International crackdown deals blow to Indian rebels
They had emerged from the jungles over the weeks, drawn by promises of amnesty, food, even job training. Shell-shocked and destitute, 156 once-feared rebels formally surrendered to the Indian Army Jan. 31 after they were flushed from illegal camps in Bhutan. Those who laid down their arms are among more than 1,000 rebels who have been killed or taken into custody in recent months, according to officials. Indian Army chief N.C. Vij now says it’s a matter of weeks before some of northeast India’s deadliest ethnic insurgencies are put down for good, paving the way for reconciliation and much needed development. Full Story