Operations will continue till rebels shun arms: Chidambaram

Guwahati, May 26 (ANI): Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram has said that counter insurgency operations in Assam would continue till the rebels lay down arms and shun violence.

Chidambaram expressed this after holding a high-level meeting with State Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and other senior officials here on Tuesday.

"The security forces have been instructed to continue to implement the policy that has been forced for some time now. Insurgency has no place and insurgents must therefore lay down arms and surrender otherwise the security forces will act against the insurgents," Chidambaram said.

Chidambaram accompanied by Union Home Secretary G K Pillai, reviewed the action plan of the state in tackling insurgency in the region.

"When to hold talks, what are the conditions for the talks, who we will be talking to, these are matters which the Chief Minister will decide in consultation with his cabinet colleagues. As far as the Government of India is concerned, we will support the state government when it takes forward the political process," noted Chidambaram.

Gogoi had extended the proposal of holding talks with all rebel groups, including United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) in the interest of peace in the region.

Chidambaram had earlier visited Mizoram to review the security situation in the state.

"2009 Bru (Reang) families have returned to Mizoram from Tripura that process I hope will continue everyday and every two or three days we expect more Bru families to come back to Mizoram. Shri Lalthanhawla is totally committed to the return of the refugees and their rehabilitation," added Chidambaram.

Since 1997, around 32,000 Bru tribal refugees have taken shelter in six camps in North Tripura, after ethnic clashes with Mizos over the killing of a Mizo forest official.

The refugees' repatriation from Tripura to Mizoram was stopped in ovember 2009 when a mob in Mizoram burnt down around 700 tribal houses after an 18-year-old Mizo youth was shot dead by unidentified miscreants.(ANI)