By Our Special Correspondent
Tura: The ANVC which is on a tripartite ceasefire agreement with the Government of India and the Government of Meghalaya is heading for a split.
Sources said that Mukost Marak will take over as the commander in chief of the new faction while Rimpu Barnard N Marak will be its new ‘chairman’ and Dilseng the ‘general secretary’.
It is learnt that Barnard Marak was collecting arms as Dilash Marak has stopped supplying them with arms.
The split comes as a result of the dissatisfaction in a section of cadres at the lukewarm response of the Government of India to the ANVC demand for a Garoland Autonomous Council along the lines of the Bodoland Autonomous Council which in many ways is a state within a state.
The ANVC believes such a Council would speed up development in the Garo Hills.
Mukost Marak is a hardliner who had earlier killed four coal mine labourers in Nangalbibra on 17 November, 2010. Earlier the killing was thought to be the handiwork of GNLA. The GNLA denied having a hand in the killing and clarified that it was Mukost Marak of the rival outfit ANVC who had carried out the operation.
It may be reminded that on January 24 last Biloo Marak was caught with arms (2 AK-47s) at Dudhnoi. He was sent by Barnard Marak to pick up the. Biloo Marak is now under judicial custody. He has not been handed over to Meghalaya Police as yet.
Sources said that on Wednesday Dudhnoi Police caught some persons coming through Jambal Kentra road with 5 AKs meant for Barnard. It is leant that Barnard is amassing arms and ammunition and making good his threat to go back to the jungles.
The ANVC had been keeping Mukost Marak and few cadres hiding in West Khasi Hills in case the ceasefire truce breaks. But the Nongalbibra killings exposed the ANVC strategy. Sources have informed that Mukost and his cadres are now based in West Khasi Hills.
No one had expected the ANVC truce to come a cropper as the cadres were leading a comfortable life. This will come as a major setback for the Government of India and further jeopardise the peace process in Garo Hills.
At the moment it is unclear how many cadres have joined the breakaway faction.