Shillong, May 10: The publicity of the band outfit the Hynniewtrep National Liberation council (HNLC) in the press statement issued to media houses today said that,peace talks shall provide an excellent opportunity for the Meghalaya government to set up and strengthen peace in the entire region, the band organization also congratulate the new Chief Minister of Meghalaya Mr Conrad K Sangma of taking the regional parties along in order to form a stable government in Meghalaya.
He HNLC said that, unlike the MUA which was full of conspiracies to dethrone Dr Mukul Sangma . the band outfit hope that the present government shall take up the responsibilities upon their shoulders to work for a prospering Meghalaya.
In the press statement the publicity secretary of the HNLC Mr Sainkupar Nongtraw said that after going through the recent statements made by the Home minister James Sangma, they have reached to a conclusion that all the past promises made by the then Governor and and the former Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma were all fabricated lies to bring the council to the negotiating table. No doubt we do not subscribe to violence alone.
The HNLC recall that it was in the year 2004 where they had decided to give up arms and pursue peace talks with the Government. They have made made there stand clear that they shall not surrender unlike other cadres in the past. Surrender is not an option anymore. Going through the history of insurgency, many Civil society groups in the Northeast have played key roles in the conflict management and resolution process.
Both the Young Mizo Association (YMA) and the Church played significant roles in the finalisation of the Mizo Peace Accord 1986. In Nagaland, the Naga Hoho, the Church, the Naga Mothers’ Association (NMA) have been instrumental in the 1997 ceasefire between the NSCN-IM and New Delhi.
The HNLC also anticipated that our People including NGOs and pressure groups, church elders would develop a stake in the peace proccess and become a part of the mechanism for maintaining them. It is a public process requiring public participation and democratic consensus.
The peace talks shall provide an excellent opportunity for the Meghalaya government to set up and strengthen peace in the entire region. Now at this juncture the invitation of the government has injected doubts into the minds of the band outfit as they were told to surrender and only after surrendering shall the government talk.
In the press statement the HNLC question, how can they trust the government when they had bitter experiences in the past? For the last four years they were kept into the dark. Now they cannot take risks to lay down our arms. What will happen to their ideology that they had been fighting for decades long? Will that be wise enough? The HNLC appeal to the Home minister is to consult the various stake holders NGOs, pressure groups, church elders along with khasi and Jaintia cabinet Ministers.
The HNLC asked why should they not get an opportunity to come to the peace negotiations like there counterpart the Achik National Volunteer council (ANVC). Will that not tantamount to being one sided and, will it not create a negative impact into the minds of the people? after decades of confrontation and untold sufferings, the HNLC decided to have political dialogue with the Government of India as well as the Government of Meghalaya as they are in the view of acknowledgement that the government will seek a peaceful solution, leaving aside all bitterness.
The aim of the peace talks is to address the roots of the armed conflict and not to force the surrender of the HNLC, and once that issue is addressed, much of the reason to fight against the government would disappear. Frequent negotiations have, indeed, emerged as a successful tool of conflict management in the northeast.
Many lives have been lost and much blood has been spilled and lots of hard work has gone into ensuring the return of peace to our region. Any kind of political or military conflicts can only be eradicated by dialogue. The Police department makes contradictory claims about the HNLC being a spent force already while continuing to be the State’s security threat. This is the right time for the government to show its positive side as we are ready to come forward to reach for an amicable solution.
It should be a two sided win win situation, the HNLC do not want to carry on with violence anymore, Now the ball is in the government’s court as to decide whether it wants to give us a chance to enter the mainstream or continue our unending struggle said Saińkupar Nongtraw Publicity Secretary, HNLC.
