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Incidents and Statments Achik National Volunteer Council (ANVC): 1998-2012

2012

  • December 27: The ANVC-B has alleged that the State Government was protecting GNLA by providing them shelter besides financial help. ANVC-B 'Chairman', Rimpu Marak said that there is an understanding between the State Government and the GNLA. Further, the State Police are acting against ANVC-B with assurance for rewards and promotion from the Government.

  • December 24: Five suspected militants of the ANVC-B were arrested from Nongshram of West Khasi Hills District and Mendipathar of North Garo Hills District. Police, at Nongshram, recovered the demand note the militants had served to the toll gate owner. The five ANVC militants have been identified as Sunil N Marak, Palwan Marak, Nethar K Sangma, Sengwan G Momin and Amobi Momin.

  • December 23:The Meghalaya DGP Kulbir Krishan claimed that militant activities in insurgency-ravaged Garo Hills have gone down ahead of the Christmas festivities. He also said that militants, both from the GNLA and ANVC-B, are taking a break and paying visits to their family members.

  • December 20: Suspected militants belonging to the breakaway faction of the ANVC-B killed a GNLA militant at Rongtok village in West Khasi Hills District. Two GNLA militants were also injured during the incident.

  • The ANVC-B sponsored seven-hour-long bandh (shutdown strike) concluded peacefully. The ANVC-B called the bandh in remembrance of 'fallen martyrs'. The streets of Garo Hills wore a deserted look and business establishments, government offices and educational institutions remained close.

  • December 19: A linkman of the ANVC-B, Errit N Marak (21), was arrested by SFs from Gopinathkilla Market in South West Garo Hills District.

  • December 18: ANVC-B has reduced duration of its December 20 Garo Hills bandh (Shutdown) to six hours from the earlier 12 hours duration. The timing of calling the bandh was criticized by people of Garo Hills since it is a festive season.

  • December 12: ANVC-B has called for a bandh (shut down strike) in the Garo Hills region just when Christmas is round the corner. The outfit's 'commander-in-chief' Mokosh Marak issued a communiqué mentioning that December 20 would be a day of closure in observance for those who fought and laid down their lives for the protection of the Garos. No militant group from Garo Hills has ever called for a shutdown during the festive season.

  • The ANVC 'chairman' Rimpu Marak said that Tura bazaar grenade incident of December 11 was a 'well planned drama'. "Tura police is trying to create fear psychosis to disturb the festive mood of the people as it was a diffused grenade which was planted by a 'bihari' to attract attention and instigate public against ANVC-B and GNLA," he said.

  • December 11: A high explosive hand grenade was recovered from the heart of Tura main market. Speculation is rife that the attempt to create mayhem was undertaken either by the GNLA or the ANVC-B though both the outfits denied involvement in the incident. The grenade, HE 35 explosive, was later diffused safely. No one has been arrested in this connection.

  • ANVC-B has asked the legislators to raise issues concerning Garo Hills in the ongoing Assembly winter session. "We are hoping against hope that some of our leaders would raise issues concerning Garo Hills in this session and bring home the greatest Christmas gift that we have always aspired for which will ensure lasting peace in Garo Hills," ANVC-B 'chairman' Rimpu Marak said in a statement.

  • December 8: ANVC-B justified the attack on MPCC working president, Deborah Marak by saying that the politicians should first work for uplifting Garo Hills throughout their tenure instead of projecting themselves during the elections. Further, according to the ANVC-B 'Chairman' Rimpu Marak, his order is applicable to every politician and not limited only to Deborah.

  • December 7: The arrested seven members of ANVC-B militants, who orchestrated the attack on Deborah Marak, revealed to Police that they were compelled to attack former State Minister because of the instructions given by their 'chairman' Rimpu Marak. ANVC-B 'chairman' wanted the former Minister to accept their demands and agree to their cause by signing an agreement, something the politician was reluctant to do.

  • December 6: 12 days after the ANVC-B militants 'attacked' the MPCC working president Deborah Marak at Rongbinggre in East Garo Hills District; the State Police arrested seven militants involved in the attack. Police sources informed that the seven ANVC-B cadres were arrested at Rongjeng while they were travelling in a vehicle. The arrested militants were identified as Singbirth N Marak alias Tengton, Sengnang N Marak, Noresh D Sangma alias Simpu, Walma N Marak, Marsan K Marak, Eggnil T Sangma and Jetil Marak. The Police sources informed that the interrogation of the arrested militants is on.

  • December 1: SFs arrested four cadres of the ANVC-B cadres from Rongram in West Garo Hills. The arrested militants were identified as Balsrang M Sangma, Beto S Sangma, Bandu D Sangma and Togarik R Marak.

  • Outgoing Acting DGP, Rajiv Mehta criticized MPCC working president Deborah Marak for not informing the police before proceeding to attend a prize distribution ceremony in East Garo Hills where she was attacked by ANVC-B militants on November 24.

  • November 30: ANVC faction, currently under ceasefire, has invited GNLA' commander-in-chief' Sohan D Shira and ANVC-B 'chairman' Rimpu. N Marak to join its fold for peace talks to ensure lasting peace in Garo Hills region. While appreciating the statement of Meghalaya Chief Minister (CM), Dr Mukul Sangma that the State Government is preparing a draft agreement with the ANVC, its publicity secretary Arist Sangma said that all the militant outfits of the state should join the peace process.

  • November 28: CM, Mukul Sangma had said that the Government was preparing the draft agreement to come to a settlement with the ANVC.

  • November 27: ANVC-B has raised questions over the State Chief Secretary WMS Pariat's statement that he is not aware of the ANVC-B's Memorandum. The ANVC-B in a statement said that the outfit had submitted its memorandum dated February 10, 2012, addressed to the then Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram with copies to the Chief Minister, the State Home Minister and the Chief Secretary of the State through the State Police Special Branch and by mail.

  • November 23: ANVC-B militants attacked MPCC working president, Deborah Marak at Rongbingrre in East Garo Hills District. While escaping from the area, Marak, her sister and other women supporters sustained injuries.

  • November 22: Security Forces arrested two ANVC militants, identified as Togan R Marak (33) and Henush G Momin (28), as they were extorting money from a businessman in Araimile market of Tura in West Garo Hills District.

  • November 20: Centre's interlocutor in talks with the ANVC, P.C. Haldar on November 20, said it would be up to the State Government to take a call whether to accommodate the cadres, who had defected from the ANVC.

  • November 19: The Centre has left it to the State Government to decide on the demand of the ANVC for a GAC and the desire of ANVC-B to hold talks with the Government. Centre's interlocutor for peace talks with the ANVC, PC Haldar said that the State has to take a decision on the various demands of the ANVC including the formation of GAC.

  • ANVC-B claimed FICN to the tune of crores of rupees had entered the Garo hills region in the last few weeks. "Garo Hills is being exploited politically and economically, and strategies adopted are foolproof. Fake currency amounting not less than crores of rupees made way into the region in the last few weeks. It is sure to affect the economy," ANVC -B 'chairman' Rimpu N. Marak said.

  • November 18: The ANVC-B asked the parent group of the outfit, presently under ceasefire, to join it [ANVC-B] if they are not happy with the ongoing truce process with the Government.

  • November 16: ANVC has denied any involvement or nexus with GNLA and said that the arrest of one of its member by Police could be nothing more than an isolated case. ANVC is currently under a ceasefire with the State and Central Governments.

  • November 14: Latest police finding states that GNLA and ANVC-B high command has lost their influence on local leaders and cadres. State Police's latest analytical findings revealed that many local leaders and cadres of the GNLA and ANVC-B do not function under any direct command, instead use their own discretion to extort money and torment the civilian population in the five Districts of Garo hills region.

  • South Garo Hills Police arrested a militant belonging to the ANVC for being part of the GNLA group, which planted as many as three powerful IEDs on the Kherapara route on November 2 to target security forces.

  • November 10: Suspected militants from the ANVC-B targeted a Police vehicle and civilians in the heart of Nangalbibra market of South Garo Hills District by firing indiscriminately on innocent civilians leading to the death of two persons in the afternoon of November 10. Six others sustained serious injuries in the incident. The militants were apparently trying to extort money from traders who were reluctant to meet their demand when the militants opened fire. Among the four suspected ANVC-B attackers, two are suspected to have received bullet injuries after Police personnel fired on them shortly after they committed the heinous crime.

  • November 6: ANVC cadres, under ceasefire since 2004, have not received their monthly stipend since February 2012. The 'publicity secretary' of the ANVC, Arist Sangma said that the delay on the part of the Government to disburse the monthly stipend had affected the morale of the cadres.

  • October 31: ANVC-B suffered a major blow when SFs arrested two of its cadres during an operation at Tura in West Garo Hills District. One of the arrested militants is the 'action commander' of the ANVC-B identified as Delu R Marak. Police recovered a China-made pistol with four live rounds of ammunition from them.

  • October 22: ANVC-B steered itself away from the alleged sexual assault by one of its cadre on five minor girls at Samanda in East Garo Hills, even as it assured extreme punishment to anyone who was guilty of molesting the minors. There were accusations that an ANVC-B cadre identified as Jamesbirth Momin alias Giljeng Momin was involved in the molestation of the five minor girls.

  • October 17-18: Cadres of ANVC-B sexually assaulted five young girls who were on their way to School in Samanda in East Garo Hills.

  • October 14: The ANVC-B has predicted that the 2013 Assembly elections in Garo Hills would not be peaceful due to the presence of illegal weapons in the area. According to the militant outfit, several gangs are being sponsored by politicians by providing them with arms. The outfit, in a statement issued, alleged that a number of sophisticated weapons that sneaked into Garo Hills in the last couple of months were not procured by the revolutionary groups.

  • ANVC-B has urged the Nokmas to address the issue of influx. In a statement, the ANVC-B leader, Rimpu Marak said that it was time Nokmas should understand their role in the society and exercise their powers with utmost wisdom and sincerity.

  • October 7: ANVC-B asked Chief Minister Mukul M Sangma and NPP leader Purno A Sangma to work together for the sake of lasting peace in Garo Hills.

  • October 5: ANVC-B Chairman Rimpu Marak has called for "unity among all the tribes to fight against infiltrators." In a statement issued, Marak said that all tribals protected under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution must unite against infiltrators, who are crossing the borders at an alarming rate.

  • October 4: Meghalaya Government is facing an uphill task in the run up to the Assembly elections, as it has to control the activities of several militant groups in the State. Four main militant groups -HNLC in Khasi Hills and GNLA, ANVC and ANVC-B in Garo Hills - can play a crucial role in influencing the outcome of elections if the candidates fall into the 'temptation' of making use of these militants to further their cause. There are also minor groups including LAEF who are active in the border areas of West Khasi Hills and East Garo Hills.

  • ANVC publicity secretary, Arist Sangma, however said, his outfit, currently under ceasefire, would not meddle in the 2013 election. The HNLC is yet to make its stand clear on the elections while the ANVC-B has already announced that it will initiate mass awareness on adult franchise and democratic rights besides mobilizing a democratic front for the 2013 polls.

    The biggest cause of worry is the recent announcement of GNLA 'chairman' Champion Sangma that the outfit was ready to support Congress in the election.

  • October 2: A teacher of Adokgre School who was abducted by suspected militants of ANVC-B on September 27 from his house at Resubelpara in North Garo Hills District, was released.

  • Intelligence agencies have revealed that the ANVC-B is suspected to be using Bajengdoba area as a command and control centre for its activities.

  • October 1: The ANVC-B has now decided jump into the poll bandwagon by planning to mobilize a democratic front ahead of the 2013 State election and organizing mass awareness on adult franchise and democratic rights. The ANVC-B has also declared a non-cooperation movement against the legislators of GHADC chief PK Sangma. ANVC-B said bandhs (shut down strike) and other democratic protests have failed to make any impact on the Government and so the outfit will initiate mass awareness on adult franchise and democratic rights.

  • September 28: ANVC-B alleged that the State Government has violated the internal agreement which it had signed with the latter on April 13, 2012 by arresting some of its cadres who were about to surrender.

  • September 27: Suspected ANVC-B militants torched a bike at Dadenggre and damaged the windshield of a vehicle at Chasingre in West Garo Hills District during the 2-hour bandh. The 2-hour daily bandh has been called from Monday (September 24) until Friday (September 28 [today]) by the anti-corruption wing of ANVC (B) to put pressure on GHADC CEM PK Sangma to resign from his post.

