Shillong, May 29: The state government is still waiting for the response of the proscribed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) for resuming the peace talks.
Chief Secretary DP Wahlang on Wednesday said, “The government has never said we are walking away from peace talks right from the beginning. We are interested in pursuing peace. We have appealed to the organization to come forward and discuss further wherever we have left off and we are waiting for the response from them.”
“We are serious and we would like to pursue the path of peace. There is no ambiguity as far as that is concerned,” Wahlang maintained while responding to query on whether the state government will still pursue the peace talks following the recent decision of the UAPA tribunal to uphold the Ministry of Home Affairs’ decision to declare the HNLC for another five years as an unlawful organisation.
On the HNLC’s demand to provide general amnesty before moving forward with the peace talks, the chief secretary said, “That is exactly the points that we need to discuss when we sit across the table but if they are not coming for talks then how can we take any decision without discussing and we appeal to them to come forward and let us discuss and come to a logical conclusion.”
On January 3, 2024, the HNLC had announced its decision to withdraw from the peace talks as a mark of protest against the alleged government’s lack of seriousness in addressing its core demands which include amnesty and lifting of the ban.
Asked about the alleged extortion activities of the outfit, Wahlang said, “People are receiving demand notes, that is a justification for the ban on the organization itself. You have answered the question that you asked a couple of minutes back yourself that is probably the reason why the tribunal had banned it.”
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