By HH Mohrmen
Elections to the state assembly elections is round the corner but the question that stares us in the face is whether Garo hills is ready for it? Even if the state government does not admit it, from what has been reported regularly in the media, it is obvious that law and order in certain parts of the Garo hills has failed completely. Law and order has been an issue of concern in the entire Garo hills for more than five years now. The breakdown of law and order in the area started with the armed rebellion sparked by the Achik National Volunteers Council (ANVC) and the threat continues to loom large as elections are nearing.
The armed insurgents in the Garo hills have never interfered, at least openly, in the election process in the state particularly in Garo hills, till very recently. First it was the GNLA which created a ruckus by coming out openly to support the Congress party in the coming election to the state assembly. Although the party denied having any links with the armed insurgent group, but the GNLA has not withdrawn its statement of supporting the party till today. Then the ANVC which is on a cessation of operations (COO) agreement with the government has recently upped its ante in the Garo hills on the pretext of cleaning the electoral system in the region. But the most likely reason for the resurgence of the ANVC (B) is probably to counter the support the GNLA extended to the Congress. The two Garo militant outfits have in the past few months been at each other’s throat to the extent of attacking respective cadres. Relations between the two groups seems to have worsened as the election approaches.
The recent attack on the Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee working president Deborah C Marak by ANVC (B) militants during a football match at Rongbinggre in East Garo Hills on November 24 has raises serious concerns if the election in the Garo Hills is going to be free and fair. It was reported that the incident took place at around 3.45 pm when Marak was on the stage to distribute prizes to the winners of a football match. It was also reported that about 10 ANVC (B) militants fired several round from their automatic rifles to create panic among the spectators at the football match. That the incident happened in a public function; in broad day light and a person targeted for the attack was no less than the Working President of the Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee is a matter of grave concern. Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma during his press briefing after the cabinet had discussed the attack on Deborah said that the unfortunate incident happened because Marak did not ask SOT personnel to accompany her on that fateful day. What Dr Sangma did not consider was what would happen if SOT personnel were present on the spot. Would it not have led to a blood bath? Would innocent people not have been caught in the cross-fire and lost their lives and limbs? If gun toting militants can roam freely; appear anywhere and fire at will, can we still call that prevailing situation peaceful and hope to have a free and fair elections in the area?
The ANVC (B) in a statement issued a day after the militants’ attacked the Congress President stated that the outfit has forewarned all the politicians and their workers in Garo hills and cautioned them not to indulge in the act of bribing voters and luring the public with false promises. They also claimed that they attacked politicians because they don’t pay heed to the militant’s diktat. The militants even threatened to use bullets against the politicians and their workers to drive home their points and if this is not a serious threat then what is a serious threat?
It may also be reminded that a few weeks ago on November 2nd last, the Community and Rural Development Minister Saleng A Sangma had to trek a gruesome six kilometers from Kherapara area in West Garo Hills through dense forests to save himself from the impending militant threat. It was reported that Sangma had to undertake the strenuous journey while returning from a football match at the Hills district to avoid the improvised explosive devices (IEDs) planted by suspected GNLA militants at three locations to target security forces patrolling in the area. The incident should have been like a wake up call for the state government to take the militant threat in the area seriously, but the government in general and the home department in particular seems to be oblivious of the state of the law and order situation in the Garo hills until Deborah Marak was brazenly attacked in public in broad day light.
Now the government has issued travel advisory to all very important persons visiting the Garo hills and instructed all concerned individuals to seek security cover from the District Administration whenever they visit the area. The government can of course provide security cover to all the VIPs visiting the area for electioneering, but the ANVC (B)’s threat is not only for the candidates and the VIPs campaigning in the area but the party workers too. Can the state government provide security cover to all the party workers? From the statement made by the Chief Minister informing about the need for special security cover for VIPs, the message is loud and clear – the law and order situation in the Garo hills district is deteriorating day by day.
The safety and security of the people in the Garo hills is threatened not only by the militant organizations. There are also complaints against police highhandedness in the area. In any conflict it is always the innocent people who are caught in the crossfire and have to bear the brunt. On November 27, 2012 a sit in demonstration in protest against police atrocities on innocent people was organized by the People’s Movement for Democratic Rights (PMDR), Garo hills. It was alleged that Police atrocities are rising day by day and innocent civilians all over Garo Hills are being mistreated with total disregards for their basic and fundamental rights. There were allegations that civilians, including elderly women and children are being arrested and harassed randomly by the law enforcement agency. The people of Garo hills are indeed in a catch 22 situation.
The Election Commission should reconsider if the situation in the Garo Hills is conducive for holding a free and fair election in the Garo hills. The threat is not only from the ANVC (B) which has recently come out openly against the politicians and their workers; the silence of the GNLA is also to be suspected. Hence security presence in the area should be strengthened to ensure free and fair election in the Garo hills.
In conclusion, all of Dr Mukul Sangma’s MUA government supposed innings like creating four districts in the state, launching his pet project the Integrated Basin Development & Livelihood Promotion Programme and host of other projects in the pipeline become futile efforts if the law and order situation in the area continue to be grim. If the situation in Garo hills remaining as it is; it will affect Congress party’s (the leading partner in the MUA coalition government) prospect of winning maximum number of 24 seats at stake in the Garo hills. The government has nobody but itself to blame for not taking the militant issue in the state seriously and bring it to its logical end, the state government’s lackadaisical approach towards ending the ANVC problem which is under ceasefire agreement with the government has led the state to the present stalemate.
Finally, even if election in Garo hills is held, it will be the first time in the history of the state that the election is not held in a favourable environment but rather under the threat of armed militant outfits. The 2013 election will be the first election when guns and bullets will probably help decide the outcome of the election.