Surrendered ultras encouraged by rehabilitation package

Itanagar, Jul 16 (UNI) Underground activities in insurgent-dominated Changlang district are declining, the district's Deputy Commissioner Hage Batt has said.

''In the past ten years 27 misguided youths had surrendered in the district and many more are willing to come overground if assured proper rehabilitation by the government,'' the Deputy Commissioner told reporters recently. Rehabilitation package to the surrendered militants will encourage more cadres to join mainstream, Mr Batt hoped and urged the administrative and security officers to take initiative in appealing to and convincing the youths, who have taken the other paths, to come back to national mainstream.

Mr Butt, who took charge in 2005, suggested that the surrendered members of the militant outfits be provided with vocational training.

Setting up the Industrial Training Institutes (ITI) and financial assistance would enable surrendered cadres to engage themselves in constructive work which will go a long way in bringing normalcy in the trouble torn district bordering Nagaland, Mr But felt.

Since declaration of the district as 'disturbed area' and imposition of the Armed Forces (Special Power) Act, 1958 in 1998, all round efforts were made to bring back the misguided youths into the mainstream, he added.

Ten misguided youths surrendered during the last two years and large quantities of arms and ammunition were deposited, Mr Batt said.

UNI PB PL KLC RL RN1736