Former rebels in Meghalaya turn to tambola for sustenance

The former rebels of ANVC-B started conducting Bawil Dawil games after the promise of a rehabilitation package by the state government did not materialise.

Updated on: Nov 13, 2017, 11:08:05 IST

Hindustan Times, Guwahati | By Utpal Parashar

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A group of former rebels, who held guns to fight for a separate state in Meghalaya, plans to sell tickets of a traditional tambola-like board game to earn a living, saying they are frustrated at the lack of the comprehensive rehabilitation package as promised by the government.

Meghalaya chief minister Mukul Sangma (second from right) is seen with leaders of ANVC and ANVC-B during a disbanding ceremony of the two rebel outfits at Tura in December 2014.

A’chik Matgrik, a group formed for the welfare of rebels from ANVC-B, a breakaway faction of Achik National Volunteer Council, said in a statement issued on Sunday that the former rebels would actively promote Bawil Dawil, a local version of tambola or housie, to ensure disillusioned cadres don’t take up arms again.

“We want our former cadres to earn a living instead of being frustrated and depressed. This is our private project to support our former members and the youth,” the statement by AR Marak, the group’s organising secretary, said.

Formed in 1995 with the aim of carving out an Achik Land comprising Garo Hills in Meghalaya and parts of Assam, the parent group and the breakaway faction disbanded 19 years later with 447 cadres of ANVC and 301 from ANVC-B giving up arms.

The former rebels of ANVC-B started conducting Bawil Dawil games in Tura, the largest town in Garo Hills region, after the promise of a rehabilitation package by the Congress government in the state did not materialise.

They now want to promote the traditional version of the board game, based on probability in which players have to strike out numbers from a sheet and get prizes, more actively in rest of the region.

The statement by A’chik Matgrik said that they have informed the authorities about their plan to conduct the board games in the region as “rehabilitation packages are yet to be released to all”.

Nearly three years after the disbanding their outfit in a big ceremony in the presence of chief minister Mukul Sangma, the former rebels from ANVC-B have been accusing the state government of failing to dole out a rehabilitation package for them.

“There are certain technicalities that need to be addressed and in the process, there have been delays,” Sangma told journalists in Shillong in August this year.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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