SHILLONG, MAR 20: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma today said the state government will not have any negotiation with any militant groups which are indulging in violence and criminal activities.
“This is the stand of the state government led by the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) coalition that we will not have any negotiation with any organizations which are indulging in violence and criminal activities,” Sangma told the Assembly on Tuesday.
Replying to a query raised by opposition Congress member from Mawlai Process T Sawkmie, the chief minister said the government however welcomes any militant group to come forward and join the mainstream.
“We are not closing any doors. Our door is open but you cannot come into the door of the house with arms. Please shun the path of violence and will provide rehabilitation to you,” he said.
When Sawkmie pointed out that the government has nothing to lose by inviting all the militant groups operating in the state for negotiation to ensure peace and betterment of the state, Conrad however said that the government is also not saying ‘no’ to peace.
“We all want peace but there are certain processes we need to follow. We will never say no to that (peace) but it has to be only after you lay down your arms and shuns violence. This has been the stand of the government for quite sometime and it will continue,” he added.
Congress legislator from Rangsakona Zenith Sangma alleged that the recent statement made by the home minister James K Sangma was “contradicting” with the stand of the government when he had stated government will invite militants for talks.
Defending the home minister, Conrad said, “I am very sure that the home minister has not made any statement like this because the state government’s stand is very clear on this.
We do want militancy to disappear, we do want peace to come in, we do want our young boys and girls who are on the wrong direction to come to the mainstream…that is definitely our intention but process and procedure is something the home minister, the home department are very much in line with.”
The chief minister also said that the rehabilitation package will definitely be made available while responding to a supplementary query posed by Congress MLA from East Shillong Ampareen Lyngdoh who pointed out the package given to disbanded Garo militant outfits like the ANVC had yielded positive results.
He further informed that a screening committee comprising of the Director General of Police, Additional chief secretary and Inspector General of Police is already put in place to screen the people who are eligible for the rehabilitation package.
“The rehabilitation package at present is Rs 1.50 lakh along with Rs 3000 stipend to be given per month,” he said.
According to him, the criteria for the package is that the person has to surrendered with arms and have gone for training outside the country and if the special branch feels that a particular militant needs to be rehabilitated.
Satisfied with the reply of the chief minister, Lyngdoh however suggested the present state government that the issue of militancy be made an all house affair as even the opposition side would also like to be part of the peace process.
Meanwhile, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) legislator from Gambegre Saleng A Sangma urged the present state government not to follow the footsteps of the previous Congress-led Meghalaya United Alliance (MUA-II) government.
He pointed out that the people who are advocating militants to join the mainstream have failed to follow up on the problems faced by them after laying down of arms.
“That is why militant like Sohan Shira (when he was with the ANVC) and others had went back (to the jungles) leading to mushrooming of militant outfits,” he said while urging the present government to conduct a study on this regard.
Earlier when Sawkmie questioned whether the stand not to invite militants for talks is the slogan of the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre or of MDA at the state, chief minister expressed that he was surprised that the member has got lots of fondness for central government.
“I think the member (Sawkmie) has got a lot of fondness for the central government as he keeps on mentioning the central government more than we do. I am quite surprise,” Conrad said while maintaining that home is a state subject and the stand is definitely of MDA coalition government in the state.
By Our Reporter
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