CM Sangma says Formal peace talks with HNLC from June

Shillong: The tripartite talks with the banned Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) will officially begin in the first week of June this year.

This was announced by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma after a cabinet meeting in the state capital Shillong late on Wednesday.

The chief minister told mediapersons that the first round of peace talks between the banned militant group HNLC and the state and central governments would begin in the first week of June this year.

Chief Minister Sangma also informed that an informal meeting had already taken place on Tuesday between Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong and HNLC members.
Meanwhile, Hynniewtrep National Youth Front president and HNLC negotiator Sadon K Blah said the organization has presented conditions for peace talks.

After the cabinet meeting, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma told mediapersons, “It has been decided and formally informed that formal talks with HNLC will begin in the first week of June.
Any communication taking place will be through the interlocutor, so any discussions that take place will be in a position to discuss. And of course, I have mentioned some of the points that are there and obviously as a government we will try to make sure that whatever steps can be taken to make sure that they rest I am sorry.
“On Tuesday, an informal meeting was held between Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong and members of the HNLC in which the Political Secretary, Vice Chairman, Executive Members and Interlocutor were present and it was decided and formally informed that formal talks with the HNLC “There will be talks. We will start in the first week of June this year. As the talks begin, we will see how it progresses and we hope we will be able to reach a positive solution,” he said. Chief Minister Sangma said.
HNLC is a militant organization that operates mainly in Meghalaya. It claims to represent the Khasi-Jaintia tribal people, and aims to free Meghalaya from alleged domination by people outside the Indian mainland.

It was banned on 16 November 2000, but was later lifted, before being banned again in 2019.

The HNLC operates mainly in the Khasi Hills region and has carried out several terrorist activities in Shillong.

Some of its camps were located in Bangladesh, mostly in the Chittagong Hill Tracts where the top leadership of the HNLC was based in Dhaka.
The Meghalaya government and the state police have accused the HNLC of being involved in several illegal activities including murder, kidnapping, robbery, arms smuggling, cattle smuggling and extortion in the Jaintia Hills coal belt.

He is also accused of circulating fake currency in the state, which is backed by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

HNLC claims that it has tried to help special people and improve the society.

He launched Operation Kyllang (Storm) to torture and publicly punish rapists, claiming to reduce crime in the Khasi Hills.
It also called for a boycott of Indian Independence Day celebrations every year.

It opposes civic polls in Meghalaya, alleging that the polls will disempower traditional tribal institutions.

On the other hand, when asked about the information about the re-organization of the banned militant outfit Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) in the state, Chief Minister Sangma said that the state government is confirming the claims. .
“Talking about GNLA, I have already mentioned that we have received a lot of intel on a daily basis and different reports are coming in based on different interactions at different levels. So, we never Ever know we have to cross-check and double-check and we need to go into more detail to find out how much truth there is in that particular intel,” Chief Minister Sangma said.
“It’s a process that goes on every day so why and how it came about we’re obviously inquiring into the whole thing but as I said there’s been a number of reports coming in and the government has taken a number of these inputs. Takes a lot of action at the base. Get it,” Sangma added.

“However, as I said we don’t talk about it because obviously, it’s something that’s an internal police department matter but it’s not like we’re not taking it very seriously, we takes it very seriously. Every intelligent input is important to us, we will consider every aspect, and we will cross-check before coming to any final conclusion.