By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The ANVC which is on a tripartite ceasefire agreement with the Government of India and the Government of Meghalaya has finally split. This may have an impact on the ongoing peace process.
A leader from the anti talks faction of ANVC on Friday told The Shillong Times that around 300 cadres including officers have joined the anti-talk faction of the ANVC .
“The designated ANVC camps are isolated and many cadres have returned to the jungles,the leader added.
When asked why the split, the leader blamed the peace talks which have become a non-starter as a result of which the cadres are dissatisfied. The lukewarm response of the Government of India to the ANVC demand for a Garoland Autonomous Council is also one reason for the dissatisfaction of the cadres.
The ANVC earlier had demanded a separate state for Garos but later climbed down to the demand for a Garoland Autonomous Council along the lines of the Bodoland Autonomous Council in Assam.
“We have waited for so many years for our demands have not been met and the response from our political leaders is lukewarm,” the leader added.
It may be mentioned that the anti-talks faction is allegedly headed by Mukost Marak, a hardliner who had earlier allegedly killed four coal mine labourers in Nangalbibra on 17 November, 2010 and was in hiding for a long time.
“Another reason which forced the cadres to return to jungle was to safeguard the common people from the pressure of GNLA and the motive is to bring down the activities of GNLA,” the leader added.
The Shillong Times earlier in February had carried out a report asserting that the ANVC was heading for a virtual split. At the time the pro-truce faction of the ANVC had denied that there was any split in the outfit.
Formed in December 1995, the ANVC, operating in Garo Hills has scaled down its demand for creation of Garoland state to Garoland Territorial Council and entered into a tripartite ceasefire agreement on July 23, 2004.