GNLA, splinter militant groups pose stiff challenge
SHILLONG: Peace is unlikely to be restored in Garo Hills even after the signing of the peace pact with both the factions of the ANVC as the GNLA and other splinter groups are still actively involved in insurgent activities in Garo Hills.
The biggest challenge before the Meghalaya Police comes not from the ANVC or the ANVC-B, but the dreaded Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) which continues to engage in unlawful activities like killing, kidnapping and extortion.
A police official admitted that the GNLA and the numerous new groups that have emerged in recent times will continue to create havoc and disturb peace in Garo Hills.
The State Government and the Centre had earlier ruled out talks with the GNLA and even the State Police had made their intention clear on pursuing an aggressive policy to neutralize the GNLA.
The GNLA had expressed its desire for holding peace talks in the past, but it wanted the Government to withdraw security forces from Garo Hills. Moreover, the GNLA wanted the Government to open up to discussions on the issue of Garoland, a separate state for Garos, which, however, was ruled out by the State Government.
A State Home department official said that with the mushrooming of militant outfits and a spurt in the activities of the GNLA, Garo Hills has become a difficult area ‘to deal with’.
Though GNLA chairman Champion R Sangma is still languishing in jail after he was arrested by police on July 30, 2012, there has been no let up in the activities of the GNLA which poses the biggest challenge to peace in Garo Hills, under its ‘commander- in-chief’ Sohan D Shira, who took over control of the organization after Champion’s arrest.