  • According to Police, militants in different groups torched the bike and broke the windshield of a vehicle in two separate incidents in West Garo Hills. The militants also fired in the air after committing the crime.

    Ceasefire agreement with ANVC was extended for one more year following the meeting of a joint ceasefire monitoring. ANVC 'publicity secretary', Arist Sangma, informed after the meeting that the Centre has agreed to extend the ceasefire by one more year.

    The tripartite ceasefire agreement with the ANVC was extended for one more year following a joint ceasefire monitoring meeting held.

  • September 26: ANVC-B militants had attacked a vehicle in which many teachers were travelling at Ampati. However, the intervention of the police prevented any further attack.

  • September 8: The irregular disbursement of monthly stipends has forced the ANVC cadres, currently under ceasefire, to explore new avenues to eke out a living. The cadres of the outfit have not been getting their monthly stipend of INR 3, 000 since February, 2012.

  • September 2: ANVC-B, shifted their stand from demanding the resignation of the GHADC CEM Purno K. Sangma to the demand for a 'Garoland'.

  • August 30: The indefinite road blockade called by the ANVC-B from 6 pm of August 29 impacted life in the Garo hills Districts. The outfit has been demanding the resignation of GHADC CEM Purno K. Sangma on charges of corruption and misappropriation of council funds.

  • ANVC-B has alleged that Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma is protecting the GHADC CEM Purno K Sangma by asking the GHADC chief not to resign and assuring necessary protection.

  • August 28: Accusing the authorities of giving preferential treatment to ANVC-B, the GNLA urged the Government to initiate impartial handling of all the militant outfits. West Khasi Hills Area Commander of GNLA, Tosol T Sangma said that the ANVC-B cadres too should be hunted down in the way GNLA members are being targeted by the Government.

  • August 26: Taking note of the prevailing scam in the GHADC, the ANVC-B has demanded that the present EC in the Council should be immediately dissolved and the CEM Purno K Sangma and his deputy Brigady N Marak should resign from their respective posts.

  • Breaking his silence over ongoing controversy dogging his position as CEM, the GHADC chief Purno K Sangma has appealed to public not get swayed by the dictate of the ANVC-B. Saddened by the road blockade called by the ANVC-B in Garo Hills to exert pressure on him to resign, the CEM urged people not to respond to the proposed agitation.

    The ANVC-B has cautioned the public of miscreants, mostly cadres from ANVC, who are allegedly collecting money from traders posing as ANVC-B cadres.

  • August 22: ANVC-B has called for a 12 hour Garo Hills District bandh (shut down strike) on August 24 demanding the resignation of CEM of Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) Purno K Sangma and his deputy Brigady Marak. The militant outfit has accused the GHADC chief and his deputy of siphoning off money collected at the Council toll gates.

  • ANVC-B has accused its parent outfit ANVC, of trying to tarnish the image of the breakaway faction. The ANVC-B appealed to people to remain alert on the matter. "Cadres mostly from the ANVC are in the name of ANVC (B) are collecting huge amounts from different traders.

  • August 21: ANVC-B has once again expressed its desire to come for negotiation with the Government over its long pending demand for a separate Garoland. In a letter submitted to the Chief Minister Mukul Sangma recently, the ANVC-B 'chairman' Rimpu Napak Marak sought a positive response from the State Government in this regard.

  • August 20: Suspected militants of LAEF lobbed a grenade into the wine store in Mangsang town of East Garo Hills District. No one was injured. The suspected militants came to Mangsang bazar at 12:30 pm and threw the grenade into the shop. The grenade, however, did not explode.

  • August 17: The ANVC-B has asked the chief executive member of GHADC, P.K. Sangma, to resign within a week for lack of governance. The spokesperson for ANVC-B, Nawang K. Sangma, said somebody was "protecting" the GHADC chief. According to the outfit, P.K. Sangma should resign with dignity by this week. "Or else there will be series of protest from next week".

  • August 7: The Anti-Corruption wing of ANVC-B, has asked the GHADC chief executive member Purno K. Sangma to step down immediately.

  • July 30: SFs arrested 'chairperson' of GNLA, Champion R. Sangma, from Umkrem-Pyrdiwah area under East Khasi Hills District, on the Indo-Bangladesh border. "He has been arrested today, and the court has remanded him to 15 days' police custody," State DGP N. Ramachandran said. Champion's last reported assignment in uniform was as an assistant commandant at the 2nd Meghalaya Police Battalion in Goeragre near Tura, West Garo Hills District. In late 2009, Champion was reported to have left the police force to float the militant outfit along with former ANVC leader Sohan D. Shira. Shira is presently 'commander-in-chief' of GNLA. Some media report states that Sangma, was pushed back by Bangladesh.

  • July 24: In view of 12-hour bandh called by the ANVC-B, West Garo Hills administration has directed all the Government employees to attend their offices. The ANVC-B has called the bandh on July 24 to protest the recent killing of innocent civilians. The militant group also condemned the recent killing of two innocent school teachers and other civilians and the firing incident at East Garo Hills District by its rival group, the GNLA.

  • July 21: ANVC-B opened fire inside a dry fish stall in Williamnagar market in East Garo Hills District injuring one trader. The injured trader has been identified as Johinul Islam. He is stated to be out of danger.

  • June 22: The ANVC-B announced that it would relax the ongoing agitation in Garo hills for two weeks, as some time would be given to the 24 legislators from the region to make their intentions clear. "The ongoing agitation against the 24 legislators of Garo hills will be relaxed for two weeks. The ANVC (B) felt it necessary to give some time to the legislators to make their intentions clear before we start the third phase of agitation," Rimpu N. Marak, the 'chairman' of the outfit, said in a statement. "However, if nothing happens in these two weeks, then the third phase of agitation will start, where every legislator who fails to take up his responsibility as an elected representative will be boycotted," Marak said. For the past two weeks, the faction has been on agitation in the form of a one-hour shutter-down strike and night road blockade.

  • June 18: The ANVC-B has rescheduled the timing of their night blockade. The blockade will begin from 10 pm and continue till 5 am the next day. The ANVC-B meanwhile also has taken strong exception to the recent hike in bus/ sumo fares by the owners and operators without consulting the District authorities. They have demanded rollback of the fares and have asked the owners/ operators to come out with an open statement clarifying the reasons for raise in the fare.

  • June 15: The ANVC-B announced that from June 18 onwards a strike would be held, inclusive of a night road blockade. "After a weeklong one-hour shutter-down strike, the 24 MLAs of Garo hills are still unmoved and no one showed any responsibility towards the problems being faced by the common people. There has not been any effort made by even a single MLA to redress the power and water crisis," ANVC-B 'chairman' Rimpu N. Marak said in a statement. "If they still show no response in the coming week, then a total non-cooperation movement will be launched against the 24 legislators," he said. Marak said the third phase of agitation, which will start from June 25, will be nothing less than a total boycott of all the 24 legislators.

  • June 11: The ANVC-B said its "rise" has "brought down" the activities of the GNLA in Garo hills. "ANVC (B) just wants to make it clear that GNLA will not reign in Tura. We have no less than 50 cadres from Tura who wish to free Tura from their dominance. Same policy applies for other towns and villages," the group stated.

  • June 10: The GNLA accused the ANVC-B, of indulging in various unlawful activities and demanded that the law should be equal for everyone. In a statement, GNLA 'commander-in-chief' Sohan D. Shira said the State Police have been turning a blind eye to the unlawful activities of the ANVC-B. According to the statement, Shira said ANVC-B 'chairman' Rimpu Marak was bringing many youths into his fold, and until recently, had organised a training camp at Rongkon Megonggre where a recruit was allegedly beaten up for wanting to leave the group and was hospitalised. In addition, it is alleged that Marak is aiming to control South Garo Hills because the area is the richest in terms of mineral resources.

  • The GNLA has accused the Meghalaya Police of having a nexus with ANVC-B. They also alleged that ANVC-B always collect money in the name of GNLA, maligning the GNLA's name.

  • June 9: The ANVC-B has announced a 'one-hour' shutdown in the entire Garo Hills throughout next week, to protest against the alleged negligence of elected legislators of the region to address the general concerns of the people. The shutdown, from 12 pm-1 pm will begin from June 11, the ANVC-B said in a statement.

  • June 7: The CEM of the GHADC, Purno K Sangma, has finally responded to the pressure of the ANVC-B, and passed orders to put an end to illegal flow of outsiders and illegalities in the GHADC jurisdiction, the ANVC-B claimed. The ANVC-B however, made it clear that it would keep a close watch on how serious the CEM is on his assurance and order, and if there is no change in a month's time then the outfit will take up the issue again. The ANVC-B has also warned the Garo Hills legislators to address the woes of the people within one week.

  • June 5: 15 ANVC cadres are suspected to have joined the ANVC-B. The matter came to light when a head count of ANVC cadres was conducted in Tura Liaison Office. The head count, which was jointly conducted by senior officials of the State Police and those from Intelligence, was attended by 156 candidates. 16 cadres could not participate on due to their personal problem while other fifteen remaining cadres are suspected to have joined the ANVC-B. The headcount was necessitated to ascertain actual number of cadres to distribute their monthly salary pending since January. It may be mentioned that the mother organization, ANVC recently lodged a missing report of 15 cadres.

  • June 3: ANVC-B 'chairman' Rimpu N Marak has asked the GHADC CEM Purno K Sangma to resign by June 5. This comes after failing to respond to the voting right issue raised by the ANVC-B within a week's deadline.

  • ANVC 'publicity secretary' Arist Sangma said that ANVC may take action against one of its member, Sasan Sangma, if his alleged involvement in the trafficking of girls from Garo Hills for prostitution in the capital city Shillong is proved.

  • June 1: The Union Home Secretary R.K. Singh preferred to downplay the emergence of the ANVC-B. "A small fraction of a breakaway militant group does not worry the Union Government much," Singh said on the sidelines of his visit to the NEPA at Umsaw in Ri-Bhoi District. Singh, however, stayed away from commenting on the claim of the Meghalaya Government that the ANVC-B was a result of error in the tripartite ceasefire agreement signed between the Union Government, Meghalaya Government and the ANVC on July 23, 2004.

  • May 26: The ANVC-B has served a one-week ultimatum on GHADC CEM Purno K Sangma to either resign from the post or initiate action to protect the interests of the local indigenous people. In a letter addressed to the CEM, the ANVC-B asked him to either prove his capability as the CEM or resign on moral ground. According to the ANVC-B, the GHADC led by Sangma has failed to protect the common interests of the people and create avenues for growth of the locals.

  • May 24: The ANVC-B has issued a ten-day deadline to the 24 legislators of Garo Hills to look into the woes of the common people including water supply and constant power failure in Garo Hills. In a statement issued, the ANVC-B said, "If no solution is worked out in 10-days' time than we will take a very strong stand against the elected leaders."

  • May 23: The ANVC-B has warned all associations, organisations and individuals engaged in Illegal trading in Garo Hills to give up their ways. In a statement, the ANVC-B said, "Those using the name of the locals to get maximum benefit should stop these practices before we take any action."

  • ANVC-B 'chairman' Rimpu Marak has claimed that many educated youths, including engineering students, post-graduates and graduates, among others, were keen to join the rebel outfit in a bid to change society, reports The Telegraph. In a statement Marak said, "We welcome all young people who come to us opting to face hardships for a change in society, and our numbers are growing faster than any movement, with youths pouring in from all backgrounds, including engineering students, post-graduates, graduates and so on." The chairman also urged people to work together to uproot corruption, injustice and bad politics from society "if we want to see permanent change". "Many youths are not so hopeful of the future and they all seem to be just drifting," Marak said.

  • May 11: The ANVC-B has asserted that it is ready to enter into talks with the State Government over its demands. ANVC-B 'chairman' Rimpu N Marak said, "We are ready for talks as ultimately negotiation is the only way to solve the issues." "We expect that the Government will initiate the talks as soon as possible," Marak said. When asked about the demands of the outfit, Marak said that the outfit is not demanding for a separate Garo state but a separate administrative setup for Garos in general. "We want a separate setup so that development and prosperity can come in our areas," he added.

