Shillong, Jul 21 : Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma today said that his government is examining the issue of declaring Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) militant outfit as banned organisation.
''All these things are being examined, and under the scanner, the government will take a decision on it,'' Dr Sangma told reporters.
The Chief Minister was reacting to a query if the government proposed to impose on the GNLA, which has unleashed a reign of terror in the three districts of Garo Hills.
Asked if the GNLA was receiving any political patronage, Dr Sangma said, ''It will be disastrous for those who are sympathizers and are hand-in-glove. I want to send a clear message to the patronisers that the government has the capacity to find out all information.'' The Chief Minister, however, appealed to citizens of the state to support the government in its fight against such forces, which were against the spirit of civilized democracy. ''They (militants) are criminals indulging extortion and killings,'' he said.
On the emergence of smaller outfits, Dr Sangma said the government was trying to understand as to why there was emergence of militant outfits one after another in different names.
He said the GNLA was an offshoot of the A’chik National Volunteer Council (ANVC), which was now under a tripartite ceasefire agreement with the State and the Centre and deserters of the Meghalaya Police.
''Apparently the Garo Hills is being used as corridor by many militant outfits, and these Small outfits are coming up again and again with the support from various organizations, including the NDFB and ULFA,'' he said.
Nonetheless, he said the government has taken all steps to neutralise these groups and the state police have been asked to maintain better co-ordination with people in militancy-affected areas in order to gather information on militant activities.
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