‘Insurgency no longer an issue in GH’

SHILLONG, Jan 30: Opposition Congress leader Ampareen Lyngdoh on Saturday said insurgency is no longer a major hurdle in the Garo Hills region for any government.
“The overall law and order situation in South Garo Hills and West Garo Hills is much better. The time is now ideal for good governance to ensure development,” she said.
Lyngdoh, also the chairperson of the Assembly Committee for Women Empowerment, had toured the Garo Hills areas and held review meetings there. She said the region needs focus on health, education, economic activities and road infrastructure.
Insurgency has troubled Meghalaya for two decades, but the Garo Hills region has been the worst affected.
A combination of counter-insurgency operations and peace processes through church bodies has over time seen outfits such as A’chik National Volunteer Council, Garo National Liberation Army and Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) being disbanded and their members surrendering. Some have been ‘neutralised’ too.
Although many of its top leaders have surrendered, the HNLC has recently reorganised. A peace deal with the outfit is yet to work out.
The state government has maintained its stand of engaging in talks only if members of an outfit surrender.