Garo outfit withdraws Sept 9 bandh, to go ahead with three-day closure
From Our Correspondent
TURA: The Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) has welcomed the State Government’s decision to hold a high-level investigation into alleged ANVC ‘secret killings’ of innocent civilians in Garo Hills by announcing that it is withdrawing its 5 am to 5 am Garo Hills bandh on September 9.
However, the militant outfit has clarified that it would go ahead with the dawn-to-dusk bandh from September 12 to 14 unless the State Government withdraws all operations against the outfit.
The organisation had previously planned to call a bandh on September 9 and again on 12, 13 and 14 of this month. With the announcement of the investigation the outfit has withdrawn its first day of closure.
“We welcome the enquiry probe under Peter W Ingty. He is a man of high calibre and we believe he will do justice to the families of those who lost their dear ones at the hands of cold-blooded killers belonging to the ANVC,” said GNLA ‘political secretary’ Bikdot Nikjang Marak.
He, however, reiterated that the militant group is in no mood to withdraw the remaining three days of bandh until and unless the government halts all operations against them and withdraws the BSF and CoBRA units from the jungles of East and South Garo Hills.
“Meghalaya Police has 10,000 men on the ground with five battalions yet all its police stations and outposts have a shortage of men and machine. How come police officers are using department vehicles (gypsys) for personnel use when the same force is in dire need of machine and equipment at their outposts?” questioned Bikdot Nikjang.
Demand for Section 144: Meanwhile, the GNLA has demanded that the government immediately impose Section 144 CrPC to prevent ANVC militants from tampering evidence into the alleged ‘secret killings’.
The GNLA has demanded that the district administration of East and West Garo Hills immediately secure the areas to prevent evidence from being carried away and further sought a permanent posting of security personnel at the disputed site prior to the completion of the probe.
GNLA releases ANVC victims names: Pushing the ceasefire group (ANVC) into a wall, the GNLA has revealed the first list of alleged victims who were apparently killed by the ANVC claiming that innocent civilians were done away with because they refused to follow the diktats of the militant group.
“Three individuals — Repjen Momin of Samanda Rongap, Dandik Sangma and Ding — were taken to ANVC Samanda camp and killed in cold blood. Around the same time Sonjith Momin of Rongsak Bazar, Bachon Marak of Rongsakgre and Reng Marak of Rongsakgre who witnessed the incident were beaten mercilessly. The Government knew about it but remained silent,” claimed Bikdot Nikjang Marak.