CFMG asks Naga groups not to recruit new youths before pol

The chairman of the Cease Fire Monitoring Group (CFMG), Lt Gen (retd) Shokin Chouhan Monday asked Naga groups not to forcefully recruit youths from the ethnic tribe as the solution to the protracted political problem involving them is expected soon.

He also urged the people not to send their children for recruitment in any of the groups.

Chouhans appeal follows the reported rescue of 32 youths by Assam Rifles from Mon district of Nagaland on November 24. There have been reports of alleged forceful recruitment of young Nagas by different factions of Naga groups with the hope that they would get jobs post the solution.

The CFMG was set up to find a lasting solution for peace with the Naga insurgent factions.

The solution (to the Naga political problem) is close now. It has been pronounced by the Nagaland governor and interlocutor for peace talks, R N Ravi. Adding cadres by the Naga groups now is not a good idea," he said.

Armed cadres of the groups need to be rehabilitated with jobs, he said, adding those who have been associated for a long time will get priority. Therefore recruiting new cadre into the groups at this juncture will be counterproductive.

"Do not recruit anymore because the children you are recruiting today will turn against you as the government will not be able to provide them a job post the solution," he told the Naga groups.

Asked, he said CFMG can do nothing as per the ground rules because there has not been any complain from any parent.

Referring to the demand for larger number of designated camps by the Naga groups, Chouhan said it has not been accepted by the government.

The Naga groups had been allotted 14 designated camps, but with the factions opening more of them over the permitted numbers they have been asked to move back to the original ones, he said.

NSCN(IM) has nine designated camps, NSCN(Kitovi) three and NSCN (Reformation) and NSCN-K (Khongo) have one each and it is the duty of the state government and the security forces to close down the undesignated camps.

"The ground rules have to be strictly adhered to," Chouhan affirmed.