Motivate rebels to join mainstream, Sarkar urges people

AGARTALA - Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar Wednesday urged people to motivate youths who have taken to militancy to shun the path of violence and return to normal life.

“Hundreds of tribal youths have left militancy over the past few years. The state government has provided economic resettlement to them (surrendered militants),” Sarkar said while addressing a gathering at Tamakari tribal village in West Tripura, 55 km north of here.

Till two years ago, no public meeting could be held at the tribal dominated areas due to militancy. The Tripura government has announced upgradation of the local Tamakari senior basic school into a high school in 2004, but the plan was executed only from this academic session because of activities of the militants.

Sarkar said: “Some government employees had also joined militancy and subsequently surrendered. The Tripura government has returned their jobs to them. This is never done in other states in India.”

The chief minister reiterated his appeal to the militants to give up the path of violence and join the mainstream. “Come and join your family, we would help you in all matters,” Sarkar said.

According to an official document, over 8,200 tribal guerrillas have surrendered to the authorities in Tripura since 1993. The total number of surrendered militants of the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) and the All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) outfits rose to around 135 this year.