The Manipur government has convened a high level meeting to look into the growing insecurity among the former insurgents, now in designated camps following the signing of the Suspension of Operations agreement, and the alleged mismanagement of the rehabilitation money due to them.
The meeting in Imphal, under the instructions of the Union Home Ministry, was attended by J. Sureshbabu, principal secretary (Home), L. M. Khoute, Additional Director General of Police (Intelligence) officers from Assam Rifles, state and central intelligence agencies.
Sixteen tirbal underground organisations in Manipur had signed the Suspension of Operations (SoO) with the Union government and the Manipur government on August 22, 2008 after which they came over-ground. Two more non-tribal outfits had also come over-ground later. Apart from the fact that the Union government has not started political dialogue with these outfits, there have been allegations of attempted extortion by some outfits, arrest of some leaders who are in the peace camps and misappropriation of rehabilitation money by one leader.
The meeting took a serious view of the gunning down of Seikhopao Khongsai, Home Secretary of Kuki Liberation Army (KLA), a signatory to the SoO on July 13 evening. His two-year-old daughter and another boy were also killed. The killing has sent a grim message to other SoO signatories that they are not safe in the camps while a peaceful settlement remains elusive.
Meanwhile, members of the Kangleipak Communist Party (Military Council), Lallumba group, charged their president, Lallumba, with misappropriating Rs. 1.92 crore meant for their rehabilitation and fleeing the camp. Though Manipur's Home Minister Gaikhangam Gangmei gave a clean chit to Mr Lallumba, saying that he had not swindled the money and was in hospital after an accident, the representatives retorted saying that Mr Lallumba was not in any hospital and the money had been withdrawn from the bank. Mr Gangmei has not issued a rejoinder.