  • May 8: The ANVC has made it clear that all its cadres were part of the peace process from the very beginning contrary to the claim of Mukul Sangma that a faction of the outfit's ANVC cadres did not join the ceasefire agreement in 2004. On Mukost Marak deserting the ANVC, ANVC publicity secretary Arist Sengsrang Sangma said after Mukost was entrusted with the West Khasi Hills command, he was with the ANVC for long and it was only in February 2012 that he absconded and later declared himself as the 'commander-in-chief' of ANVC-B. The ANVC leader said so far only 15 ANVC cadres from the mother organisation joined the ANVC-B.

  • May 7: The ANVC-B congratulated the citizens of Garo Hills who came out openly against the bandh culture of GNLA. In a statement, 'Chairman' ANVC-B Rimpu N Marak said, "It is a victory over dictatorial reign of GNLA and we salute such courage."

  • May 5: The ANVC-B criticized the GNLA for calling a 144 hours bandh (shut down strike) which started on April 30. The bandh has brought the entire Garo Hills to a standstill. In a statement issued, ANVC-B 'chairman' Rimpu N Marak said this kind of stand on the part of GNLA "is turning peaceful life of common man in Garo Hills into misery."

  • The GNLA called the bandh demanding suspension of the ongoing counter-insurgency operations.

  • April 23: The ANVC-B has denied sharing any information regarding activities of GNLA and rival ANVC faction with Police. In an emailed statement on April 23, the 'personal security' to the 'chairman', ANVC-B Akimbri R. Marak said, "We have no connection with police either in information sharing or in operations." While calling upon the GNLA to stop the blame game, the ANVC-B asserted that "pulling a trigger is not a solution."

  • April 21: The breakaway faction of ANVC-B, in an open statement, warned that it would not allow any collection from traders in Garo Hills, saying that it indirectly contributes to inflated prices of essential commodities. In a statement issued to the press on April 21, Akimbri R Marak, 'personal secretary to chairman' ANVC-B, said that the high price of essential commodities has its roots in various taxes imposed by various organizations and also because of monopoly of goods.

  • April 17: The former ANVC spokesperson Torik Jangning Marak, who assumed charge as the 'chairman' of the ANVC-B and took the name of Rimpu N. Marak, said the outfit was still awaiting a positive response from the Meghalaya Government for dialogue. "We are waiting for an official communication from the state government so that a meeting can be held with the government representatives at the earliest," Marak said over phone from an undisclosed location. "The talks will be held within the framework of the Constitution and what we are looking at is the need to empower Garos living within the state and people residing in other Garo-dominated areas outside the state," he added.

  • April 11: Spokesperson for ANVC, Torik Marak has confirmed that he deserted the mother organization (pro truce ANVC) and joined the breakaway faction of ANVC (ANVC-B). In a statement, Marak said he did not want to be known by the name of Torik any longer, which was used when he was with the ANVC that is currently under ceasefire. Torik Marak alias Rimpu Bernard Marak was one of the main leaders of the ANVC, and recently the outfit had issued a week's ultimatum to him to get back to the organization after he went 'missing'. Marak also made it clear that he would not go back to the ANVC, but would remain with ANVC-B and pledged support to their 'commander-in-chief' Mokus Marak. He also said since the cadres had reposed faith in him, he would take up a new responsibility. Though Marak did not speak about the new responsibility, sources indicated that he was likely to be the 'chairman' of the breakaway group.

  • The ANVC-B has issued a strong warning against the supporters of the GNLA. Warning the supporters of the GNLA, 'joint secretary' of the ANVC-B, Rangdo R Marak stated that the warning is against all the patrons of the GNLA. "We will take strong action against all who host, support, give financial aid and provide assistance to GNLA," stated Marak adding that this goes to all politicians, businessmen, Nokmas, NGOs and individuals who are using GNLA as a tool for their own interest and exploiting the Garo society and resources of the land. The threat came days after the pro truce ANVC headed by Jerome Momin and Dilash Marak were reported to be lethargic in countering the GNLA. The GNLA, under the leadership of Sohan D Shira, deserted ANVC leader, have issued frequent threats to the ANVC.

  • April 9: The State Government asserted that it is ready to hold talks with the breakaway faction of the ANVC. The State Chief Secretary WMS Pariat informed that the State Government has already received feeler from this oufit for talks with the Government. However, according to Pariat, a meeting will be convened shortly to explore whether they should be brought under the ambit of previous tripartite peace agreement or to have separate truce pact. Nado R. Marak, who is the personal secretary to Mokus Marak, the 'commander in chief' of the breakaway outfit had said that the group would aspire for Greater Garoland and reiterated the need to have a separate truce agreement with the Government. Earlier, the breakaway faction had alleged that they were not included in the peace process by the senior leaders of the outfit. The Chief Secretary said the Government was also ascertaining what went wrong while signing the tripartite agreement with the Garo rebel group in 2004. Agreeing to the views of Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, the Chief Secretary said it was the Centre which had initiated the move to sign the ceasefire agreement with the ANVC and the State was just a signatory.

  • April 6: The breakaway faction of ANVC said they would raise the demand for a greater Garoland and also go for a separate truce with the Government. Nado R. Marak, personal secretary to Mokus Marak, the 'commander-in-chief' of the breakaway faction said, "The group will still aspire for a greater Garoland and we would like to come to a separate truce with the government." The original demand of the ANVC was for greater Garoland, which includes all the three Districts of Garo hills, and Garo-dominated areas of West Khasi Hills as well as Goalpara and Kamrup Districts in Assam. Nado said the split in ANVC took place in July 2004, when a section of the ANVC leaders, including Sohan D. Shira, the current 'commander-in-chief' of the GNLA, signed a ceasefire agreement and came over ground. "After disowning the breakaway group, the leaders of the ANVC went on denying the presence of ANVC (breakaway), and they are also unwilling to accept our existence," Nado added.

  • April 3: Chief Minister Mukul Sangma admitted that several ANVC cadres had skipped the attention of the then Government when the ceasefire agreement was signed with the outfit in July 2004. Referring to the reported split in the ANVC, Sangma said, "There were deficiencies and the ceasefire process was not done properly." He added the breakaway faction of the ANVC is that group which remained at large and was never a part of the talks when the outfit and the Government entered into a tripartite peace agreement. "It came to the notice of the Government last year (2011) that there is still an armed group which did not come overground," he observed.

  • The breakaway faction of the ANVC has claimed that they were not made part of the CFA by their leaders. The State Government has already taken up the matter with the Home Minister P Chidambaram. As reported earlier, a breakaway faction of the ANVC has surfaced with Mokust Marak as its head. Around 300 cadres have reportedly gone back to jungle.

    ANVC 'publicity secretary' Ares Sengsrang Sangma has neither confirmed nor denied reported split in the outfit.

  • April 2: The breakaway faction of the ANVC has warned the GNLA to restrain from causing more damages to already battered Garo society. In an emailed statement, the 'personal secretary' to Mokus Marak (leader of the breakaway faction), Nado R. Marak said, "The GNLA is even demanding money from Garo officers and doctors." While refusing to call them as the anti-talk faction of the outfit, Marak said that they are not against dialogue "as ultimately negotiation is the only way to find solution to any problem."

  • The Meghalaya Government will soon communicate to ANVC on a mechanism which does not come into conflict either with the State Government or with the GHADC, while finalising the outfit's demand for the formation of a GAC. Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said, "We are working out a mechanism and the same will be presented to the ANVC soon to get their feedback," Sangma said. The ANVC, in its memorandum related to the formation of GAC, had made it clear that the outfit's demand, if fulfilled, would be different from the existing GHADC, as there will be direct funding from the Centre for the new autonomous body as demanded by them. Another proposal by the ANVC is that senior Government officials will be appointed under GAC to supervise the administration to maintain transparency and accountability.

  • April 1: The State Government is verifying reports of split in the ANVC which is currently under a tripartite ceasefire agreement with the Union Government and the Government of Meghalaya. State Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh said that the Government is not aware of any split in the ANVC as yet.

  • March 30: ANVC, which is on a tripartite ceasefire agreement with the Government of India and the Government of Meghalaya, finally split which may have an impact on the ongoing peace process. A leader from the anti talks faction of ANVC, said that around 300 cadres, including 'officers', have joined the anti-talk faction of the ANVC. "The designated ANVC camps are isolated and many cadres have returned to the jungles", the leader added. When asked why the split, the leader blamed the peace talks which have become a non-starter as a result of which the cadres are dissatisfied. The lukewarm response of the Government of India to the ANVC demand for a GAC is one reason for the dissatisfaction of the cadres. "Another reason which forced the cadres to return to jungle was to safeguard the common people from the pressure GNLA and the motive is to bring down the activities of GNLA," the leader added. The ANVC earlier had demanded a separate State for Garos but later climbed down to the demand for a GAC. The anti-talks faction is allegedly headed by Mukost Marak, a hardliner who had earlier allegedly killed four coal mine labourers in Nangalbibra on November 17, 2010 and was in hiding for a long time.

  • Earlier in February it was reported that the ANVC was heading for a virtual split. At the time the pro-truce faction of the ANVC had denied that there was any split in the outfit.

    ANVC came out in support of the Statehood demand of several NGOs and student bodies during the public rally held in Tura, West Garo Hills. The leader of GNC, Clifford Marak, who initiated the Statehood demand, said that ANVC 'chairman' Dilash Marak, who spoke during the public rally, appraised the gathering about the need for creating a separate Garo State.

  • February 28: State Government has assured the ANVC that the issue of creation of a GAC in Garo Hills would be taken up after the Budget session of the Assembly. This comes after the end of the deadline set by the ANVC on February 21 to respond to its demand for the GAC.

  • February 20: The ANVC has threatened to revive its old demand for greater Garoland, a separate State for Garos including the Garo-inhabited areas of Assam and West Khasi Hills, if the Government failed to respond to its demand for the GAC within a week. ANVC spokesperson Torik Marak blamed the State Government for delaying the formation of the GAC though the Union Government was keen on forming the body. During the meeting in Shillong on February 19, Union home minister P. Chidambaram said talks with the ANVC, under ceasefire since 2004, would continue.

  • February 2: Reacting to the news that ANVC is heading for a split, Wanding Marak 'general secretary' of ANVC denied that there was any split in the outfit. The ANVC said it was united on the issue of Garoland Autonomous Council to clear rumours about a split in the outfit. There have been reports on differences among the leaders on the issue of achieving the demand of Garoland Autonomous Council.

  • The ANVC has appreciated the Central Government's move branding the GNLA as a terrorist outfit.

  • February 1: The ANVC which is on a tripartite ceasefire agreement with the Government of India and the Government of Meghalaya is heading for a split. Sources said that Mukost Marak will take over as the 'commander in chief' of the new faction while Rimpu Barnard N Marak will be its new 'chairman' and Dilseng the 'general secretary'. It is learnt that Barnard Marak was collecting arms as Dilash Marak, the 'Chairman' of the ANVC has stopped supplying them with arms. The split comes as a result of the dissatisfaction in a section of cadres at the lukewarm response of the Government of India to the ANVC demand for a Garoland Autonomous Council along the lines of the Bodoland Autonomous Council which in many ways is a State within a State.

  • January 29: The HNLC and GNLA, of Meghalaya are shifting their bases in Bangladesh towards the Tripura border.

  • January 25: The ANVC has warned that its cadres would be forced to break the ceasefire agreement and take up arms to protect themselves if the GNLA continued to target its cadres. Taking strong cognizance of the GNLA's bid to kill three ANVC cadres, its spokesperson Torik Jangning Marak said, "Situation will be worsened if the GNLA continues to target our cadres." A group of around 15 armed GNLA cadres had made a failed attempt to kill three ANVC at Soksan village under Mendipathar Police station in East Garo Hills on January 24. Marak also urged the State Government to provide security to the ANVC cadres who are currently under ceasefire agreement.

2011

  • December 20: At least 180 ANVC militants, currently in ceasefire with the Central Government, have not been receiving their allowance of INR 3,000 each for the last six months.

  • December 8: BSF arrested one Achik Special Dragon Party, a Bangladesh based outfit and former ANVC cadre, identified as Kumen Sangma, while he was trying to infiltrate into India. According to the BSF, the arrested cadre has close connections with the GNLA and helps them in their trans-border activities.

  • December 4: After the GNLA accused the ANVC of killing and terrorizing people, the latter has reiterated its desire to work with the State Government to neutralize the GNLA. In a statement, ANVC spokesperson Torik Jangning Marak said, "If needed ANVC will work with the Government to wipe out GNLA."

