Assam government spent Rs.9 cr on militants during ceasfire

Guwahati, Dec 15: The Assam government Monday revealed that it has spent over Rs.9 crore this year on settlement camp for cadres of the militant outfits who had entered into ceasefire agreements with the state and central governments.

Assam's Environment and Forests Minister Rockybuk Hussain, speaking on behalf of the state home minister - currently the chief minister holds the charge - informed this to the state assembly in response to a question by Opposition member Phanibhusan Choudhury of the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP).

Hussain said that 13 militant outfits had signed the Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreement with the Assam government while the central and state governments had signed Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) with three militant outfits.

"At present there are eight active militant outfits in the state," Hussain said.

"The 13 militant outfits, who signed SoO agreement with the government, have about 3,940 cadres housed in 24 designated camps in different districts of the state. The government has spent Rs.9,03,36,000 on them between April to November this year," Hussain said.

"The government has spent Rs.2,00,64,000 on the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (Progressive) faction which has 836 cadres in three designated camps," he added.

"The government has spent Rs.1,32,72,000 on the pro-talks faction of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) which has 549 cadres in seven designated camps. The Ranjan Daimary faction of the NDFB has 579 cadres in two designated camps and they have received Rs.1,38,96,000 in the current year," the minister said.

"Similarly, the Karbi Longri National Liberation Front (KLNLF) has 288 cadres in three designated camps. The outfit was given Rs.51,36,000 followed by Adivasu Cobra Military of Assam (ACMA) who was given Rs.1,08,72,000. The ACMA has 453 cadres in one designated camp."

"The list further includes the Birsa Commando Force (BCF) which has over 300 cadres and they have got Rs.81,60,000. The Santhal Tiger Force (STF) has 134 cadres and they have received Rs.33,60,000 followed by Adivasi Peoples' Army (APA) Rs.29,76,000, All Adivasi National Liberation Army (AANLA) Rs.30,00,000, Kuki Revolutionary Army (KRA) Rs.35,28,000, United Kukigram Defence Army (UKDA) Rs.27,36,000, Kuki Liberation Army (KLA) Rs.19,92,000, Hmar Peoples Convention -Democratic (HPC-D) Rs.13,44,000.

"The eight active militant outfits include the anti-talk faction of the Ulfa, anti-talk faction of the NDFB (NDFB-S), Karbi Peoples' Liberation Tigers (KPLT), Kamatapur Liberation organisation (KLO), Harkat-ul Muzahideen (HuM), Muslim United Liberation Tigers of Assam (Multa), Communist Party of India (Maoist) and Jamaat-ul Muzahideen Bangladesh (JMB)," the agriculture minister added.

IANS