TURA: The Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) has assured safety to the families of those cadres who deserted the outfit and surrendered before police, saying they have no need to fear.
“We have no plans to hurt their families as asserted by one Mingran Sangma whose remarks in Facebook are provocative and misleading. He has tested the GNLA to come over the parents and relatives of the surrenderees,” joint publicity secretary of the outfit Garo Mandei Ch Marak said in a statement while referring to a comment allegedly posted on the social networking site on the surrender of four of its cadres along with two ASAK cadres on Monday.
The outfit, however, hinted of taking action against the deserters saying they would have to pay the cost for allegedly disregarding the laws of the organization.
“We were informed that before surrendering to police they were engaging in extorting cash from people across the Assam-Meghalaya border and even from businessmen of Khasi Hills. They had no option but to surrender as solid disciplinary action awaited them at the camps. Regardless of several warnings they were in the habit of frequenting populated areas and exasperating the locals of their quiet peaceful lives,” Garo Mandei claimed.
“The GNLA has no intention to take vindictive action on the relatives or guardians of the surrendered cadres and no outsider or third party will need to languish over the reason in this matter. But these cadres have disregarded the laws by deserting with arms and ammo for self interests which cannot be acknowledged by the organisation. They are in-disciplined and on various occasions were found to have been in an inebriated condition for which they were serving discipline in the camp,” he added.