  • December 1: The Centre has asked the State Government to firm up its mind on the demand of the ANVC, currently under ceasefire, to have a Garoland Autonomous Council on the lines of the Bodoland Territorial Council. The recent signing of a settlement with the UPDS has also prompted the Centre to speed up finalising settlements with other militants groups in the Northeast.

  • November 29: The ANVC urged the coal exporters of Garo Hills to immediately stop exporting coal to neighbouring Bangladesh. The appeal comes in wake of unconfirmed reports that the GNLA 'chairman' Champion Sangma has been detained in Bangladesh and he is presently under the custody of Bangladeshi authorities. Speaking to The Shillong Times, ANVC spokesperson Torik Jangnnign Marak said that the coal traders should immediately stop exporting coal to Bangladesh so that Bangladesh Government will come under pressure and hand over Champion Sangma to India.

  • November 7: The report on the 'secret killings' by the ANVC militants will be submitted before the State Cabinet for further discussions. The State Government had ordered for a probe after GNLA accused the ANVC of masterminding 'secret killings' of several Garo youths.

  • October 19: Centre's interlocutor PC Haldar said that the Union Government is still examining the political demands of the Garo militant outfit, ANVC, which is currently under ceasefire agreement, for creation of the Garoland Territorial Council in line with that of the Bodoland Territorial Council in Assam. "We have had a discussion with the ANVC on this matter. The Union Government is still examining their demand," Haldar, who is the Centre's interlocutor for talks with ULFA, ANVC and other militant groups in Assam, said. He however said that no specific time line has been set by the Union Government.

  • October 18: The one-man inquiry committee, constituted to probe 'secret killing' by the ANVC militants, has submitted its report. This was informed by the Commissioner and Secretary (Commissioner of Division Tura) Peter W Ingty, who headed the panel. The ANVC was accused of killing several Garo youths by the GNLA. The GNLA had accused the ANVC cadres of indulging into 'secret killings'.

  • October 17: The ANVC leaders are likely to meet the State Government officials shortly to discuss creation of a Garoland Territorial Council. Indicating this, the outfit's spokesperson Torik Jangning Marak said, "We will be meeting the top officials to know the Government's stand on our various demands including creation of a territorial council". The Centre has already directed the State Government to submit its recommendations on various demands of the Garo militant outfit under ceasefire with the Central government.

  • October 11: The Meghalaya Government has sought more time to finalise the long-pending demands of the Garo hills-based militant outfit, the ANVC despite the Centre's request to speed up the process. Chief minister Mukul Sangma, during his recent visit to Delhi, met Union home minister P. Chidambaram and discussed the settlement of ANVC's demands. The key demands of the ANVC, currently in ceasefire, include creation of a Garoland autonomous council on the lines of the Bodoland Territorial Council and direct funding from the Centre for the administration of the proposed council. The Centre had earlier sought the state's views on ANVC's demands and subsequently a high-level committee was formed to give its final views on the issue.

  • The ANVC had submitted its charter of demands to the Prime Minister and the home minister besides the state political leaders. However, the State Government has viewed the demand of the ANVC to have a separate council and to have direct funding from the Centre as a contentious issue, which required further deliberation.

    The tripartite ceasefire agreement between the Centre, State Government and the ANVC was extended by another year effective from October 1.

  • September 18: ANVC had asked the GNLA to shun the path of violence. ANVC Spokesman Torik Jangning Marak said ''we appeal to the GNLA to lay down arms and follow our path of peaceful negotiation.'' GNLA has given a call for 300 hours dawn-to-dusk bandh (General shut down) in the three Garo Hills Districts, namely East, West and South Garo Hills.

  • The GNLA has 'rescheduled' its proposed bandh by withdrawing its threat of closure on September 30 and the upcoming Durga Puja celebrations.

  • September 5: Opposition leader Conrad Sangma said the law and order situation of Garo hills would definitely figure during the Assembly session along with other important issues. While there is a rise in violent activities of GNLA in the form of abduction, extortion and killings, ANVC, currently under ceasefire, has asked the GNLA to stop violence in Garo hills.

  • September 4: The ANVC, currently under ceasefire, has welcomed the inquiry instituted by the Meghalaya Government to probe the alleged secret mass killings by the militant outfit. ANVC spokesperson Arist Marak said the outfit would co-operate with the investigation and will have nothing to hide any information. The probe is based on a demand by the GNLA who had earlier, accused the ANVC of indulging in 'secret killings' of civilians.

  • September 1: The GNLA announced four days of bandh (general shut down) beginning on September 9 with intervals if the Government does not respond to their demand by September 8. The outfit has demanded an inquiry into the "secret killing" of innocent youths by the ANVC in West Garo Hills.

  • August 25: The ANVC termed the GNLA as a stooge of the Assam based anti talk militant groups that are under the control of Pakistani ISI. Reiterating its stand that the GNLA in league with the anti-talk groups from Assam are trying to exploit the people and to disturb the ongoing peace process in Garo hills, the ANVC leader said that his cadres will go to any extent to thwart such exploitative elements.

  • August 18: In the face of severe criticism from several corners, Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh said the State Government would never take the support of ANVC in the operation against the GNLA currently underway in Garo Hills, a remark which is in deviation from his earlier statement wherein he had welcomed the ANVC 'offer of help'. He clarified that taking their support would mean allowing the ANVC to again carry arms which is not acceptable.

  • August 17: The ANVC issuing a 'quit Garo Hills notice' to ULFA and NDFB, the NDFB said that the ANVC "has no right to chase them out" because the outfit does not have any base in Garo Hills. "We are also fighting for the people. If the ANVC doesn't want our people living in Garo Hills, we urge the ANVC to take the Garos living in places in Assam like Goalpara, Kokrajhar, Kamrup etc," said NDFB's 'corporal' D Mingki.

  • August 16: The ANVC, currently under ceasefire, has set a 20-day deadline for the NDFB and ULFA militants to move out of Garo hills. The stand of the ANVC comes in the wake of the GNLA terrorising people of the region with the support of the two outfits. The earlier report in this regard did not mention the deadline.

  • August 15: The ANVC told ULFA and NDFB to leave the Garo Hills region saying the two outfits were associated with Pakistan's ISI.

  • "They (ULFA and NDFB) are under direct influence of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence and were involved in various attacks in Garo Hills in the last couple of months. They should quit Garo Hills in the next 20 days starting from today (Monday)," ANVC Spokesperson Torik Jangning Marak said. In a statement, Marak accused the ULFA and NDFB together with the GNLA with having killed more than eight people including three Meghalaya Policemen in the recent past.

    The war of words between GNLA and the ANVC and the growing threat perception over the outfits' declaration war on each other is making residents and NGOs of Garo hills jittery. Though the ANVC had been making mild threats in the past, the sudden decision to go on the offensive came after the GNLA decided to call a bandh (general shut down) in Garo hills on August 16 in protest against the killing of four of its cadres on August 9. SFs had killed the four militants, including 'deputy commander-in-chief' of GNLA, Savio Marak, based on information passed by an undercover Policeman, Hubert Marak. Hubert, who had acted a Police deserter to infiltrate the GNLA, had stayed with the outfit for ten days, during which he passed vital information to Police.

  • August 3: The State Government has welcomed a recent offer by the ANVC to assist in the ongoing operation against the GNLA. Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh said "We would be more than happy to accept the ANVC offer to assist the Government in the operation against the GNLA. We would welcome the support of any group to end militancy in Garo Hills".

  • July 18: The ANVC, a militant outfit under ceasefire, said in a press release that if the GNLA was aware of what ANVC was capable of, then it would be best for it not to attempt anything that would harm the people of Meghalaya, the Garos in particular. "If the GNLA is seriously talking about the Garoland issue and the Achik's cause, they should lay down arms and surrender instead of causing tremendous hardship to the people of Garo Hills. The NDFB and the ULFA should leave Garo Hills immediately as it has been proved that the NDFB was involved in the killing of three policemen at Medipathar and the killing at Williamnagar. It has also been proved that the ULFA was involved in the killing of five coal labourers at Goka," the press release said. The ANVC said the GNLA should stop this practice of "authorizing killing of own brethren by outsiders".

  • July 13: In what can be an indication of intensified rivalry between two militant outfits of Garo Hills, the ANVC has accused the GNLA of trying to poach its cadres by offering up to INR 3 Million. "The GNLA tried to buy our cadres with offers up to Rs 30 lakh," ANVC spokesperson Torik Jangning Marak said in a statement on July 14. The outfit also alleged that GNLA cadres are assuming names (alias) similar to ANVC leaders. The ANVC, currently under ceasefire with the Government, had alleged that the GNLA is in cahoots with the NDFB and the ULFA. The GNLA had also cautioned the State Government not to entertain the ANVC's appeal to allow its cadres to carry weapons "to protect themselves from the GNLA".

  • The deployment of two COBRA units of the CRPF and five companies of specially trained BSF personnel to assist the State Police in Garo hills explained the gravity of the subversive activities being carried by the GNLA. Admitting that the GNLA activities have increased in recent months, a senior Police official involved in monitoring the Police operations, however, rubbished the notion that the State police had failed to curb the activities of the militant outfit. "In the type of situation that we are involved, there were occasions that we were down, but overall success rate should be appreciated," stated the Police official. He said that seven GNLA camps had been busted in the past six months. He said that this was no ordinary achievement.

  • July 7: The ANVC, currently under a truce with the Government of India, has now asked for its arms, which they had deposited at the time of the ceasefire in 2004, back for "protection" from the GNLA. The outfit wrote a letter to state Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh asking for the arms following killing of a mentally deranged person by suspected GNLA cadres near an ANVC designated camp at Williamnagar in East Garo Hills District recently. The ANVC has around 16 arms, including AK series rifles and pistols, deposited in a locked armoury in custody of Tura Police. The outfit has also asserted that the GNLA is working with the ISI of Pakistan. The ANVC demanding for a Garoland Autonomous Council had entered into a tripartite ceasefire with the Central and the State governments on July 23, 2004.

  • June 21: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs had asked the State Government to speed up the process of sending its recommendations on the demands of the ANVC. Leaders of the militant outfit recently met the Centre's interlocutor P.C. Haldar and Joint Secretary, MHA, S Singh in New Delhi to apprise them of the delay on the part of the State Government in sending the recommendations. The ANVC's main demand is creation of GAC in line with the BTC in Assam.

  • June 6: The banned ANVC, a militant group in Meghalaya, expressed concern on the slow pace of political negotiation for the creation of an autonomous council. "We are not happy with the inordinate delay of the political negotiations. We will be leaving for Delhi in a day or two to raise the issue," ANVC spokesperson Torik Jangning Marak said. During their proposed visit to New Delhi, the ANVC leaders would meet Centre interlocutor Pradyot Chandra Haldar and Joint Secretary Ministry of Home Affairs for North East Shambu Singh.

  • May 8: The current instability in the ruling Mukul Sangma led Meghalaya United Alliance (MUA) Government has not only affected functioning of the Government machinery, but also hampered the peace process with the ANVC. The ANVC which is under a "Suspension of Operation" agreement with the government is concerned that processing of their demands would be delayed further if there is yet another Government change.

  • ANVC spokesperson Torik Jangning Marak said, "Everything will have to be started from the scratch if a new government comes to power." Political instability in the MUA Government has been going on for nearly six months in the wake of dissidence in the ruling Congress against the leadership of Chief Minister Mukul Sangma.

    The outfit has been demanding for creation of a GAC in line with the BTC in Assam. The State Government is believed to be at the final stage of drafting its recommendations on the ANVC demand for GAC to be submitted to the Union Government.

  • March 22: The Union Government extended the ceasefire with the ANVC, a militant outfit in Meghalaya, by another three months till June 22. The decision to extend the six-year-old tripartite truce between the Union Government and Meghalaya Government and the ANVC was taken after intense negotiations. The meeting was attended by Joint Secretary in Home Ministry (North East Affairs-in-charge) Naveen Verma, Meghalaya Principal Resident Commissioner AK Bhalla and ANVC ‘General Secretary’ Wanding K Marak. "We have agreed in principle that the ceasefire will be extended for another three months from this day," ANVC ‘spokesman’ Arist Sangma told after the joint monitoring group meeting in New Delhi. ANVC, a tribal Garo militant outfit operating in Garo Hills region of Meghalaya, is fighting for creation of Garoland Territorial Council. It had entered into a tripartite ceasefire with the central and the Meghalaya Governments on July 23, 2004. The ceasefire was to expire on March 31.

  • March 14: Setting condition for talks, the ANVC has asked PC Haldar, the Union Government’s peace interlocutor to hold meeting with them at Tura, the District Headquarters of West Garo hills District. "The government has invited us to Shillong for a meeting with Haldar, but we have asked the government to hold the meeting in Tura," ANVC’s spokesman, Arist Sangma said. However, Government officials said they are yet to receive ANVC’s request. Haldar is scheduled to arrive in Shillong on March 15 to meet Meghalaya Government officials and ANVC leaders on March 16. The six-year-old tripartite ceasefire agreement which was signed in July 2004 between the Centre, Meghalaya Government and the ANVC will expire on March 31. The outfit had threatened to return to armed struggle over the centre’s unilateral decision to have a periodic ceasefire agreement rather than the indefinite one, besides government dismissing its demand for creation of a Garo Territorial Council.

    However, the ANVC had decided to seek views from the public representatives on whether the outfit should continue the ceasefire agreement or return to its armed struggle. Chief Minister DD Lapang who also favored the extension of ceasefire agreement with ANVC said that the people in Garo hills did not want return of violence in Garo Hills. Earlier, the UAPF also favored extension of the cease-fire agreement between the banned militant outfits. "We want the government to extend the tripartite ceasefire agreement with the ANVC to ensure peace in the Garo Hills,’’ UAPF Chairman, president G C R Marak said.

2010

  • December 20: The ANVC dropped a strong hint of going back to its earlier demand for a separate Garoland while blaming the State Government for the slow progress of the negotiation process. The State Government is yet to file its recommendations to the Centre on the outfit's key demands. The ANVC spokesperson Torik Jangning Marak said, "We have come down from our earlier demand with a hope of finding an early solution to all the issues, but the State Government is taking us quite lightly."

  • October 6: The State Government will submit its final views on the various demands of the ANVC to the Union Government within three months. "The Government is examining the outfit's memorandum in which the demand for creation of a Garoland Autonomous Council in Garo Hills is made," Chief Secretary W.M.S Pariat. "We will submit our views to the Centre within three months," Pariat said. The ceasefire between the Union Government and the ANVC was extended without any time frame on September 30.

  • September 14: The ANVC said the outfit is ready to support the civic elections in Garo Hills if it did not harm the interest of the Garo people. "We may support the election provided it does not reduce the status of Garo people in the municipal areas," ANVC spokesperson Torik Jangning Marak said. He, however, said the Government should first settle the ANVC issue before going for the civic elections in Garo Hills in view of the outfit''s demand for constitution of ''Garoland Autonomous District Council'' in the line of the Bodoland Territorial Area Council in Assam.

  • August 30: Meghalaya Government would go for peace talks with the ANVC. State Chief Secretary W.M.S. Pariat said, "We are trying to expedite the entire talk process." While defending the Government for the delay in talks, the Chief Secretary said, "These matters require a lot of ground work and hence the delay."

  • August 29: The Meghalaya Government assured the ANVC of releasing the funds for maintaining the outfit's designated camps. "We are committed to release the funds by Tuesday," State Chief Secretary W.M.S. Pariat said.

  • August 25: The Union Home Minister, P. Chidambaram said that it is a matter of great satisfaction that a number of groups are engaged in talks with the Government of India. Among them are National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM), pro-talk faction of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), Nunisa faction of the Dima Halim Daogah (DHD), Black Widow (BW), United People's Democratic Solidarity (UPDS), Achik National Volunteer Council (ANVC), Karbi Longri North Cachar Hills Liberation Front (KLNLF), Kuki National Organization (KNO) and United Peoples Front (UPF), he said. H further added, "We have appointed two Interlocutors: RS Pandey to talk to the NSCN (IM) and PC Haldar to talk to NDFB (PT), DHD (Nunisa), DHD (J), KLNLF, UPDS and ANVC, besides ULFA [United Liberation Front of Asom]."

  • August 24: The ANVC claimed that the outfit's designated camps are in serious crisis due to non-availability of funds for several months. The ANVC submitted a letter to Chief Minister Mukul Sangma through West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Sanjay Goyal to intervene in the matter. "We have not received even a single penny in the last 10 months from the Central Government to maintain our camps…The fund flow was smooth when it was coming directly from the Union Home Ministry," ANVC spokesperson Torik Jangning Marak said.

  • July 22: A delegation of the Nongalbibra Coal Merchants Association (NCMA) met the leaders of the ANVC to clarify the recent reports about the outfit's alleged involvement in connection with the ongoing coal export trade and agreed that it was blown out of proportion, according to Shillong Times. Leaders of the NCMA, led by its president Kennedy Marak and general secretary Willibirth R. Sangma along with other office bearers called on ANVC 'publicity secretary' Arist Sengsrang N. Sangma at Williamnagar in East Garo Hills District and stated that the recent statement by the NCMA against the ANVC was created by a section of vested interest groups that were bent on creating a rift and trouble in the Garo Hills. The ANVC leader on his part reiterated that the organisation stood for the well being of the people of Garo Hills.

  • July 8: A delegation of the ANVC met Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma and submitted a memorandum including the key demand for creation of a Garoland Territorial Council on the lines of the Bodoland Territorial Council in Assam. ANVC spokesperson Torik Jangning Marak said, "The talks are going in the right direction and we are hopeful of an early solution to our demands."

  • June 30: The ANVC asked for indefinite extension of ceasefire agreement with the Union Government. The ceasefire term between the Government and the outfit expires after a three-month extension in March 2010.

    The Union Government extended the tripartite cease-fire agreement with the Achik National Volunteer Council (ANVC) for another three months. "It has been agreed that the SoO [Suspension of Operation] with ANVC which was expired today would be extended for a further period of three months from tomorrow," an official statement issued on June 30 said. The discussions on the demands of ANVC are on at the level of P.C. Halder, the interlocutor for peace talks with the outfit, the statement added.

  • June 29: Shillong Times reports that the ANVC has started shifting its cadres to "undisclosed camps". ANVC spokesperson Torik Jangning Marak said, "The Government has not given us any clear indication on the extension of the truce and so we have shifted our cadres to undisclosed camps for their security." Admitting that they have got positive signal from the Centre for the extension of the truce, Marak said, "We are waiting for the recommendation of the State Government and will soon meet the Government." The ceasefire would expire on June 30. The report adds that there are around 175 cadres of the ANVC in outfit''s camps in different places of Garo Hills.

  • June 22: The ANVC claimed that the outfit’s cease-fire with both the Centre and the State was for an indefinite period and not for the three months agreed upon on March 23 in New Delhi.

  • June 6: Sentinel reports that 13 militant organizations from the Northeast States of Assam, Manipur, Tripura and Meghalaya figure in the list of banned organizations as it appears in the website of the Union Home Ministry (MHA). The ULFA heads the list. The other outfits were: NDFB, People's Liberation Army (PLA), and United National Liberation Front (UNLF), People's Revolutionary party of Kangleipak (PREPAK), Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP), Kanglei Yaol Kanna Lup (KYKL), Manipur People's Liberation Front (MPLF), Revolutionary People's Front (RPF), All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF), National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) and ANVC.

    Hardly 20 days left for expiry of the cease-fire agreement between the ANVC and the Union Government, the insurgent outfit said it would prefer short-term extension of the agreement. ANVC spokesperson Torik Jangning Marak said, "We are likely to seek three months extension of the ceasefire agreement." The report adds that the next meeting between the ANVC and the Centre’s interlocutor P.C. Haldar would be held in June 2010.

  • May 31: The ANVC submitted a 12-page memorandum to the Union Government, spelling out the details of its demand for setting up a Garo Autonomous Council.

  • May 26: Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma met Center’s interlocutor P. C. Haldar. After the meeting, the Chief Minster said the State Government is still examining various demands of the ANVC including creation of a separate Garoland autonomous council. The report adds that the cease-fire agreement between the group and the Government was extended for another three months in March 2010 and the Garo group also had a meeting with Haldar in Shillong on March 16 to discuss their different demands. The outfit earlier had also threatened to break the tripartite cease-fire agreement with the Centre, if the latter fails to fulfill their various demands.

  • April 30: Police sources reports that ANVC is currently divided into three groups. Police said that the first major group belongs to those cadres whose primary interest is to be rich by means of extortion. "Most of the cadres belonging to this group have already associated themselves with the new militant outfit GNLA [Garo National Liberation Army] led by Meghalaya Police 'DSP' Champion R. Marak," Police sources said on April 30. The GNLA has been under the Police scanner for serving extortion notes, ranging from INR 500, 000 to ten million , to petrol pump owners, coal dealers and businessmen in the coal-rich Districts of Garo Hills. Police sources said the second group includes mostly the top leaders, who are involved in peace talks with the Government. "These top leaders of the ANVC are also living lavish lifestyle," Police sources added. On the other hand, the third group with a very few numbers includes those who wanted to return to the mainstream. "Most of them are ANVC members for namesake only. They are fed up with the outfit's activities," Police sources said.

    Meghalaya Governor R. S. Mooshahary earlier stated that "ANVC is losing its strength and credibility."

  • April 5: ANVC asked the Meghalaya Police to set up a cell to monitor the movement of deserters who have joined other militant groups and are allegedly engaging in extortion.

  • March 28: Pakchara R. Sangma, a 'Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP)' of the Meghalaya Police, who remained missing for the last many months, issued a press statement 'confirming' himself as the 'chairman' of the GNLA outfit and threatened to take on the ANVC, accusing its of 'harassing' the weaker sections of the Garo society.

  • March 22: The meeting of the Joint Monitoring Group (JMG) on extension of cease-fire with the Meghalaya based ANVC was held in New Delhi. The Centre extended the cease-fire with the ANVC by three months. "A revised ceasefire agreement was signed by ANVC at the meeting of Joint Ceasefire Monitoring Group held in New Delhi," an official source said. Sources said ANVC assured "to adhere to the ceasefire ground rules and have better control on the camps and the cadre".

  • March 19: The Meghalaya Governor R. S. Mooshahary expressed concern over mushrooming of militant groups in Garo hills and the activities of Assam-based outfits along the border. The Governor said that recent developments, such as reports on the formation of militant groups in Garo hills, were a cause of concern. Other militant groups active in Garo hills are LAEF, People's Liberation Front of Meghalaya (PLF-M), Achik National Security Defence (ANSD), Atong Liberation Army (ALA), and United Achik National Front (UANF). ULFA and NDFB are also active in Garo hills and border of Ri Bhoi District. The Governor said that the Government was committed to contain militancy at all costs. The Governor added that the security establishment of the State has acted swiftly to break up and contain the activities of the Hynniewtrep Liberation Front (HLF) in Khasi hills, and LAEF in the Garo hills. He said the activities of the local militant organisations like the HNLC and ANVC have been substantially controlled.

  • March 18: A senior Police Officer of Meghalaya in the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) joined the GNLA, the newly formed militant outfit in Garo Hills. According to sources, DSP Champion R. Marak recently joined the outfit after he had gone missing for quite sometime. He joined the Police Force in 2004 and belonged to Songsak region of East Garo Hills. The report adds that GNLA is being led by the DSP Champion Marak while former ANVC ‘area commander’ of East Garo Hills, Sohan D. Shira, is believed to be the ‘commander in chief’. The group is also said to be in close ties with the NSCN-IM and presently has 20 well-armed cadres who have recently served extortion notes demanding huge amounts of ransom in East and South Garo Hills. The group is also trying to wean away many of the disgruntled ANVC cadres who are annoyed with their leadership over the handling of the ongoing peace process.

  • March 17: The Centre has expressed concern over violation of conditions of the cease-fire with the ANVC. Meghalaya Chief Minister D.D. Lapang, who called on Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram in New Delhi, apprised him of the outcome of March 16 talks between the ANVC and Centre's interlocutor P C Haldar. Chidambaram told the Chief Minister that there had been instances of violation of conditions of the suspension of operation (SoO). But at the same time the Centre would like to continue the SoO with the outfit, he said. Chidambaram assured that all necessary steps would be taken by the Centre to maintain peace and tranquillity in Meghalaya. The Home Minister asked Lapang to assess the ground realities and suggest suitable measures for the successful culmination of the peace process.

    The ANVC said that the group would seek public opinion whether the group would go for periodic cease-fire or indefinite cease-fire.

  • March 16: The ANVC, after meeting the Centre's interlocutor P.C. Haldar in Shillong, withdrew the threat of pulling out from the cease-fire agreement and agreed to Centre's proposal for periodic agreement with a validity of three months. After the talks, ANVC ''spokesperson'' Torik Jangning Marak said the outfit would not pull out from the ceasefire as "it would affect the prevailing peaceful atmosphere of Garo Hills". "ANVC is not pulling out from the agreement yet we are not happy about as it was a unilateral decision which was taken in the last meeting to have periodic ceasefire," he said. Meanwhile, Telegraph reports that the Centre decided to examine the ANVC's demand for an autonomous body like a Garoland Territorial Council.

  • March 15: The ANVC agreed to sit for peace talks with the Union Government in Shillong, capital of Meghalaya. The ANVC ‘publicity secretary’ Arist Sangma said they had agreed to come to Shillong for the talks with the Centre''s interlocutor P. C. Haldar following a request from the Meghalaya Government.

  • March 14: The ANVC asked for holding the peace talks at Tura in West Garo Hills District instead of capital Shillong. "We have received a letter from the government that the talks with Haldar will be held in Shillong, but we want the meeting to be held in Tura," the ANVC publicity secretary Arist Sangma said. "As our demands are concerning Garo Hills, the interlocutor should come to Tura instead of Shillong to hold the discussion," he explained. "There is a need to have a change in the venue and we hope that the government will look into the matter," Sangma said.

  • March 13: The ANVC denied its involvement in the abduction of a coal trader Nokma Chongrin Marak of Garo Hills and instead accused the GNLA outfit of attempting to derail the ongoing peace process. The ANVC ‘spokesperson’ and ‘chief organising secretary’ Torik Jangning Marak said, "We are in the negotiating table for the last 6 years having shunned the path of violence with a positive attitude and opting for a permanent solution. The allegation (by GNLA) is a desperate attempt to derail the peace process." "ANVC chairman Dilash Marak has no hand in the abduction of Nokma Chongrin Marak and most of the extortions and demand notes are being served by the new outfit (GNLA). Soon we will send representatives to the government for a joint operation in Garo Hills," Torik Jangning Marak said.

  • March 11: Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Mukul Sangma asked Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram to initiate all steps for peace and development of the Garo Hill Districts for a logical conclusion of the tripartite accord with the ANVC. After meeting Chidambaram, the Deputy Chief Minister said following the suspension of operations against the militants way back in July 2004, there was an overall improvement of law-and-order situation in the region. "But there is confusion and uncertainties in Garo Hill due to the indication of expiry of the ‘suspension of operation’ (SoO) on March 31 by the Home Ministry," he pointed out.

  • March 8: The ANVC said that it would seek a plebiscite on whether to continue with the tripartite peace talks, after the Centre took an ‘arbitrary’ decision to extend the cease-fire only periodically.

  • March 7: A three-day conclave of the ANVC concluded at Balonggre, in the outskirts of Tura town in West Garo Hills District. The conclave was attended by a conglomerate of Non Governmental Organisations, student and social organizations, church elders, senior citizens, public representatives from Assam and political activists from Meghalaya to discuss ways to push forward the tripartite peace talks. The people who attended the conclave expressed apprehension over the last Joint Monitoring Group (JMG) meet between the ANVC, Meghalaya Government and Union Government at Tura in which the central delegation was in favour of a periodical cease-fire extension in place of an indefinite one citing violation of ground rules. In the JMG meeting, the Government delegation had accused the ANVC of giving its support to a new militant group- Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) and engaging in sporadic extortion, an accusation the outfit denied. The ANVC, on the other hand, has expressed disappointment that its charter of demands with its main focus of creating a Garoland Territorial Council has not been seriously considered which, according to the group, is a ‘benign’ and ‘reasonable’ demand within the ambit of the Indian Constitution.

  • February 23: The Union Government modified the previous decision of indefinite cease-fire extension with the ANVC to that of periodical extensions in a Joint Monitoring Group (JMG) meeting at Tura.

  • February 7: Meghalaya Chief Minister D.D. Lapang in the Conference of Chief Ministers on Internal Security asked the Centre to go for a tripartite political and development accord with the ANVC to bring the ongoing peace process to a logical conclusion. He also stated that insurgent outfits like ULFA, National Socialist Council of Nagaland, NDFB and UPDS are not only supporting groups like LAEF, but also providing them arms, ammunition and training. He said that insurgent outfits both from the Northeast and adjoining Bangladesh were also using the peaceful State of Meghalaya both as temporary sanctuary and corridor. Lapang further claimed that both ANVC and HNLC have been largely neutralised with a sustained Police operation. But passive militancy is still a cause for concern, he further added.

  • January 3: The ANVC accuses the Union Government of delaying discussion on its demand for constitution of a separate Garoland Autonomous Council (GAC), a self-governing body for the Garo Hills. The ANVC ‘publicity secretary’ Arist Sengsrang Sangma said, "We have come down from our demand for a separate Garoland and now the Centre should initiate discussion to facilitate the creation of the council."

2009

  • December 11: The ANVC outfit states that its fight for a separate Garoland would gain momentum with the Centre initiating the process for the creation of Telangana. The outfit’s ‘publicity secretary’, Arist Sangma, said with the Centre taking steps to create a Telangana State, the outfit’s demand would also be justified in the days to come. "Our demand is very much genuine and we are not asking for the sun or moon, but a separate state within India unlike other militant groups, which are demanding sovereignty," Sangma said.

  • September 29: Meghalaya Police has reportedly sought the help of the ANVC to neutralise other militant groups in the Garo Hills. The ANVC leader Arist Sangma said that the outfit was ready to help the Meghalaya Police.

  • September 14: The ANVC demanded an autonomous status for the Garo hills with "less or no interference" from the Meghalaya Government. The 'publicity secretary' of the ANVC, Arist Sengsrang Sangma, suggested the creation of an autonomous body like "Garoland Territorial Council" which can govern itself without any interference from the State Government. According to Sangma, the idea of formation of a "Garoland Territorial Council" for Garo hills, in line with the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), was welcome, but there should be less interference from the State Government and more autonomy to the body, unlike the BTC. "We are yet to suggest any name for the autonomous body, which can politically safeguard the interests of the people of Garo hills with more powers, wider functions and without the interference of the state government," Sangma said. "By autonomy to Garo hills, we do not mean the one prevailing in the existing Garo Hills Autonomous District Council, which is still under the direct supervision of the state government," he added. He also said that once autonomy for Garo hills was realised, the militant group would demand direct funding from the Centre, unlike the present District Councils in the State which get funds from the State Government. Responding to a suggestion made by the Joint Secretary (in charge of Northeast) of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to abandon the outfit's demand for a separate State, Sangma said that though there was no change of stand on the statehood demand, the outfit was open to talks for the autonomous status to Garo hills. "The joint secretary, home, in charge of Northeast, told us that the Centre does not want to divide the Northeast further," he adds. To some extent, the ANVC agreed to this, but the militant group would negotiate with the Centre on what arrangement it would provide to the Garo hills for the outfit to give up its demand for a separate Garo State, he mentioned.

  • September 10: The Centre is reported to have rejected a demand for a separate Garo State by the ANVC, when the Joint Secretary (in-charge of Northeast) of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, Naveen Verma, held a series of meetings with senior State Government officials and discussed a rehabilitation package for the ANVC. Verma is understood to have made it clear that if the ANVC wants a rehabilitation package, it has to leave aside its demand for Garoland, a separate State comprising three Districts of Garo Hills region in Meghalaya. The Centre has asked the group to furnish a fresh list of demands concerning rehabilitation of its cadres. The Centre has also asked the State Government to monitor whether the insurgent group was adhering to the cease-fire ground rules.

2008

  • December 3: Shillong Times quoting police source reports that the ANVC is carrying out an extortion drive with support from the NSCN-IM in the coal belt areas of West Khasi Hills and East Garo Hills. According to police sources, the activities of ANVC and NSCN-IM are at their peak during the winter season as this is the period when a large quantity of coal is exported to Bangladesh resulting in a huge business transaction. "The ANVC and NSCN (IM) equally share the extorted amount," police sources state.

  • November 23: Meghalaya Police said that the newly formed militant outfits, the Atong Liberation Army (ALA) in South Garo Hills, and Achik National Security Defence (ANSD) in West Khasi Hills, are being used by the NSCN-IM and ANVC for carrying out an extortion drive in coal belt areas. Police sources said the ALA and ANSD were extorting money from coal-laden trucks and coal exporters in West Khasi Hills and South Garo Hills. "We have already started our operations to destroy these two militant outfits before they could manage to make their presence felt in the State," sources said.

  • October 17: Police recover explosives, a camera, CDs and incriminating documents, including demand notes, belonging to ANVC from a rented house at Chinengree village near Shahlang in the West Khasi Hills district. The documents recovered from the house indicate that money was extorted by the outfit from various parts of the district. The ANVC cadres, however, manage to escape from the incident site.

  • July 23 The Union Government extends the cease-fire with the ANVC for an indefinite period for the first time, unlike the earlier periodical review of the cease-fire with the militant group.

  • May 29: Surrendered ANVC cadres asked the Meghalaya Government to provide them with recruitment in 5th India Reserve Battalion and monetary assistance. They also alleged that the former State Government did not have the commitment to rehabilitate all surrendered insurgents. They say that the previous D.D. Lapang-led Government had given "more importance" to the Shillong-based former cadre of the HNLC than those from the Garo Hills. The former ANVC cadres have sought Government jobs for at least 25 of them and financial assistance for the others to start their own entrepreneurship.

  • May 28: The LAEF's new 'commander-in-chief' Daria Sangma, while speaking to the media over phone, reconfirms the Meghalaya Police’s claim that the LAEF has forged ties with the Assam-based Black Widow (BW) outfit. He said that it was in the interest of consolidating LAEF to pursue its goal of a ‘separate Garo state’. The report added that a group of five LAEF cadres recently returned from arms training organised by the BW in Assam. Daria also said the Garo outfit had recently held a general council meeting in the West Khasi Hills in which he was appointed the new ‘army chief’ in the presence of LAEF ‘chairman’ Darong T. Marak who, according to police, had been killed by his own colleagues long ago. The LAEF general council meeting is said to have also appointed one Khanam D. Shira as ‘general secretary’ of the outfit, besides a former ANVC cadre Nikseng Sangma holding an important portfolio within the group. Nikseng had deserted the ANVC and joined with former ANVC 'eastern area commander' Sohan D. Shira to help the LAEF during the early days of its formation. Following the killing of the then ‘chairman’ Peter Marak in the hands of police and subsequent surrender of Sohan before the government, Nikseng reportedly fled into the LAEF stronghold of West Khasi Hills. Daria also says tells the media that the general council meeting had taken up several resolutions one of which was to turn ‘pro-active’ in its operations against certain organisations aligning with the government to wipe out the outfit.

  • April 7: One ANVC militant, Amjad A. Sangma, is arrested by the Meghalaya Police during a search operation at Williamnagar in the East Garo Hills district. One 9-mm pistol was recovered from his possession.

  • February 29: The Congress party candidate Mukul Sangma complained to the Returning Officer that the ANVC and police are aiding the National Congress Party candidates from Ampati constituency in the Garo Hills. Mukul said that ANVC cadres led by Ronald Sangma threatened people and Amapati police station officer in-charge A.M. Sangma had taken no cognizance of the offence. He mentioned that his supporters were also assaulted.

  • February 28: The ANVC said that it will remain neutral in the Legislative Assembly elections scheduled to be held on March 3, 2008. In a letter signed by 'chairman' Dilash Marak alias S. M. Marak, the outfit stated: "Rumours will always be there and the ANVC respect and recognise the people's 'Right' to choose their own representatives and shall remain neutral as far as the 2008 assembly elections are concerned."

  • January 20: One ANVC cadre, Dorang G. Momin, is arrested by the Meghalaya police personnel when they neutralise a hideout at Tarajak village in the West Khasi Hills district. However, 10 militants, including two persons belonging to the Naga community, managed to escape from the incident site. An AK-47 rifle and an M-16 rifle, other arms and ammunition are recovered from the hideout.

