Armed Garo groups using identity of outfits to bolster numbers
TURA: A recent threat given by a group of armed organizations to close down the State unless the government releases a surrendered cadre of the ANLCA from custody appears not to have the endorsement of some outfits whose names have been included in the joint venture.
A man claiming to be the chairman of the United A’chik Liberation Army (UALA) and calling himself as Chiindik Marak had issued a threat to close down the State within three days time unless the Meghalaya government released surrendered cadre Charles D Shira.
The threat was given in the name of UALA, Reding T Sangma’s A’chik Songna An’pachakgipa Kotok (ASAK) A’chik National Cooperative Army (ANCA) and A’chik National Central Liberation Army (ANLCA).
The commander-in-chief of UALA, Singbirth Marak alias Norrok X Momin, has informed The Shillong Times that his outfit is not a party to the so-called joint venture between ASAK, ANLCA and ANCA. “There is no one by the name of Chiindik Marak in our organization and we have not endorsed anyone to speak on our behalf. When someone has surrendered and been arrested why should we take up his case? We are not a part of the ASAK-ANCA-ANLCA group,” informed Norrok X Momin.
Meanwhile, the combined ASAK-ANLCA-ANCA has issued a fresh statement withdrawing its proposed closure of the state to demand the release of its arrested cadre. No reasons were cited for the sudden cancellation of the strike.
