By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: With no end to the militancy-related violence in Garo Hills, the former Chief Minister SC Marak feels that GNLA should be included in the peace process with the Government.
“Like the factions of ANVC which are currently under peace pact, the GNLA should also be brought under peace talks,” Marak said.
According to Marak, when ANVC was created, there was chaos and havoc in Garo Hills, but after the peace talks with ANVC, there was relative peace which, however, was shattered by the emergence of GNLA.
The GNLA recently said that the outfit wanted to have direct talks with the Centre and not with the State Government.
Marak said that even if GNLA wants to have talks only with the Centre, someone, preferably a church leader, can be entrusted with the task of negotiating with the outfit.
Asked whether he was willing to negotiate with the GNLA, Marak said that political persons should not venture into any negotiation with the militant outfit.
“It is always better for a third person especially a religious leader to initiate dialogue on behalf of the Government”, Marak said.
Marak, who is also the Chairman of State Planning Board, said that the Government should invite the GNLA for some sort of settlement at the earliest.
Marak, who held Chief Minister’s chair from 1993 to 1998, was instrumental in the surrender of cadres of the erstwhile militant outfit, Achik Liberation Matgrik Army (ALMA).
Marak said that it was due to the delay on the part of Assam Government to clear the cases involving ALMA leaders, Dilash Marak and Jerome Momin that the duo, who were in Shillong jail, had effected a jail break along with NSCN (IM) and HNLC cadres and formed the ANVC in 1995. “I had assured general amnesty to all the cadres of ALMA. However, the detention of Dilash and Jerome in the jail took a longer time due to their pending cases in Assam, however, I was negotiating with the then Chief Minister of Assam Hiteshwar Saikia for their release and he also agreed to release them, but before waiting for a favourable outcome, the ALMA leaders broke out of the jail”, Marak said, hinting that the formation of ANVC was due to this.
After the formation of ANVC in 1995, the outfit’s armed struggle continued till they entered into a tripartite talks with the Government both at the Centre and the State in July 2004. However, the former ANVC leader Sohan Shira was instrumental in forming GNLA along with the former police official, Champion Sangma in early part of 2010.
There was further split in ANVC in 2012 with its spokesperson Torik Marak forming ANVC(B) and assuming the name of Rimpu Marak as its Chairman. ANVC leader Mukosh Marak became the self styled commander- in- chief of ANVC (B).
Early part of this year, there was further split in ANVC (B) with the formation of United Achik Liberation Army (UALA) led by Singbirth Marak alias Norrok, who was a former ANVC (B) leader.The GNLA and other splinter groups continue to create havoc in Garo Hills by way of extortion, killing and kidnapping for ransom.