Urges for quick peace settlement with GNLA
SHILLONG: The Garo Hills peace committee consisting of Church leaders and NGOs called on Chief Minister Mukul Sangma in Tura on Friday to appeal to the State Government to accept the proscribed GNLA’s peace talk offer without delay in order to bring lasting peace in the region.
During an hour long meeting the conglomeration of Church leaders, NGOs and pressure groups including the GSU interim body, GHSMC, ASWA, PGSU, AAYF, TGCSU), Council of Nokmas, Mothers’ Union, CPC (Tura), ALS, GGU, and senior citizens of Tura was assured by the Chief Minister that the government was serious about the peace talks provided the GNLA gives up its criminal activities.
“They should be ready for unconditional talks,” the Chief Minister added.
However, the peace committee urged the CM to forget all the past criminal actions of the GNLA for the larger interest of peace in the region.
“If we do not take this offer for talks seriously, we may miss the bus for good and Garo Hills may once again plunge into darkness (crimes, abductions, killings etc.),” the peace committee said in a memorandum submitted to the Chief Minister.
The committee, while stating that an amicable settlement across the table is better than a possible military solution, appealed to the Chief Minister to favourably respond to the peace talk offer of the GNLA by appointing an interlocutor and directing him to start the dialogue as early as possible so that peace settlements with all other militant groups can be completed within the six month time frame as fixed by the peace committee earlier.
The committee also said that the people of Garo Hills want peace and development and the only way to fulfill this aspiration is to settle with the GNLA and all other militant groups/Splinter groups amicably through dialogues. A copy of the memorandum was also sent to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and MoS, Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju.