Shillong: Stating that there is no intention to declare the insurgency-hit Garo Hills region a "disturbed area", the Meghalaya government Wednesday vowed to continue fighting militancy in the state.
"At this moment, there is no proposal from the state government to the central government to declare the Garo Hills as "disturbed area" as the situation in that region is not bad compared with other disturbed areas of the country," Chief Secretary W.M.S. Pariat said.
An area declared a disturbed area immediately comes under the controversial Armed Forces (Special) Powers Act which provides security forces with sweeping powers.
"We do not want to rope in the army in the area as there are several issues to be considered. The customs and traditions are different in these areas and people from outside do take time to understand these issues, so we are not declaring Garo Hills a disturbed area, nor are we in favour of roping in the army at this juncture," Pariat told journalists.
He, however, vowed that counter-insurgency operations will continue in a "strong manner" and in a "strategised way" to neutralise the militant activities in the Garo Hills. "We have to relook into the areas where we have problems and then come up with appropriate strategies," he said.
Five Meghalaya policemen were killed in South Garo Hills, bordering Bangladesh, on Tuesday when a group of 30 Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) militants ambushed them when they were on their way to a jail to take charge of a prisoner.
The home ministry has expressed concern over the situation in the five districts of Garo Hills, especially with the rise of the outlawed GNLA, a tribal Garo outfit which forged an operational alliance with the United Liberation Front of Asom and the National Democratic Front of Bodoland, giving it access to arms and ammunition.
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