“Any peace pact (signed) with one or two groups will not bring permanent peace in Garo Hills region since other militant groups are also indulging in criminal activities,” Augustine R Marak, general secretary of the Garo Hills State Movement Committee said in a letter to the Prime Minister.
Marak said the National People’s Party, Bharatiya Janata Party, United Democratic Party and Garo National Council have expressed resentment to the signing of the pact on September 24 with two factions of ANVC which did not include other militant outfits. More than 12 militant outfits are actively operating in entire Garo Hills region bordering Assam and the Khasi Hills region in Meghalaya, he said.
In the groups meeting held recently at the residence of Tura MP PA Sangma, the leaders resolved to demand the inclusion of other militant groups as GNLA, ASAK, UALA and other actively operating outfits of Garo Hills in the next settlement, Marak said. Welcoming the peace pact between the Centre, the State Government and the ANVC and its break-away faction, the ANVC-B, he said any peace pact with one or two group will not bring permanent peace in Garo Hills.
On the Statehood demand, the GHSMC leader said if Nagas, Mizos and Manipuris got their full-fledged States on the line of linguists, cultures, and belief, the Garos who are one of the major tribes in India deserve it.
Source: Assam Tribune
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