Meghalaya, ex-militants revisit 2014 peace pact: 11 years on, key commitments still pending

The Meghalaya government on September 26 held a high-level review meeting with former leaders of the disbanded Achik National Volunteer Council (ANVC) and its breakaway faction ANVC-B to assess the implementation of the tripartite peace accord signed in 2014 with the state and central governments.

Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong chaired the meeting, which was attended by the chief secretary, the DGP, and senior officials from key departments.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Tynsong said that significant progress had been made in implementing the accord. “We had a detailed discussion on the peace agreement signed in 2014. I must say around 50 to 60 per cent of the commitments have already been fulfilled,” he said.

According to him, while several provisions have been completed and some are under various stages of implementation, a few remain pending due to legal and constitutional hurdles. “There are certain issues that we cannot take a final decision on until the 125th Amendment to the Constitution is passed by both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. Those points were not discussed in detail today,” he noted.

The 125th Amendment Bill seeks to expand financial, executive, and administrative powers of tribal autonomous councils functioning under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.

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During the meeting, progress in development works in the Garo Hills region, including road projects, forest conservation, and initiatives under the Arts and Culture Department such as libraries, auditoriums, and cultural centres, came up for review.

On rehabilitation, Tynsong said the surrender and resettlement packages for members of both ANVC and ANVC-B have already been delivered. “That part of the agreement is more or less complete,” he stated.

Responding to logistical concerns raised by the former ANVC leaders, the government has agreed to appoint a dedicated nodal officer to improve coordination. “They requested us to appoint a nodal officer to coordinate with various departments, as it’s difficult for them to travel from Garo Hills to Shillong frequently. We have decided that one officer will be appointed under the supervision of the development commissioner,” Tynsong said.

He added that the officer would serve as the key link between the ANVC groups, the state government, district councils, and relevant departments.

Describing the talks as “very constructive,” the deputy chief minister reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to implementing the accord in full. “We will closely monitor the remaining issues and ensure that the provisions of the peace accord are fully complied with,” he said.