SHILLONG, JUNE 11: The state government will “re-look” into the proposed peace talks with the Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) militant outfit as it had failed to eschew violence even as chief minister Mukul Sangma informed the assembly on Wednesday that he would also write to all state governments in the north east on the need to collectively tackle insurgency in the region.
The chief minister said, “We will have to review the proposed talks and take appropriate decision whether this type of outfit deserve to be call for talks or not.” He informed that the state government had already engaged with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on how to proceed with the proposed talks with the GNLA as GNLA has been declared as a terrorist outfit by the centre, the appointment of interlocutor will have to be jointly decided by the centre and state governments. He said the proposal had already been sent.
The chief minister inform the house that the government agreed for the proposal for talks with the GNLA as it had got appeal from different political organization and religious institutions from Garo Hills.
The chief minister however lamented that despite the positive response from the government the GNLA continued to indulge in committing heinous criminal activities that give a perception that the state government is incapable of neutralizing their activities.
The chief minister also expressed concern on Meghalaya being used as a “corridor” for routing sophisticated arms and ammunition by the militant outfits from neigbouring states including Assam.
The chief minister said,“As per inputs available with the intelligent agencies of centre and state government, the militant outfits like the United Liberation front of Asom (ULFA) and the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) have been using Meghalaya as a corridor as they find it more convenience to raise militant outfits in the region.
According to the chief minister most of the GNLA and other militant outfits cadres operating in the state are either from Assam or Bangladesh as there are lots of Garo settlers. He said,“The fact that nobody came to claim the dead bodies of the four ANVC(B) cadres who were killed in an encounter in Tura is an indication they are not from our land.” He informed that the convention of the indigenous tribal is even if the deceased is a most dreaded criminal; his family or children will always retrieve the body for conducting last rites and rituals.
Pointing that the north east region has become a source for supplying all kind of arms and ammunition not only for militant groups operating in the region but across the country, the chief minister said, “Today, even the terrorist like Maoist who usually used only the muzzle loading guns, now have access to sophisticated arms which is because of the north east region.”
The chief minister was of the opinion that such sophisticated weapons are not manufactured anywhere in Shillong, Tura or Guwahati and therefore felt that this problem needs to be address by all state governments and the centre. He said, “ I will soon write to all the seven states on this regard as there is a need for a broader approach to this, by engaging even neigbouring countries like Bangladesh and others to fight insurgency related problem.”
Assuring that his government has the political will to tackle militancy problem, the chief minister informed a delegation led by him will also meet the union government to renew all engagements on tackling the problem of militancy in the state immediately after the ongoing re-assembled budget session of the state is over.- By Our Reporter
