The Insurgency in Meghalaya is a frozen armed conflict between India and a number of separatist rebel groups which was taking place in the state of Meghalaya. The Insurgency in Meghalaya is part of the wider Insurgency in Northeast India, and was fueled by demands of the Khasi, Synteng and Garo people for a separate state. [5]
The state of Meghalaya was separated from the state of Assam in 1971, in order to satisfy the Khasi, Jaintia and Garo for a separate state. The decision was initially praised as an example of successful national integration into the wider Indian state. [11]
This, however, failed to prevent the rise of national consciousness among the local tribal populations. This later led to a direct confrontation between Indian nationalism and the newly created Garo and Khasi nationalisms. A parallel rise of nationalism in the other members of the Seven Sister States further complicated the situation, resulting in occasional clashes between fellow rebel groups. [11]
The state wealth distribution system further fueled the rising separatist movements, as funding is practiced through per capita transfers, which largely benefits the leading ethnic group. [11]
Starting in the 1980s, bands of violent groups began to form in the region, mostly in opposition to the non-tribal Dkhars and their perceived threat to jobs and demographics in the state. [12]
The first militant outfit to emerge in the region was the Hynniewtrep Achik Liberation Council (HALC). It was formed in 1992 by Julius Dorphang, who would become the outfit's chairman, as well as John Kharkrang and Cheristerfield Thangkhiew. It aimed to protect the interests of Meghalaya's indigenous population from the rise of non-tribal ("Dkhar") immigration. [13] [5]
Tensions between Garos and Khasis soon led to a split in the HALC. The Garo dominated Achik Matgrik Liberation Army (AMLA) would splinter off, while Dorphang, Kharkrang, and Thangkhiew would meet to rename the joint Synteng-Khasi alliance left in the HALC to the Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC). AMLA passed into obscurity, while Achik National Volunteers Council (ANVC) took its place. The Garo – Khasi drift persisted as HNLC had set up the goal of turning Meghalaya into an exclusively Khasi region, ANVC on the other hand sought out the creation of an independent state in the Garo Hills. [5] [13]
A number of non Meghalayan separatist groups have also operated in the region, including the United Liberation Front of Assam and the National Democratic Front of Bodoland among others. [6]
GNLA had more or less been neutralised in the aftermath of Operation Hill Storm between July 2014 and September 2016.The last killing linked to GNLA was reported on February 24, 2018, when the then 'commander-in-chief' of GNLA, Sohan D. Shira, was killed in an encounter by Meghalaya Police at Dobu A'chakpek in the East Garo Hills District.
After Mass surrender and disbandment of ULFA and NDFB, insurgency in Meghalaya has been finished for good. Most major Garo militants have also either been killed or have surrendered. [14]
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