By Albert Thyrniang
The ANVC and its breakaway group ANVC-B have signed the tripartite peace pact with the Central and the State Government on September 24 last in New Delhi. Good news to Garo Hills that is literally fed up with the senseless, prolonged violence! On September 18, The Shillong Times announced the agreement of the concerned parties to sign the final settlement with a front page photograph of the Chief Minister and Home Minister meeting with the ANVC leaders. On the same issue, the daily also cautioned readers that ‘peace is still a far cry’ as a dozen other armed groups are carrying on with their subversive and seditious activities.
A cautious optimism was clear from the reaction of both the militant factions and the government. Acknowledging the presence of numerous other groups who are actively engaging in violence as a hindrance, the ANVC is doubtful that the peace settlement will restore peace in Garo Hills. Optimistic but without a definite statement, the Chief Minister hoped that the signing of the peace pact will create a conducive atmosphere for peace in Garo Hills. According to him, it will also send a strong message to other rebel organizations to understand the futility of taking up arms and indulging in criminal activities. The public too will apprehensively look at final settlement agreement as a positive step forward but with a ‘no guarantee’ for peace.
Signing of the peace pact will have its repercussions! In her recent column, Patricia Mukhim raised this certain disturbing questions. She listed some of the crimes committed by the ANVC during its height of militant and violent days. Should these crimes be forgotten and those who committed them be forgiven just because they decided to sign the peace agreement? Should serious cases registered against them be arbitrarily withdrawn? Where is the justice system? Where is the rule of law? What about the relatives of the victims? It is an abuse on them. It’s a handful of salt applied on their wounds! What about the security forces who sacrificed their lives fighting those ‘criminals’? It is insulting and a disrespect for martyrs and demoralizing for the serving forces.
These days there is a rush of militants waiting to sign peace treaties. A guarantee to escape the law, pressure by the police and drying up of income/business have pushed them to give themselves up and not because there is change of hearts. They will also be given lucrative packages and jobs for taking up arms and committing crimes. Beware studious and industrious youths! You may be deprived of jobs. Sympathy and empathy for you! The present situation coupled with corruption present you with a tough environment. You need cash and connections for the few jobs that are still available. The highest bidder with the widest connections will be served with an appointment letter. Merit counts little!
A common view is that if the GNLA and other splinter groups come to the main stream lasting peace will prevail. But do these groups want peace? The dreaded Sohan D Shira and company walked out of ANVC to form the GNLA when the former was under cease fire. If they wanted peace why did they found the armed outfits?
The GNLA, and the ANVC’s offshoots like UALA, ANLA, ASAK and others have been indulging in violent activities and creating a reign of terror through killing, kidnapping and extortion while keeping Garo Hills under fear. Perpetrated crimes were ghastly, barbaric, heinous, horrifying, shocking and gruesome. The above underground organizations may very well sign a peace pact. The murderers of innocent people in Gendamari in the Meghalaya-Assam border of Goalpara district, the ambushers of policemen at Bangjakona in South Garo Hills and the Taliban-ISIS style executioners of the mother of three, Josbina Sangma in Chokpot might soon come over ground? Will they be given amnesty? For the victims’ families, the wait for justice is futile even as they see the killers live comfortably while they suffer the loss of their kith and kin. Harsh reality!
The peace agreement with ANVC/ANVC-B is kept under wrapz. The lonely Nationalist Peoples’ Party (NPP) demanded that the accord be made public. The Home Minister responded by unconvincingly stating that the text agreement will become a public document once the outfits have laid down arms. Why is the surrendering of arms by the outfit taking so long? Should not the date for the laying down of arms been fixed prior to the signing of the peace pact? What is the problem in making the text agreement public even without the laying down of arms?
As long as text document is a secret we can only speculate and rely on limited media reports. The accord is centred around revamping and strengthening the GHADC. Directly funded, the Council will be empowered with ambitious development initiatives, financial and other powers. This is contrary to the strong views which favour abolition of ADCs as they are redundant and superfluous. The ADCs were created before we attained statehood to uphold and promote culture, land and forest of the indigenous people. Now we have our own state and government. The state government’s job is precisely to take care of interests of the indigenous people. The state government, therefore, has replaced ADCs. The ADCs have outlived their utility the moment the state government came into being. They have become obsolete.
The 30 member GHADC might also be raised to 40. The ANVC and ANVC-B will have the privilege of nominating two members each to the house. Now, if this reservation is accorded to the twin ANVCs, then other groups will also demand for the same. We know that there are more than twelve militant groups in Garo Hills. In such a case, the total number of nominated members from militant outfits will be more than 24. The GHADC will be ruled by former militants. Is that not frightening? Is it not unfair to ordinary citizens who aspire to be members of GHADC?
The NPP demanded for making the text agreement public as a face-saver for its Supremo has been restrained by the Supreme Court not to further make the ‘Mukul is the chairman of all militant groups in Garo Hills’ wild allegation. Well, PA Sangma is not the only politician throwing mud at rivals. The Chief Minister himself jibed and taunted the senior Sangma’s decision to contest the last Lok Sabha election as a ‘death wish’. He also called his veteran rival as an agent of the BJP and RSS. Attending an election campaign I was aghast to hear speakers spitting venoms at political opponents, that too soon after a solemn prayer. It’s a case of a ‘good Christian-politician’ merged in one.
Held back by the Apex Court from making unsubstantiated allegations, the NPP renewed its demand for an NIA inquiry into the ‘Chief Minister-political-militant’ nexus. Hats off NPP! More souls are needed to persistently pressurize the government to institute a CBI or NIA inquiry into the serious issue. Earlier opposition parties had made vociferous demands for the same but conveniently backed off later. The alleged nexus is a wide perception. People of all walks of life talk about it! They point to particular politicians having links with particular militant groups. The truth, one way or the other, will emerge only with credible inquiry. That may never happen. The NPP’s wish may never materialize. We will never see a closure to the politico-militant nexus allegation.
Signing of or inking of peace pacts, surrendering and ceasefire are seen as militants returning to the mainstream. But should society pay a price for the return of the prodigal sons? Everyone wants peace not war but should the law be subverted to accommodate organizations and individuals with heinous criminal records?