CM admits presence of ANVC abreakaway faction
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma has admitted that several ANVC cadres had skipped the attention of the then Government when the ceasefire agreement was signed with the outfit in 2004.
Talking to media persons here on Tuesday on the reported split in the ANVC, Dr Sangma said, “There were deficiencies and the ceasefire process was not done properly.”
The Chief Minister’s statement assumes significance in view of the split in the Garo outfit.
A breakaway faction of the ANVC has surfaced with Mokust Marak as its head. Around 300 cadres have reportedly gone back to jungle.
According to Dr Sangma, the breakaway faction of the ANVC is that group which remained at large when the outfit and the Government entered into a tripartite peace agreement.
“It came to the notice of the Government last year that there is still an armed group which did not come overground,” he said.
The breakaway faction of the ANVC has claimed that they were not made part of the ceasefire by their leaders.
The State Government has already taken up the matter with the Home Minister P Chidambaram.
When asked about the huge number of people coming out demanding for a separate state in Tura and the same is being demanded by GNLA, Dr Sangma said, “It is not because of GNLA that huge people came out and this matter has been pending for a long time.”
He also took a dig at the GNLA for indulging in unlawful activities in the name of demanding a separate Garo state while adding that Meghalaya too was carved out without even shedding a drop of blood.
While asserting that there is no quick fix solution to militancy, The Chief Minister said the State Government will ensure that the state is free from the problem of militancy.
“All efforts to neutralize GNLA will continue,” he added.
