By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The breakaway faction of the Achik National Volunteer Council (ANVC) has warned the Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) to restrain from causing more damages to already battered Garo society,
In an emailed statement issued on Monday, the personal secretary to Mokus Marak, Nado R. Marak said, “the GNLA is even demanding money Garo officers and doctors.”
While refusing to call them as the anti-talk faction of the outfit, Marak said that they are not against dialogue “as ultimately negotiation is the only way to find solution to any problem.”The ANVC which is on a tripartite ceasefire agreement with the Government of India and the Government of Meghalaya has finally split and this may have an impact on the peace process.
“We remained underground for all these years not because we were anti-talk but because we were not made a part of the ceasefire by our leaders,” he added
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.
According to Marak, the reasons which forced them to break away from the pro-talk faction of ANVC was the fact that ANVC leaders were always silent against the GNLA, adding their areas of operation were not even included in the present demand for ‘Garoland Autonomous Council’.
“They should not have isolated ANVC cadres, who were targeted by GNLA and that is why differences have arisen,” the statement added.
