PTI
SHILLONG, NOVEMBER 16
Several organisations today held a rally here to protest against a recent ruling of the Meghalaya High Court asking the Centre to consider enforcing Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in militancy-hit Garo Hills to help the administration restore the rule of law.
The protesters also demanded that the state should repeal Meghalaya Preventive Detention Act (MPDA) and Meghalaya Maintenance of Public Order (MMPO) which, they alleged, are enforced to silence democratic protests.
The organisations also appealed to the militant outfits operating in the five districts of Garo Hills region to come to the negotiating table and resolve their issues.
Thma U Rangli Juki (TUR), Civil Society Women’s Organisation (CSWO), Khasi Students Union (KSU), Garo Students Union (GSU) and Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP) and others marched from the Madan Iewrynghep ground to the Additional Secretariat.
Addressing the rally, TUR leader Angela Rangad said, “We are here to tell the government that it is high time to bring peace in Garo Hills.
“You cannot bring peace by imposing AFSPA. Peace has to come with justice, truth and reconciliation,” she said.
Rangad claimed that the reason for the unrest, frustration and violence in Garo Hills and in the state as a whole is because of corruption.
KSU leader Donald V Thabah said a number of incidents had happened in states like Manipur and Assam because of AFSPA and termed the law as ‘outdated’.
Demanding repealing of the state’s MPDA and MMPO, he said, “We have to fight at any cost against laws which take away our rights.”
The central government can enforce AFSPA for the purpose of deployment of armed forces in the aid of civil administration to restore public order and maintain the law and order, a full bench of the Meghalaya High Court had said on November 2 after a hearing related to a pending case of militants calling bandhs in the state.
