Make public Garo peace pact text: NPP

Opposition National People's Party (NPP) today demanded that the Meghalaya government make public the agreed text of settlement signed with a Garo rebel outfit last month, and an NIA probe into the alleged politico-militant nexus in the state.
The agreed text of settlement was signed between the Centre, state government and the Achik National Volunteer Council (ANVC) and its splinter group ANVC(B) at New Delhi on September 24.
"In the interest of the public who are the biggest stakeholders, we demand that the Agreed Text of Settlement be made public as the people of Garo Hills have the right to know the details of the so called Settlement," NPP spokesperson James K Sangma said here.

The Congress government failed to take the stakeholders particularly the people's representatives into confidence during the process of signing the agreed text settlement, Sangma said.
Despite signing of the agreement, militancy in Garo Hills was still on the rise and killings and abductions were the order of the day, the spokesperson added.
The situation was disconcerting as Chief Minister Mukul Sangma who had admitted existence of a nexus between politicians and militants, has taken no steps to institute a probe into this, he said.

"This clearly shows the insincerity and double standards of Mukul Sangma who it seems is going slow on this due to reasons best known to him," the spokesman said.

The NPP therefore demands that the chief minister immediately ask for an NIA enquiry into this matter, he said.
No solution to the insurgency problem could be reached unless this link was exposed and corrected since these very politicians would shield the insurgents and find ways to protect them, the NPP leader alleged.