NEW DELHI, July 23 ? In a significant development, yet another militant outfit of the North-east, Achik National Volunteers? Council (ANVC) of Meghalaya today came overground by signing ceasefire agreement with the Union Government. The peace pact between the Union Government and the ANVC, which has a strong following in Garo Hills, was pending since last year when the outfit expressed its desire to hold talks with the Centre. Since then several rounds of preliminary talks between the representatives of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and ANVC were held.
The formal agreement to sign the ceasefire pact was arrived at this afternoon after negotiations among a seven-member ANVC delegation, Meghalaya and MHA officials. All the three sides agreed to suspend operations and start peace dialogue. The general secretary of the outfit, W.K.Marak, joint secretary, J.Momin, four top commanders, a publicity secretary, among others, led the ANVC delegation. Special Secretary, Border Management A.K.Rastogi and Joint Secretary, Rajeev Agarwalla headed the MHA officials, while Chief Secretary, P.J.Bazely and DGP L.Sailo represented Meghalaya, among others.
Both the Union Government and the ANVC welcomed the ceasefire, which will be valid for six months and renewable after that. ?We would like the ceasefire to continue and expect a fruitful dialogue process,? the general secretary told newsmen after signing the ceasefire pact. The ANVC leaders further claimed that there was no involvement of any political leader in the negotiation process. The delegation later called on the Union Home Minister, Shivraj Patil.
The talks today revolved around working out the ground rules for the ceasefire agreement. According to the ground rules agreed to by all the three sides, ANVC has committed to completely abjuring violence. They have agreed not to indulge in violent and unlawful activities like extortion, killings, abductions, intimidation and carry arms in public. The ANVC cadres would be kept in two camps and their arms would be kept in the camps and security forces would regulate their movements. When they move they would have to move with PSOs of which one would be from Meghalaya Police. The Centre and the State Government on their part agreed that the security forces would not launch any operations against the outfit or target its cadres.
A joint monitoring group with Joint Secretary (North-east) as chairman has been formed. The group, which would monitor implementation of the ceasefire, would have representatives of State Government, security agencies and ANVC as members. An official of the MHA said that it was a matter of satisfaction that ANVC had come forward for a peace dialogue with the Government for a solution to their problems. The peace dialogue would be followed by suspension of operations, he said.
?Our doors are open for all other groups of the North-east as well as for peaceful resolution of all issues within the framework of the Constitution of India,? the official said. The 250-members strong ANVC is among one of the most formidable outfits in Meghalaya with the other being the HNLC. Sources in the MHA said that HNLC had suffered some serious set-backs in the recent past, the last one being when 70 of its cadres surrendered before the Government.