More than a letter from the Army : Glaring poverty of ideas
- Sangai Express Editorial :: January 04, 2014 -

Take back the Ex-UGs.

This is an official intimation from the Army authority to the State Government. But there is something more to this.

It is not only a question of the surrendered militants being housed in the camps of the Army, Assam Rifles and other forces but the lack of initiative on the part of the State Government to give a thought on what should be done once the militants decide to give up arms, ink a peace pact and then proceed to the dialogue table.

Surrender ceremonies galore and from the official intimation from Army authorities, it should be more or less clear that the State Government has been under the impression that surrender ceremonies are an end in itself.

A clear reflection of the poverty of ideas running through the corridors of political circles and the Babudom. Surrender ceremonies galore and poverty of ideas galore. This is putting the situation in a nutshell.

For years, the political leaders have been smoking the peace pipe, exhorting the numerous militant outfits to come forward to the negotiating table, for dialogue is the only way to deal with the issue, but in the process they seem to have conveniently overlooked the fact that surrender ceremonies are but just the first step to resolving the issue.

The official intimation from the Army is more than an indication that the State Government has not deemed it fit to look beyond turning up for the surrender ceremonies and pose for the lens, to score a point or two, in their fight against insurgencies.

Rehabilitation programmes, stipends, the angst and frustration of the surrendered militants, have all made news in the recent past, more particularly in the last one/two years after a large number of militants laid down their arms before the Government. All instances that the State Government is yet to work out a solid, tangible surrender policy.

Questions may also be raised on why the Army authorities have come up with the letter to the Government at this particular point of time, when peace pacts have been signed left, right and centre with numerous outfits.

True, the State Government has set up and is in the process of setting up designated camps for the Kuki armed outfits who have inked the Suspension of Operations pact.

Yet there is so far nothing to suggest that similar steps have been taken up to accommodate the other groups, such as the UPPK and the numerous factions of the KCP and PULF and others which have come forward, abandoning their days in the jungles.

Taking things casually or failing to come up with ideas ? Time for the Government and its Babudom to think out of the box and see what can be done to house the surrendered militants.

How the State Government will respond to the official intimation from the Army authorities remains to be seen, but it surely must have found the Government on the wrong foot.

It is also surprising that the Army authorities should issue such an official intimation to the Government at this point of time.

Logical deductions would say that the Army authorities did agree initially to accommodate the surrendered militants in their barracks. Now the question is, what are the factors that have led them to change their mind ?

A case of keeping a watch over the movements and activities of the surrendered militants proving to be too tough a task ?

Or a case of feeling the heat of accusations that some of the surrendered militants are being used by the Army and Assam Rifles, not always for the right reason ?

All questions, and to be sure there will be no answers coming forth, but it will be interesting to see how the State Government respond to the official intimation of the Army authorities in the days to come.