamphel), KCP (City Meitei) and KCP (Taibangnganba) and the KYKL (MDF), with its two factions namely Athouba group and Achouba group.

Representing the Centre, Joint Secretary (North East) of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Shambhu Singh and Principal Secretary of the Government of Manipur, Dr Suresh Babu signed the MoU on behalf of Delhi and Imphal.

Chairman of the URF Khwairakpam Gopendro alias Lanheiba, secretary home affairs Puyam Mangiyamba alias Ruhini and Ngangom Soviet Meitei alias Chingkheinganba Meitei appended their signatures on the MoU.

From the side of KCP (Lamphel), its chief of army Naorem Brojen alias City Meitei and joint secretary Taibangnganba alias Dilip signed on the MoU while the KYKL (MDF) was represented by its president Maisnam Athouba and general secretary Laimayum Ronel alias Achouba.

Chief Minister, Dy CM and others pose for the lens with the cadres

Chief Minister O Ibobi and Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam, who also holds the Home portfolio, attended the MoU signing function as the chief guest and president respectively.

Addressing the occasion, Chief Minister Okram Ibobi said that the Government welcomes the return of the militants to the mainstream and added that they were misled into taking up arms in the first place.

Admitting that the Government may have committed some blunder in the past, the Chief Minister however iterated that it was not done deliberately.

This is the reason why all should abide by the principle of forgive and forget.

Exhorting the gathering, the Chief Minister urged all to put Manipur on the map of peace and progress.

The Chief Minister also assured that apart from rehabilitating them, the Government will take it as their bounden duty to help the cadres as much as possible.

Reaching out to the other armed groups, the Chief Minister reiterated his appeal to come to the negotiating table and talk things over to work out a solution.

Altogether 90 cadres from the URF turned up for the occasion and they laid down 50 arms of different makes.

From the side of KCP (Lamphel) a total a 40 cadres turned up and they deposited 27 guns.

On the other hand, the KYKL (MDF) deposited a total of 61 arms, while 67 cadres turned up.

Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam in his presidential address said that the signing of the MoU will go a long way in helping the State to move forward in development and progress.

Warmly welcoming the cadres, Gaikhangam said that Manipur can now look forward to peace and prosperity.

Earlier, before the MoU was inked, Principal Secretary (Home) Dr Suresh Babu said that the process to ink the agreement was initiated more than a year back.

The cadres will be rehabilitated under the policy framed by the Union Home Ministry as well as the rehabilitation policy of the State Government.

Under the rehabilitation scheme, each cadre will be entitled given a monthly stipend of Rs 4000 each for two years while a sum of Rs 2.5 lakh each will be deposited against the name of each cadre in the bank as fixed deposit for two years.

Apart from providing vocational training, the State Government will also make arrangement to extend loans to the cadres, in case the need arises before the lapse of two years.

According to the eligibility of the cadres, they will also be absorbed in the para-military forces.

At the moment, all the cadres are housed at temporary camps of the Army and Assam Rifles posts and process to set up the designated camps will be taken up soon.

An array of top military and police officials including the DGP, IG AR (South), senior police and Army officers were also present at the occasion.