By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The ANVC, currently under a truce with the government, has now asked for its arms back for “protection” from the GNLA.
The outfit wrote a letter to Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh asking for the arms following killing of a mentally deranged person by suspected GNLA cadres near an ANVC designated camp at Williamnagar recently. The ANVC has around 16 arms including AK series rifles and pistols deposited in a locked armoury in custody of Tura police.
The outfit had deposited the arms at the time of the ceasefire in 2004.
“We want the arms to be in joint custody so that we can also retaliate if we are attacked,” ANVC nodal officer Torik Jangning Marak said in the letter written to the minister.
He, however, made it clear that at present no leader or cadre of the outfit makes use of any kind of arms.
“Is it not possible that Sohan (GNLA commander-in-chief) is trying to instill fear among our cadres to disturb the peace process,” the ANVC letter said.
The ANVC has urged the Home Minister to visit the camps to take stock of the ground situation.
Meanwhile, the outfit has also asserted that the GNLA is working with the ISI of Pakistan.
“ANVC’s intelligence bureau has confirmed the GNLA’s connection with the ISI and that Champion Sangma (GNLA chairman) is in Bangladesh channelising all other organisations of the North-East which are getting the support of the ISI for exploiting the Indian soil,” the letter said.
The ANVC demanding for a Garoland Autonomous Council had entered into a tripartite ceasefire with the Central and the State governments on July 23, 2004.