have been issued to strengthen security measures, especially in the five districts of Garo Hills comprising twenty four constituencies out of the total sixty in the state.There is a mixed fear and anxiety among the people, as even the former deputy chief minister Deborah Marak, who is the working president of the Meghalaya Pradesh Committee, was attacked in broad day light at a public function during the football prize distribution ceremony, by militants of the Achik National Liberation Council (ANVC-B), which she narrowly escaped with injuries in a melee. Further an attempt on the life of C & RD Minister Salseng A.Sangma was made when a hand grenade was lobbed at his residence, which caused damage to the house, but fortunately the minister was not present during the incident.

The state Home minister H.Donkupar R.Lyngdoh, in an emergent meeting held at Tura, attended by deputy commissioners and superintendents of police of Garo Hills, had directed the police to go all out against militants, and that the police should have a close co-ordination with the Border Security Force (BSF) to check for illegal crossing of militants along the Indo-Bangladesh border, and also to work in tandem with the Central Reserve Police Force in the maintenance of law and order.

Former chief minister Donkupar Roy and chief of the United Democratic Party (UDP), a coalition partner of the present Meghalaya United Alliance- Congress led government, has stated that if militants remain active, it will be difficult to have free and fair elections even as it calls for necessary steps to address the problems. He said that it was really unfortunate that political leaders are being attacked and facing violent threats. Other political parties have also expressed concern over the present situation in Garo Hills, especially since the Garo National Liberation Army chief Champion, who has declared that his outfit would support the Congress, and that he, himself would seek a party ticket to contest the ensuing elections, is now a free bird, as he has been released on bail by the judicial authorities.However, there is a political under current militancy politics in the Garo Hills. The ANVC (B), has asked its parent group, presently under the terms of cease fire with the government, to join the ANVC (B), if they are not happy with the peace talks. The fire agreement, has expressed dissatisfaction that the government is yet to address the demands of the outfit. The ANVC has stated that the government is delaying the peace process and that it was clear enough, that the state government is not serious in discussing and solving the Garo land issue. Therefore, all is not well in the on-going peace process, instead there are complexities that have cropped up, relating to the other groups such as the ANVS (B) and the GNLA.

In the midst of these feud situations in the political under current of the militant politics which are directly related to the ensuing elections, the State Election department has apprised the Election Commission of the prevailing situation in the Garo Hills. The state Chief electoral officer P.Naik, had only this to say “we will wait and watch the situation”, and that steps would be taken accordingly to ensure a free and fair election. He assured the deployment of additional forces if such a situation demands for it, yet he had shifted the responsibility, that a free and fair election would be the responsibility of the state police.

In the meantime violent activities have been carried out by the Achikland militants, not only posing a threat to the prospective candidates and politicians of different political parties but also to the people, when GNLA cadres had intruded into the bordering West Khasi Hills district and shot dead a coal laborer. The militants have accused the laborer of helping the police. Such incidents have recorded an increase and creating terror among the people, even as the police swung into action, twelve days after ANVC (B) militants attacked Deborah Marak at Rongbinggre, they were able to arrest seven militants suspected to be involved in the indiscriminate firing at Williamnagar market, in which a businessman was injured. The militants were also involved in the firing at Nongalbibra market, in which a civilian was killed. Therefore the existence of violence and threats to personal safety exist in the Garo Hills, in which the people and specially the voters do not feel secure, even if the administrative authorities and the police have assured them safety.

The Congress party had distant away from the declaration of the GNLA chief Champion that he would work to support the Congress. However, it seems that the government is not giving cognition to the claim of Champion, when the ‘Foreign secretary’ of the GNLA Bransim Marak, was caught in the security dragnet at Madhupur in the Tangail district of Bangladesh. The Bangladesh authorities have responded to checking of militants taking refuge in the country, in which the GNLA Chairman Champion R.Sangma, was arrested in a similar situation.

It was certainly a big catch in the arrest of the GNLA foreign secretary Bransik Marak. The state government had followed up, by requesting the central authorities to transfer Bransim Marak, also known as Bikdot, to the charge of the state government, so that more vital information can be obtained of the GNLA especially in relations to the up and coming general elections of the state assembly. Further, other militant leaders were confronted, including the Area Commander of the GNLA Pollop D.Sangma in charge of the bordering Garo Hills South West Khasi Hills border. The arrested cadre had admitted that he was involved in several incidents such as planning of kidnappings and the murdering of coal mine owners as well as laborers present in the vicinity in West Khasi Hills, and that he was designated as the Area Commander of the GNLA. In the operations conducted by the state police and the BSF, several militants of the Achik Elite Force who engaged in an encounter with the police, were also apprehended, who have been involved in the distribution of demand notes to coal mine quarry owners in the Garo and West Khasi Hills districts.

The different militant groups have however accused candidates of practicing corrupt practices in the run for the elections and that they wanted a clean and fair election, yet ironically, the militants have taken up a violent strategy in their objectives at the point of the barrel of the gun, or that they have hidden political interests.

The police have however been following up orders to go all out for militants irrespective of their groups or identities and already seven ANVC (B) activities suspected to be involved in the attack against Deborah Marak are in the dragnet. The election as far as the Garo Hills is concerned is a mix up of votes and bullets, which could not be considered as being free and fair.

However, in spite of all these uncertainties, the youth of Garo Hills had expressed their determination of ushering peace to Achikand in the unique festival of “Chiring”, the playing of bamboo instruments, to achieve an atmosphere of peace and tranquility, which is essentially required, in the process for free elections, without guns and bullets.  

ANVC parent body, though covered by the cease