SHILLONG, SEPT 25: The Garo Hills State Movement Committee (GHSMC) with some political parties on Thursday demanded inclusion of other Garo militant groups in the next peace agreement besides considering the long pending demand for creation of a separate Garoland.
“We demand the inclusion of other Garo militants group in the next peace agreement and need for creation of a separate Garoland,” GHSMC general secretary Augustine R Marak said in a letter to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday.
Marak said resolutions of the two demands were adopted during a meeting held recently between the GHSMC and the National People’s Party (NPP), Bharatia Janata Party (BJP), United Democratic Party (UDP) and Garo National Council (GNC) at the residence of Tura Lok Sabha MP Purno A⋅gitok Sangma in Tura.
The meeting was attended by National Peoples Party (NPP) national president and Tura MP Purno A⋅gitok Sangma, Garo National Council Supremo and MLA of Chokpot Clifford R. Marak, United Democratic Party, Joint Secretary Santosh Marak, MDCs, MLAs, EX MLAs and Ex MDCs of the various political parties and members of Baratia Janata Party.
In view of the law and order problem in Garo Hills, Marak said, “More than 12 militant outfits are actively operating in entire Garo Hills and bordering Assam and Khasi hills, primarily demanding Garoland state.”
Welcoming the peace agreement signed between the union and state governments with the ANVC and ANVC(B), Marak said, “The meeting however felt that permanent peace will not prevail in the Garo hills, any peace pact with one or two group will not bring the permanent peace in Garo hills since the other militant groups are also indulging in criminal activities.”
The meeting has decided to intensify the historic demand for Garoland state.
Marak said that the Garos are one of the major tribe of India and have fundamental rights to get full fledged state to safeguard the identity and uplift the economic and education standard of the people like other tribes- Manipuris, Nagas, Mizos. He added the Nagas, Mizos and Manipuris got its states because of linguists, cultures, and believe.
Marak also informed that the manifestos of the ruling BJP has mentioned creation of smaller state . He said, “This is the great momentum to enlarge the movement for separate Garo state in democratic way and in line of linguistic commission of 1956.”
Further, the meeting also discussed on how to maintain the population structures of the Garo people and protect their indigenous rights.
“We discussed not to allow diluting of Garo Customary Laws in the name of codification by the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) and to protest any attempt to dilute,” Marak said.
The meeting also discussed the extension of the term of Garo Hills Autonomous District Council for another one year.
“Without the consent of the other political parties of the state and all the stakeholders, the present government of Meghalaya has extended the election of GHADC by another one year,” Marak.-By Our Reporter
+ There are no comments
Add yours