2007

  • December 12: The Joint Monitoring Committee meeting of the representatives of the ANVC, Meghalaya Government and Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) was held in the national capital New Delhi. The meeting expressed concern over the reported extortion being carried out by the outfit and stressed the need to strictly adhere to ground rules of the cease-fire agreement signed on July 23, 2004.

  • November 22: Shillong Times reports that the ‘organising secretary’ of the ANVC, identified as Bernard N. Marak alias Torik Jangnang, is released. On August 17, he was arrested for his involvement in extortion at Tura market in the West Garo Hills district, and was later lodged in the Jowai jail under the Meghalaya Preventive Detention Act for almost three months.

  • September 9: An unidentified civilian is shot dead by suspected militants at Chachatgre in the East Garo Hills district. He was reportedly working as a domestic help of Sohan D. Shira, a surrendered ANVC leader.

  • September 6: One Achik National Liberation Front Army militant, Nabat Marak, is shot dead by suspected ANVC militants at Chidimit village near Songsak in the East Garo Hills district. Meghalaya Police stated that ANVC militants after killing Marak buried his body at the village. He reportedly deserted the ANVC in 2005 and later joined the Achik National Liberation Front Army outfit.

  • August 25: A self-styled 'area commander' of the ANVC, identified as Sohan D. Shira, surrenders in an unspecified place in Meghalaya.

  • August 17: The organising secretary of the ANVC, Bernard Marak, is arrested from Tura in the West Garo Hills district on charges of extortion. Police said several complaints had been lodged against Marak, also known as Torik Jangang, by the truckers. Three of his associates arrested on August 16 had also confessed to their involvement in the racket. They had been collecting INR 20 each from each truck plying in Tura posing themselves as members of the truckers' association. Marak was also manning the liaison office of the militant group at Tura.

  • May 23: The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal extended the ban on the ANVC and HNLC for two more years due to their continued anti-national and anti-social activities. The new order will remain in force till May 15, 2009.

  • April 14: The two-day meeting of the Tribunal to look into the proscription on the HNLC and ANVC concluded. Official sources said that there was no representation from the HNLC and only the ANVC contested the case aiming at lifting the proscription.

  • January 17: An ANVC cadre, Onkang Sangma, who had deserted the camp at Chokpot in the South Garo Hills district in 2006, surrenders at Williamnagar in the East Garo Hills district.

2006

  • November 9: The Union Government extends the proscription on ANVC.

  • October 25: The ANVC fails to respond to the appeal made by Meghalya Chief Minister, J. D. Rymbai, and Home Minister, R. G. Lyngdoh, to lay down arms, before the State Government could convince the Union Government to lift the ban imposed on the outfit, indicates report.

  • September 28: The ANVC decides to discuss with the Meghalaya Government the conditions of disarmament for lifting the ban on the outfit. "We will have to discuss the matter before taking any decision in this regard," said ‘publicity secretary’ Arist Sangma.

  • September 11: The newly formed Garo outfit, Achik National Liberation Front Army (ANLFA), allegedly accuse the Meghalaya Government of being soft on the ANVC, which is currently under a cease-fire with the Union and State Governments. The ANLFA alleges that the State Government is turning a blind eye to the ‘atrocities’ committed by the ANVC cadres in Garo Hills.

  • August 31: The self-styled ‘chairman’ of the ANVC, Dilash Marak, figures in the list of wanted militants, residing in Bangladesh, handed over by the Border Security Force (BSF) to the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) during their meeting in Shillong.

  • August 31: Two political parties, the Hill State People's Democratic Party from Khasi Hills and Garo National Council from Garo Hills, at a joint statement demand the creation of separate provinces for the two major tribes of the State. Both the parties are opposed to the idea of ‘Greater Garoland’ demanded by the ANVC. However, the ANVC criticizes the joint proclamation of the two parties as a "political propaganda".

  • August 28: The ANVC states that it has discussed the issue of Garo Hills with the Union Government in New Delhi in July 2006. The ‘publicity secretary’ of the outfit, Arist Sangma, said, "We submitted our memorandum and said separate Garoland was our demand."

  • August 8: Meghalaya Government starts the Disaster Awareness and Search & Rescue Traning programme for ANVC cadres at Tura in the West Garo Hills district.

  • July 11:The cease-fire agreement between the Government and ANVC is extended by one more year. An agreement to this effect is reached during the Joint Monitoring Group held in New Delhi on an unspecified day. The ANVC entered into a tripartite cease-fire agreement on July 23, 2004.

  • May 30: Meghalaya Home Minister H. Donkupar R Lyngdoh, while responding negatively on the request of the ANVC to the Union Government to lift the ban imposed on it, says, "Let people be satisfied with their non-violence and peaceful existence." "No doubt, the illegal activities of the ANVC has reduced to a great extent; but until people are satisfied, the ban should continue," adds the Home Minister.

  • May 28: The ANVC asks the Union Government to withdraw its ban on the outfit to facilitate peace talks.

  • May 10: The ANVC, while criticizing other Garo outfits such as the ANLF and United UANF, terms them as "group of extortionists and dacoits who have no ideology or principle." "Both UANF and ANLF are only after money and they are not fighting for the cause of the people of Garo Hills," said ANVC 'publicity secretary' Arist Sengsrang Sangma. "We are fighting for a separate state and our demand is very much within the framework of the Indian constitution while the so called UANF has claimed that the organisation is fighting for independence which is not at all acceptable both to the government of India and the Garos as well," he added.

  • May 1: Chief Minister D. D. Lapang, while expressing the State Government’s willingness to hold talks with the militant outfits, says, "But we have no say on the issues, which are totally depended on the initiative of the Union Home Ministry." He further adds, "We have to patiently wait and see things to happen because whatever steps that have been followed with the ANVC, the same thing will be done with HNLC."

  • April 7: An ANVC cadre is killed by three of his colleagues at Tura in the West Garo Hills district.

  • April 5: The JMG meeting held at the BSF premises in Guwahati decides to conduct a joint survey for setting up a designated camp for the ANVC cadres in the South Garo Hills of Meghalaya by the end of April 2006. The existing camp at Jetra in the Ri Bhoi district will be dismantled following complaints from paramilitary forces.

  • March 27: Meghalaya Chief Minister D.D. Lapang, while responding to the issue of negotiations with militant outfits, informs the Legislative Assembly that a "Joint Monitoring Group (JMG) has been formed to monitor the cease-fire with the ANVC. The next JMG meeting will be held on April 5 in Guwahati, said, while adding that, “We are thinking of adopting similar pattern as the first step to initiate dialogue with HNLC.”

  • March 24: The ANVC calls for the formation of a separate state known as the 'Garoland State' for the Garos in Meghalaya. The 'publicity secretary' of the outfit, Arist Sengsrang Sangma, says that it is high time for all Garos to come under one umbrella and demand a separate state.

2005

  • December 14: Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, S. Reghupathy, while speaking in the Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Parliament), says that cease fire and suspension of operations is on with ANVC along with certain other militant outfits of the North East.

  • November 16: Police kills Tiko Areng, a militant belonging to the ANLF, a splinter faction of the ANVC at Dongranggre near Shallang in the West Khasi Hills district. One 9mm pistol and a grenade are recovered from the incident site.

  • November 9: ANVC 'publicity secretary', Arist Sengsrang Sangma, says, "We have told the cadres that those who are willing to leave can do so without deserting or running away from the camps." Commenting on reports that some former ANVC cadres have formed a new outfit, the ANLF, he says, "We will try to neutralise ANLF with the police, otherwise there will be law and order problem in Garo Hills." He further says that the relation between the police and the ANVC has improved considerably over the past few months.

  • November 6: Two ANVC cadres, M. Marak and N. Momin, who have escaped from the Chokpot cease-fire camp, are killed by a joint team of Meghalaya Police and the army near Thapha in the East Garo Hills district. Three Chinese-made hand grenades and three rounds of AK-47 ammunition, besides documents such as extortion notes and money receipts are recovered from the incident site.

  • November 4: Meghalaya Police kills two hardcore ANVC cadres, Rarik Sangma and Rabi Marak, and arrests two others at Bangsiminol under Mendipather police station in the Garo Hills district. Police sources informed that the slain militants are part of a group of nine ANVC cadres who have deserted the outfit's camp at Samanda in East Garo Hills and Chokpot in South Garo Hills and have made attempts to form a new outfit, the AN LF. Police also recover an AK-56 rifle with 20 rounds of ammunition, three hand grenades and an SLR with 17 rounds of live ammunition from the incident site.

  • September 4: ANVC threatens to call off the cease-fire agreement with the State Government protesting against the latter's constant allegation of truce violation by the outfit. The outfit's 'Publicity Secretary' Arist Sangma said, "We express concern over the state government's often repeated statement that the ANVC is engaged in extortions… If the government continues with its wild allegations, we will be forced to go back to the jungle."

  • July 18: The cease-fire between ANVC and the Union Government is extended for a year with effect from July 23, 2005. The decision is taken following a meeting between the ANVC leaders and MHA officials at Patgaon in the Guwahati city of Assam. The ANVC is asked to submit names of its cadres taking shelter in the two designated camps in East and South Garo Hills to the Union Government and also keep its arms and ammunition in safe custody.

  • July 6: Meghalaya Government sends a note to the Union Government detailing the acts of cease-fire violation by the ANVC. Chief Secretary P. J. Bazeley said that the State Government would agree to extend the cease-fire agreement beyond July 23 provided the truce ground rules are framed and strictly adhered to. He says, "We have told the Centre that we will not be a party to the cease-fire with the ANVC if there are no proper ground rules."

  • May 11: Two ANVC cadres, Ganesh Sangma and Nicholas Sangma, and one of their associates are arrested from Borsora in the West Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya.

  • April 19: Meghalaya Chief Minister, D D Lapang, while addressing a press conference in Shillong, said the ANVC is violating the cease-fire agreement.

  • April 14: Meghalaya Home Minister, Mukul Sangma, says that failure to settle issues relating to the cease-fire ground rules have led to the delay in starting the peace process with the proscribed ANVC.

  • March 30: A tribunal makes recommendations for the extension of the proscription on the HNLC and ANVC for another year.

  • March 8: Meghalaya Home Minister, Mukul Sangma, says that the State Government will begin peace talks with the ANVC only after the outfit adheres to the principles of the cease-fire.

  • January 17: The ceasefire agreement between the Government and the ANVC is extended by six months. The agreement is reached during the JMG meeting held at Tura in the West Garo Hills district. The duration of the present ceasefire is set to expire on January 23.

2004

  • December 23: As a first step towards fulfilling the cease-fire ground rules, the ANVC submits a list of 100 of its cadres to the State Government. Informing this in Shillong, the State Home Minister, H.D.R. Lyngdoh, says that these cadres will be accommodated in the two designated camps. However, the outfit is yet to submit the list of arms and ammunition, adds Lyngdoh.

  • December 22: Union Government extends the ban on two militant outfits of Meghalaya, the ANVC and HNLC. In an official notification in Shillong, the MHA cites the reasons for extension stating that although the ANVC agrees to abjure violence and expresses willingness for talks within the framework of Constitution, it continues "collection of funds and extortion, acquisition of sophisticated weapons and recruitment of new cadre."

  • December 10: Meghalaya Government asks the ANVC chairman Dilash Marak and 'commander-in-chief' Jerome Momin to confine themselves to the Garo Hills area.

  • December 9: The JMG meeting between the banned ANVC and the representatives of the MHA and the Meghalaya Government takes place in New Delhi to discuss the 'ground rules'. Following the second round of the tripartite talks of JMG, the ANVC agrees to submit the full list of its cadres to the State Government by December 20 to facilitate the implementation of cease-fire ground rules. The cadres will stay in two designated camps in the Garo Hills region.

  • July 23: ANVC signs a tripartite agreement with the Union and Meghalaya Governments for immediate suspension of hostilities. The agreement is signed by the Secretary, Border Management in the MHA, A.K.Rastogi, Chief Secretary of Meghalaya, P.J. Bazely, and representatives of the ANVC led by its 'General Secretary' Wanding K Marak.

  • July 2: The abducted Indian Forest Service official, D Sathyen, is released unharmed in the South Garo Hills district of Meghalaya after about a fortnight amidst claims by the State Government that no ransom was paid to the abductors.

