Shillong, Oct 13: The peace initiative, launched by the Congress-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government in the state by roping in the Garo Baptist convention as a negotiator, seems to have suffered a setback following rejection of the offer by the banned Achik National Volunteer Council (ANVC). The rejection from the outlawed organisation came close on the heels of Meghalaya Police claiming to have killed eight underground ANVC cadres on September 26 in encounters and arrested ten others in west Garo hills district following raids which also resulted in seizure of arms and ammunition.
Self-styled commander-in-chief of the ANVC, Jerome Momin, in a statement to a section of the media here rejected the police claim saying the eight killed did not belong to his cadre but were 'innocent civilians'.
The ANVC chief, terming the killing as 'cold blooded murder', announced his outfit's decision to boycott the peace process. He also criticised the government for not adhering to the 'basic norms' of the peace process and warned of 'retaliation'.
The incident prompted the authorities to convene a high level meeting, chaired by Chief Minister D D Lapang, on September 29 to discuss the counter-insurgency operations in the state with particular reference to the Garo hills.
The police encounter raised eyebrows in certain quarters with some questioning the timing of the move when the government initiated a peace process after appointing president of Garo Baptist convention Grover C R Marak as an official facilitator for talks with ANVC.
Bureau Report