SHILLONG: Coincidence of not, the Army has given a reason for the pressure groups and the people of Garo Hills to further oppose any move to implement AFSPA and even to withdraw its application in the 20 kilometre along Assam-Meghalaya border.
In a statement issued here on Friday, TUR said “Even as the voices of protest against AFSPA echoes all around the murderous presence of AFSPA is being felt here in Meghalaya already.”
“Day before yesterday an innocent school teacher and his friend were gunned down in cold blood and those responsible want to pass it off as a mistake,” TUR said, while demanding that the perpetrators of the killings be brought to book.
While the Meghalaya government has made it clear that it does not want AFSPA in Garo Hills, TUR has demanded that AFSPA should be withdrawn in totality and not be in operation even in the border areas of Meghalaya.
“If this killing happened 20 kilometres inside the Assam- Meghalaya border, and with AFSPA already operating in these border areas, fixing criminal liability for this killing will be impossible since AFSPA gives immunity and license for such acts to the Indian security establishment and the killers cannot be tried under civilian criminal laws,” TUR said while demanding that the perpetrators including the Army Commanding Officer be immediately arrested by Meghalaya Police and that there should be no immunity provided for this trigger happy heinous act and that due process of law be respected and followed to bring justice to the families of those killed.
Plea to reveal source of info: The CSWO, while condemning the killing of two civilians by Army personnel in North Garo Hills has demanded that the Army should reveal the source that provided information that two GNLA cadres were travelling in a bike.
“The killing of civilians is a clear violation of human rights and should be looked at sternly by the authorities. The two Army personnel are to be booked as per law and compensation should be made by the Army to the families of the victims,” CSWO president Agnes Kharshiing said in a statement.
The CSWO also expressed concern over frequent kidnappings of civilians and police by certain criminal groups who prey on innocents.
“The State has failed in protecting lives and is also allowing lynching of alleged extortionists by villages creating a killer instinct in youth and villagers,” the CSWO added.
The CSWO also demanded an independent investigation by the NIA to probe the nexus of some ‘state and non- state actors’ to unearth why the State has failed to protect human lives. Any form of terror or violence by state or non-state actor is a crime and should be dealt with equally in law, the CSWO added.
Speaking on the matter, North East Students’ Organization chairman Samuel Jyrwa said people are suffering in Garo Hills even before the implementation of AFSPA in Garo Hills.
“What will be the plight of people in Garo Hills after the AFSPA is introduced?” he questioned while adding that the recent incident further strengthens their case that AFSPA should not be implemented in the North East or in any other part of the country.
On the other hand, GSU president Tengsak Momin demanded complete withdrawal of AFSPA from Garo Hills and even from the 20 km along the Assam-Garo Hills border where it has been implemented.
Stating that AFSPA is a dangerous law which gives total impunity to Army, he said, “I do not agree with the order of the High Court recommending AFSPA in Garo Hills since law and order is a State Subject and the GNLA is not a threat to the nation.”
