By Saidul Khan
Shillong, Mar 15 : Meghalaya’s Garo militant outfit the Achik National Volunteer’s Council (ANVC) has strongly said that government should come out with a workable solution on their demands. The militant outfit has set the deadline of March 15 for an assurance on the suspension of operation and for a possible solution on the demand of creation of a separate autonomous council of the Garo inhabitant areas.
The ANVC leader said that if the situation is not conducive and the government is overlooking their matter things may not work well. Torik Jangning Marak, Spokesperson and Chief Organizing Secretary, ANVC in an interview with mynews.com said, “It will surely disrupt peace in Garo Hills”. He said, “By March 15 government should respond to our demands and come to an acceptable solution.
Government should come out clearly whether they want a solution or not. We want a clear cut answer from the government whether they are serious or not. It has been six years since we signed the ceasefire agreement. Any other packages are not going to work with us”. Marak also expressed their displeasure on the decision taken by the Ministry of Home Affairs to limit their suspension to March 31, 2010. Marak said, “We are upset with this decision and fail to understand why central government has taken this move without consulting the organization and the state government”.
The ANVC has sent their letter of disappointment to the government and the Ministry of Home Affairs. Marak informed that state government is working on a possible solution so that the ceasefire truce can be extended. Citing that due to the prevalent peace in the region in the past six years since the ANCV has gone for a tripartite ceasefire, a massive development in Garo Hills came in and various projects are being implemented Marak said, “If the government is not extending the ceasefire…it is not ANVC who should decide, it should be the people of Garo Hills, people of the adjoining areas of Assam and Khasi Hills because if ANVC has to break the ceasefire because of the irresponsible act of the central government.
It may have an impact on the whole of Meghalaya and at the same time we don’t want that. We have come for a talk, for a solution and we want peace and we want government to react on it with a positive mind”. Marak added, “I don’t know why the central government is having a negative mind on the ANVC, despite that we have come down with our demands from statehood to an autonomous council in the format of Bodoland Territorial Council, which is very much constitutional and acceptable”.
The ANVC leader further informed that if an acceptable solution is arrived at with the negotiator who is likely to come in the next 10 days or so the ceasefire may continue. “We have submitted our proposal to the Home Affair Minister and Prime Minister. Till now the matter is yet to be discussed it has only been accepted as a proposal. As a follow up on the matter Home Affair Ministry has appointed a negotiator with whom the issue will be discussed”, Marak said. Former Intelligence Bureau chief P. C. Haldar, appointed by the central government as a negotiator by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The ANVC in its charter of demand this time has ruled out Bangladesh but is demanding inclusion of the entire contiguous area inhabitant by the Garos’. Marak did not rule out the possibility of a Separate council for the Garos’ in Assam and said that it was a follow up of ANVCs demand. He categorically said that the territory will be decided as far as the convenience for the autonomous Garoland. POLITICAL WILL “Our demand is Statehood and to have a solution we have come down to an autonomous council, which is acceptable and constitutional. We want a permanent solution, if government is not keen on giving us the solution. We don’t know what will come afterwards. ANVC cannot bring changes or fulfill such demands alone we need backup from the people and the political parties. So if the demand is supported by the general public it should work out”, said Marak. Further stating that Statehood itself is a political demand and an autonomous council is also a part of the political demand Marak said, “We need consensus, so we are asking the people to come out and voice their concern on our behalf. We have to convince the government that we as the people of Garo Hills need a change; we need a different kind of system in our area”.
Ruling out that floating a political party was not a part of ANVCs agenda Marak reiterated, “We would surely like to come to the mainstream, join politics and do something for the people. We are requesting our legislators and politician to highlight the issue because it is genuine.” Citing that Garo Hills had been neglected for all this years and that ANVCs ceasefire forced the central government to pay attention to the need of Garo Hills Marak felt that the truce brought in a significant development for Garo Hills.
The ANVC leader said, “In the JMG meeting we have always been assured that schemes and projects will be implemented in Garo Hills to make the region more accessible and create development avenues. So we feel that ANVCs ceasefire has brought in a tremendous change for Garo Hills and at the same time we are not a ban outfit”.
Pointing that at present ANVC is a legal organization Marak opined that they failed to understand why government had to limit their suspension . The Achik National Volunteer Council (ANVC) was formed in December 1995. It was proscribed on November 16, 2000. The outfit, signed a ceasefire agreement with the Government of India on July 23, 2004.
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