Govt extends another year cease-fire with ANVC

Shillong, Jul 11 (UNI) The tripartite cease-fire agreement between the Centre, Meghalaya government and the proscribed A'chik National Volunteers Council was extended by another year today.

This decision was taken at the Joint Monitoring Group (JMG) meeting held at New Delhi in the backdrop of the current cease-fire agreement, which will expire on July 23.

State Director General of Police William Richmond Marbaniang, who attended the meeting, confirmed the tripartite cease-fire agreement extension for another year.

The meeting was attended by state Chief Secretary SK Tewari, DGP William Richmond Marbaniang, Principal Home Secretray Rebecca Suchiang and the Union Home Ministry was represented by Special Secretary Home Raja Gopal and Joint Secretary Home in-charge North East Rajeev Agarwall.

The ANVC was led by its General Secretary Wanding K Marak and Publicity Secretary Arist Sangma.

Official sources said the Centre decided to extend the cease-fire agreement with the tribal Garo militant outfit but asked them not to violate the cease-fire ground rules except for stray cases.

However, the JMG meeting did not discuss the political demand of the outfit as the JMG duty was to monitor the cease-fire ground rules.

Formed in December 1995 and proscribed on November 16, 2000, the ANVC, which operates in Garo Hills with an aim to carve out ''Greater Garoland'', entered into a tripartite cease-fire agreement on July 23, 2004.

The proposed 'A'chik Land' comprises the present districts of Garo Hills in Meghalaya and a large chunk of Kamrup and Goalpara district of Assam, parts of West Khasi Hills and parts of Bangladesh.

As per the agreement, two designated camps were set up at Samanda in East Garo Hills district and Chokpot in South Garo Hills to keep the ultras at bay.

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