  • June 24: ANVC denies any links to the abduction of D. Sathiyan, Indian Forest Service officer posted at the Balpakram National Park. The outfit's 'publicity secretary', Arist Sengsrang Sangma, says that the outfit does not have any connection with the incident.

  • June 22: ANVC demands Rupees 15 lakh as ransom for the release of abducted D. Satyan.

  • June 18: Suspected ANVC terrorists abduct Forest Officer, D. Satyan, from his house at Baghmara in South Garo Hills district.

  • June 1: Suspected ANVC terrorists shot dead a trader from Tura in Meghalaya for failing to pay extortion money demanded by them.

  • June 1: Suspected ANVC terrorists kill a trader from Tura in the West Garo Hill district.

  • May 10: Suspected ANVC cadres kill a schoolteacher at Kukurmara in the Kamrup district of Assam.

  • May 6: Meghalaya Police arrests an ANVC terrorist, involved in truck burning incidents at Borsora on April 28, from Nonghyllam in the West Khasi Hills district.

  • March 16: One ANVC terrorist is killed in an encounter with the security forces at Kajinagar in the West Garo Hills district.

  • February 20: Suspected ANVC cadres release Borsora Land Custom Station Superintendent, L.H. Faihrem, from captivity at Tila Basti in the East Khasi Hills district. He was abducted on October 9, 2003.

  • January 19: One police personnel is killed and four others are injured when an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), allegedly planted by ANVC terrorists went off at Tapadarengchi in the East Garo Hills district.

  • February 13: Four ANVC terrorists are killed by SFs in an encounter near Phulbari in the West Garo Hills district.

  • February 10: Meghalaya Police arrests an ANVC terrorist, identified as Jubi R Marak, from an unspecified location in the State.

  • February 6: Meghalaya Chief Minister, D D Lapang, accuses former Lok Sabha Speaker and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader P A Sangma of conniving with the proscribed ANVC to remain in State politics.

  • January 7: Two ANVC ‘sympathizers’ are arrested for distributing extortion notes bearing the signature of R Marak of the ANVC ‘finance wing’ at Mendipathar in the East Garo Hills district.

2003

  • December 15: A woman ANVC cadre, identified as Tresy Sangma, wife of the Mendipather 'area commander' of the outfit, is arrested near Mendipather in the East Garo Hills district.

  • November 16: Meghalaya Police arrest a self-styled corporal of the ANVC, identified as Havel Sangma, from Bologgitok village in the West Garo Hills district and recover a Japanese wireless hand-set and a tape recorder from his possession.

  • November 10: Suspected ANVC terrorists kill three civilians at Rajapal in the East Garo Hills district.

  • October 28: ANVC 'commander-in-chief' Jerome Momin indicates that the outfit "would continue its struggle for a greater Garoland and not give in to any moves initiated by the government towards a reconciliation."

  • October 1: Two Achik National Volunteer Council (ANVC) terrorists surrender before the police in Shillong, and at Baghmara in South Garo Hills respectively.

  • September 30: ANVC decides not to participate in the Meghalaya Government backed peace talks with the Garo Baptist Convention (GPC) after the September 26 incident.

  • September 26: Security force personnel kill eight ANVC terrorists in two separate encounters in the West Garo Hills district and recover one AK-56 rifle with twelve rounds of live ammunition, one Pakistan-made.32 pistol with seven rounds of ammunition, two Chinese hand grenades and some incriminating documents from the encounter site.

  • September 24: Meghalaya Chief Minister Lapang offers truce to the ANVC and HNLC.

  • September 10: ANVC terrorists in Meghalaya release abducted Bajengdoba SBI Branch Manager after nine days of captivity.

  • August 7: An ANVC sympathizer alleged to be involved in supplying arms to the outfit is killed during an encounter at Rewak in the South Garo Hills district.

  • July 16: Two ANVC terrorists, including a ‘commander’, are killed during an encounter at Bikonggre village in the West Garo Hills district while three others escape from the incident site.

  • June 27: Meghalaya Police arrests former State Minister and senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Adolf Lu Hitler Marak at Laban in Shillong for his alleged links with the ANVC.

  • June 24: ANVC terrorists ambush a police patrol party near Borsora in the West Khasi Hills district killing two police personnel and injuring three others.

  • June 19: Two women ANVC cadres surrender before the State Home Minister R G Lyngdoh at Shillong.

  • May 20: At least five ANVC terrorists are arrested from Ampati in the West Garo Hills district.

  • May 15: Four ANVC terrorists are arrested from a hideout at Ampati in the West Garo Hills district.

  • May 4: Meghalaya Police unearths an ANVC ‘finance cell’ at Asimggre village in West Garo Hills district and seizes incriminating documents indicating to an extortion racket being run by the outfit in the area.

  • May 01: Suspected ANVC cadres abduct two persons from Balachand, West Garo Hills district.

  • April 29: Three ANVC terrorists, including an ‘area commander’, surrender before the State police at Sonapahar village in West Khasi Hills district with two AK-56 rifles, two wireless sets, four grenades and 216 rounds of AK-47 ammunition.

  • April 28: ANVC ‘area command headquarters’ in the Garo hills area is reportedly dissolved and brought under the single command of ‘commander-in-chief’ Jerome Momin.

  • April 26: Suspected ANVC terrorists release two abducted Meghalaya Government officials after 26 days of captivity near Willamnagar, East Garo Hills district.
    ANVC abducts a State Government official from Dadenggri in West Garo Hills district.

  • April 23: Reports indicate that ‘preliminary talks’ were held between the Union Government and the ANVC on an unspecified date in Bangkok, Thailand.

  • April 15: Suspected ANVC terrorists abduct a local businessman from Jhanjhani market, Mancachar police station-limits, in Assam's Dhubri district.

  • April 13: ANVC releases three of the five Assam-based businessmen abducted on April 7, near Phulbari in West Garo Hills district.

  • April 7: Meghalaya police arrest two ANVC terrorists at Weiloi village, East Khasi Hills district, from the vehicle of a former Legislator Adolf L. Hitler Marak.

  • April 2: Four suspected ANVC terrorists, including a woman cadre, abduct a businessman at Ampati, West Garo Hills district.

  • March 31: The Assam-based NDFB releases Customs officer Dipak Mahanta near Williamnagar in South Garo Hills district. Terrorists had abducted him on February 28, 2003.

  • March 24: NDFB sets free the four remaining coal exporters, following the escape of two other exporters from its unidentified hideout in Meghalaya. ANVC and NDFB terrorists abducted the six coal exporters and a customs official Dipak Mahanta from Gasupara in South Garo Hills district on February 28.

  • March 6: ANVC terrorists ambush a vehicle of the Border Road Organisation killing three persons on the spot in the East Garo Hills district. They also loot Rupees seven million and two self-loading rifles before escaping.

A group of six ANVC terrorists abduct two teachers of a local school at Katuligaon near Ampati in the West Garo Hills district.

  • February 28: ANVC and NDFB terrorists abduct six coal exporters and a customs official from Customs station at Ghasuapara in South Garo Hills district.

  • February 26: Security forces rescue four abducted persons, including the Subsidiary Intelligence Bureau Assistant Director Deben Singh Rana at Damalgiri, Garobada police post limits in Tura, West Garo Hills district.

  • February 13: Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, I D Swami, says peace initiative with ANVC is in progress.

ANVC terrorists abduct a Government official at Bajengdoba in East Garo Hills district.

  • February 2: ANVC terrorists kill Santhosh Hajong, a retired Meghalaya Police Battalion personnel at Ampati, West Garo Hills district.

  • January 22: ANVC terrorists abduct a Government official from his residence at Bajendoba, East Garo Hills district.

  • January 14: Suspected ANVC terrorists kill three persons in Songsak, near Williamnagar, East Garo Hills district, for allegedly using the outfit’s name to extort money from local residents.

  • January 3: The Union Home Ministry extends ban under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act of 1967 on the ANVC and the Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) in Meghalaya.

2002

  • December 31: ANVC demands Rs two million as ransom for medical practitioner P. Bezbaruah’s release.

  • December 19: ANVC terrorists abduct medical practitioner P. Bezbaruah in Williamnagar, East Garo Hills district.

  • December 12: A businessman abducted from Nidhanpur, Assam, flees from an ANVC hideout despite being hit by bullet in the leg.

  • December 9: Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) establishes contact with ANVC and confirms the possibility peace talks in the future, most likely in Delhi in the year 2003.

  • December 1: Terrorist-attack on a passenger bus in West Garo Hills, Meghalaya, injures two passengers. The ANVC's hand is suspected in the attack.

  • November 12: ANVC relates the 1996-Wakabua raid to the rise of terrorism in Garo Hills. At the same time, the outfit's southern command in-charge and publicity-wing head Sohan D Shira says the September 9, 2002-killings of Deputy Superintendent of Police Paichon Sangma and five others, near Chokpot, was in retaliation to the Wakabua camp raid.

  • October 05: Meghalaya Chief Minister F A Khonglam discloses he is in possession of certain evidence against three Ministers from the Garo Hills region having nexus with the proscribed ANVC terrorist outfit. He says they all belong to the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

  • September 24: An ANVC terrorist is killed and another arrested by security forces (SF) in Dobu, East Garo hills district, following a prolonged gun-battle between group of five terrorists and a joint team of Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel. Three more terrorists escape. A 9mm carbine, 11 rounds of ammunition and a US-made carbine are recovered from the clash-site.

  • September 9: Six Meghalaya police personnel, including a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), are killed in an ambush laid by ANVC terrorists at Chocpot, in the Garo Hills of Meghalaya.

  • July 1: An ANVC terrorist is killed in an encounter with police near Dudhnoi in Assam. Five ANVC terrorists surrender at the Mendipather police station in the presence of Church leaders, in East Garo Hills.

  • June 30: Meghalaya Forest Minister Monindra Rava's son, Devajyoti Rava, and four others are killed by unidentified, armed-men at a place between Belguri and Abhiram Para near Tikrikilla. Police suspect the ANVC's hand in the attack.

  • June 11: Two ANVC terrorists are killed in an encounter at Amarsang village, near Kulung, under Borsora police station limits, West Khasi Hills district. Two AK-47 rifles, a Self-Loading Rifle (SLR), a Chinese rifle, two 12-bore guns and a large quantity of ammunition are recovered from the site of the encounter.
    ANVC terrorists injured in an encounter in South Garo Hills. Police recovered Rs 1,54,000 in cash from the clash-site.

  • May 12: Three Nepalese settlers are, and seven more injured in an attack by the ANVC terrorist outfit at the Tinali settlement near Phulbari in the West Garo Hills district of Meghalaya.

  • April 1: ANVC terrorist killed in encounter near Rangagre village under Tura police station limits.

  • March 14: Suspected ANVC terrorists kill eight persons, including four policemen in West Garo Hills.

  • March 1: ANVC terrorists abduct a leading businessman and a manager of a construction company from Chibinang, West Garo Hills.

  • February 16: An ANVC terrorist attempting to cross over to Bangladesh killed in an encounter by security forces at Chadogre village in West Garo Hills.

  • January 31: ANVC terrorist and two Border Security Force (BSF) personnel killed in an encounter at Phanda in South Garo Hills district.

  • January 22: ANVC conducts a joint attack with National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) terrorists on a security forces camp using rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) at Tikrikilla in South Garo Hills.

2001

  • December 26: ANVC terrorist escapes from the Williamnagar district Jail, East Garo Hills district.

  • November 25: ANVC terrorist arrested from a dwelling at Sonatala near Ranikota

  • November 22: ANVC terrorist surrenders to the South Garo Hills District police.

  • November 20: ANVC terrorists abduct a Sub-Divisional Officer from Waribok, near Rongrang, in West Garo Hills.

  • October 20: Three ANVC terrorists arrested from Doldegre area in West Garo Hills district by a joint team of Meghalaya police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

  • October 9: Two ANVC cadres injured in an encounter on the outskirts of Williamnagar.

1999

August: Two policemen killed when suspected ANVC terrorists blow up two jeeps at Aniaga village in the East Garo hills.

1998

October: Five security force personnel killed and over Rs. 100,000 looted during an attack in East Garo hills.

February: Two police personnel killed and Rs. 800,000 looted in an ambush laid by ANVC terrorists, the East Garo Hills.

Source:Compiled from news reports and are provisional.

 

 

 

 

 
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