Shillong(Meghalaya) ,Feb 8 : The banned Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) said it is ready for unconditional talks with the Centre and the state and has urged the government to appoint an interlocutor .
A statement by the HNLC General Secretary cum publicity secretary , Sanikupar Nongtraw urged the Centre to respond to its offer for peace and appoint an interlocutor to show the seriousness.
“As of now we are ready to talk within the ambit of the Constitution and have talks without any preconditions . The Standstill Agreement and Instrument of Accession shall not be included If the GOI is willing then we are ready to go for a dialogue,” the statement said .
“After decades of confrontation and sufferings we the HNLC decided to have a dialogue with the states and the Government of India in the hope that a peaceful solution shall be achieved leaving aside all bitterness”, the statement added.
Nongthraw said the “killing” of the former general secretary Chesterfield Thangkhiew, who was in favour of peace talks and was assigned the task to carry forward the peace initiative with the Centre, in 2021 had derailed the peace process.
“As assured by some elders, the peace talks shall provide an excellent oppurtunity for the government to strengthen peace in the region,” the General Secretary said.
The organisation was formed with the moral and arms support of ULFA in the 1980s and took up arms in the “interest of the tribe” , the statement said.
On Jan 30 last , the HNLC carried out a low intensity IED blast at Police Bazar , here .
Earlier this month ,Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma had reiterated that the state government is open for talks with the banned Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) but made it clear that it cannot be conditional.
