After five years of peace talks, the NLFT (SD faction), finally, officially surrendered today and returned in main stream of life after signing a Memorandum of Settlement with Central and State Government.
As many as 88 cadres of NLFT gave up their arms in Chawmanu police station in presence of Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, Deputy Chief Minister Jishnu Debbarma, MP Rebati Tripura, Tripura DGP In-charge Rajiv Singh, Secretary Home Kumar Alok and other higher officials. The surrendered extremists would be given benefits as per the Surrender-cum-Rehabilitation Scheme, 2018 of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb welcomed the NLFT’s move.
Deb in his social media handler said, “The Tripura government will ensure all possible help for the all-round development of Tribal areas.”
According to sources, the 88 extremists along with their families had been brought in the state and kept in an ‘undisclosed’ place for security reasons.
The Memorandum of Settlement was signed by Satyendra Garg, Joint Secretary (North East) of Ministry of Home Affairs, Kumar Alok, Addl. Chief Secretary (Home), Government of Tripura, and two NLFT representatives- Sabir Kumar Debbarma and Kajal Debbarma on August 10 last.
Earlier, the NLFT representatives were called on Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi after signing the Memorandum of Settlement.
According to an official release, the NLFT, banned under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act since 1997, was involved in violence, operating from their camps across the international border.
The NLFT has been responsible for violent activities including 317 insurgency incidents in which 28 security forces and 62 civilians lost their lives during the period 2005-2015. Peace talks with NLFT were initiated in 2015 and there has been no violence by NLFT since 2016.
As per the Memorandum of Settlement, the State Government would help the surrendered cadres in housing, recruitment and education. Government of India will consider the proposals of Tripura State Government regarding economic development of tribal areas of Tripura. Altogether, 40 fire arms were surrendered by the extremists.
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