Imphal, January 08 2009: POLICE TODAY dispersed surrendered rebels on indefinite hunger strike against government eviction move of demolition of their homes at the commando complex, Ragailong on January 4 .

Authorities on January 4 last demolished homes of the 37 surrendered militants residing build by their own efforts in government land.

Strongly decrying the government move, 10 former rebels started launching hunger strike from yesterday at the shacks they put up again at the same place where their huts stand before demolition by the authority.

A police team arrived this morning and dispersed the striking former rebels.

They demolished the newly erect shacks and threw away the materials, eyewitness accounts say.

Authority said the surrendered militants have been evicted as the authority needs the land for expansion of the family quarters of the police personnel.

SP, Imphal west district L Kailun said they are occupying the land without any authority and have been allowing them to set temporary huts only on humanitarian ground before rehabilitation at Lamphelpat in Imphal was set up.

As most of them have been absorbed to the government services, they need not remaining occupying the land, he said.

They were served prior notice, well in time, to vacate the place before demolition, he said adding that other surrendered militants who are yet to absorb in government jobs were asked to shift at the surrenders rehabilitation centre at Lamphelpat, Imphal where other surrendered militants are currently lodging, Kailun said.

Government evicted the temporary houses of the surrendered militants as a part of its plan to construction family quarters for the accommodation of the police personnel there.

Personnel of the Manipur police commando units, mention may be made are lodging in the government quarter.

Around 16,000 police personnel of different ranks are engaging as police commandos actively engaging in counter insurgency operation sometimes independently or otherwise with the Central security force establishments deploying in the state.

The homeless surrendered militants blamed government stating that authorities failed to safeguard their plight and threw them from the frying pan into the fire by turning out from the place.

"For us going out from here and living in our home at the native place is like threw us on the mercy of the former organizations they left," a former rebel and among the victims of eviction said.

They also submitted a memorandum to the state chief minister on January 6 this year urging him not to kick out them from the place and stop dismantling of their residential huts till an alternative arrangements is make.

Meanwhile, taking a serious note of the issue of the surrendered militants, the Civil Liberties and Human Rights Organisation (CLAHRO), in a press conference held in this connection, informed that the CLAHRO will take the issue to the prime minister and Union Home Ministry if the state government fails to provide the demands of the surrendered militants at the earliest.

While terming that the steps of the government as serious violation of human rights, president of the CLAHRO, AC.

Sharma asserted that the Surrendered Policy was formulated with the aim to solve militancy problem.

However, if the trend of the present situation of the suffering of the surrendered militants continues chances are high that insurgent movement may increase, added the president.

General Secretary of CLAHRO, H Premkrishna pointed out that the lives of surrenderees had been put into an insecure position by the government and called upon the government of the state to implement the central sponsored "Scheme for the Surrendered cum Rehabilitation of militants in the North East India" at the earliest.

In view of the government's failure to implement the said scheme, the CLAHRO is all set to submit a memorandum to the prime minister and the Union home ministry, asserted the general secretary of the rights body.

Premkrishna also pointed out that apart from schemes the state government has also failed to pay cash incentives to the agitating ex-undergrounds for surrendering with their weapons.

He also informed that in the above mentioned schemes a budget of Rs.25 lakhs were available for the year 2008-09 .

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