By Albert Thyrniang
The latest news from Garo Hills – a Block Development Officer (BDO) has been abducted. Jude Rangku T Sangma, the Chokpot BDO was taken captive by GNLA militants near Deku, South Garo Hills on October 27, last when the 2010 Meghalaya Civil Service batch officer way on his way to Tura from Chokpot. The mastermind is a well-known hardcore militant offender, the outfit’s commander Hedeo Ch Momin. Initially the proscribed outfit blamed the BDO of corruption but later demanded withdrawal of operations against it as condition for the release of the ‘financially upright’ MCS officer. Deepest sympathies to the family members, particularly the elderly mother!
The dismayed news comes just two days after the discovery of the mutilated bodies of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer, Bikash Kumar Singh and trader Kamal Saha from a grave in a forest area in Bolchugre village, also in South Garo Hills. Singh and Saha were taken hostage by camouflaged gunmen militants of the A’chik Songna An’pachakgipa Kotok (ASAK) on September 24 at 8:30 am, while they were on their way to Baghmara from Rongara village. Their vehicle was waylaid at the Panda reserve forest area.
The latest incidents have sent shock waves across Garo Hills. Fear psychosis has engulfed the entire region. Inhabitants are in fear and insecurity. Militants and criminals strike at will. The law and order has totally collapsed. Headlines after headlines emanate from Garo Hills about abductions and killings. According to www.mid-day.com/news (July 6, 2014) in Garo Hills, a man is abducted every other day. Quoting Home Ministry sources the news portal reported that at least 98 persons were abducted for ransom in Garo Hills between January and June 2015. The report further revealed that 175 people have been kidnapped since June 2013. Those kidnapped included government employees, businessmen, teachers, traders, women and even school children.
The Indian Express published on October 8, 2015 reads, “Abduction is order of the day in Meghalaya’s Garo Hills”. The national paper, citing a top Meghalaya cop reported that most of the kidnapped remained untraced. The paper bluntly opined that with more than nine militant outfits operating here, Garo Hills is a disturbed region. An intelligence official who begged anonymity said, “Such a large number of abduction cases have not been reported from anywhere in the country”.
Most of the abductions are carried out by the Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA), ASAK and other criminal groups who procure pistols and revolvers and AK-47s at will from the largest arms market at Dimapur. In most cases non-tribal persons are the victims. The point to be driven home is that the news emanating from the region is damaging Garo Hills irreparably.
The situation is alarming to be most mild. It is worsening by the day. Why has Garo Hills come to such a low? What has happened to the beautiful hills? Everything has failed here. Who has failed Garo Hills? What has failed Garo Hills? Where has Garo Hills failed? This is a sketchy but critical attempt to answer the above questions.
The State Government has undoubtedly failed Garo Hills. It has let down 5.44 lakhs people residing in these five districts. The government seems to follow a middle path way in tackling militancy in Garo Hills. It seems to pursue a policy of dialogue and hot pursuit simultaneously. Neither has worked. Thirteen months ago the central and state governments signed the tripartite peace pact with the erstwhile ANVC and ANVC-B. Following the peace agreement the two splinter groups were ‘disbanded’ in a hyped ceremony in Tura on 15th December last year. Hailing it as the beginning of the end of 25 year old militancy in Garo Hills, the Chief Minister, Dr. Mukul Sangma proudly declared that the disarming of the twin outfits that once monopolized the Garo Hills terrains, would compel other armed groups to give up arms. ‘It will signal peace’, he predicted. At the final gathering of ‘Shalom Meghalaya’ a week earlier, he lashed out at ‘pessimists’, who doubted that the peace process would bring no peace.
As it turned out the ‘break-through’ has come to naught. The Agreed Text, signed solemnly in the national capital, has yielded no positive result. With zero implementation and rehabilitation, the former ANVC cadres are disillusioned. Many of them might have returned to the jungles. The situation in Garo Hills has not improved. It has, in fact gone worse. Dialogue has failed. Should we continue with a failed experiment?
The hot pursuit against GNLA, ASAK and others is not a success either. Why? It is not that hot after all. The operations are being executed by the state police. It has been going on for far too long. The state force has won patches of battles but the war is far from over. How long will the forces take to defeat the armed rebels? They seem to have grown stronger and bolder. Is it not time to review the policy of the State Government? How much more resources are invested to neutralize the gun wielders? How many more casualties, abductions and killings are to take place for the Government to reassess its policy? How long more will the people suffer from fear, insecurity, extortion, harassment before the Government takes tougher decisions? Should not military action be an option? Should not Garo Hills be declared a disturbed zone?
Who is in charge in Garo Hills? Is it the Chief Minister or the Home Minister? The HM has seldom toured Garo Hills. We have hardly heard statements from the HM about the alarming situation ever since she assumed office. Is she concerned about the continuing deteriorating atmosphere? Is the collapsing law and order situation in Garo Hills in her heart and mind? She resigned after the ‘Chokpot horror’ but unjustifiably withdrew it as if peace was restored. Now in her second innings the situation is worse. Why is she still in the chair?
Apart from CM and the HM where are the representatives from Garo Hills? Do they care about Garo Hills? Have we heard anyone offer a solution to the problem? Who are for dialogue and who are for harsh action against the anti-social elements? Who are for a middle path? Should not Garo Hills demand from legislators, individually or collectively, suggestions to restore peace and end the persisting menace of militancy? The callous elected representatives who move around in escorted SUVs wearing goggles and stay in secure residences have failed the common people who are at the mercy of gun toting men.
Let me make a combined summary of the other failures! The pressure groups, NGOs, conglomeration of all of them in addition to Church dominations and civil groups have been silent since a year ago. They seem to have given up on peace. Baghmara citizens did rise up to protest and condemn the abduction of the innocent officer but where are the rest? Most militants are drop-outs from missionary and government schools in Garo Hills. What values were they imparted? What skills were they taught? What role models did they see? Is it not a failure of the educational system as much as that of the educators or the educationists?
Corruption breeds militancy. Youths see wealthy politicians, rich government officers, the salaried class, profit making business men, church men and women who live comfortably. They also see that money and assets are acquired illegally. They too want the same comforts of life through easy means. It has to do with social injustice. Thus unemployment, backwardness, poverty, lack of education, may be roots of militancy. However, the final blame is squarely on the person himself. One makes his own decision and decides his own destiny. Life might have been unfair to the rebels but you can’t blame people and circumstances. Fighters for ‘Garoland’ themselves have failed Garo Hills. As havens of gunmen the Chokpots, the Rongaras, the Baghmars, the Dadengres, the Songsaks have gone backward and will continue on this reverse trend.