SHILLONG: All eyes are on Home Minister Prestone Tynsong’s return to office as the much-anticipated tripartite peace talks with the proscribed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) hit another snag on Monday.
Shortly after Sadon Blah, the interlocutor representing the banned outfit, formally declared HNLC’s withdrawal from the peace talks in a press meet, Health Minister Amapreen Lyngdoh informed that since the matter falls under the purview of the Home Department and given that Tynsong has been unable to address it due to other responsibilities, his return to office is expected to bring clarity to all issues affecting the talks.
“Currently, he (Tynsong) is unavailable to address this crucial matter. TheNational People’s Party (NPP) is committed to advising the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government to proceed with these significant peace talks. While we acknowledge that there have been some misunderstandings among the stakeholders, we anticipate that once the Home Minister returns to the office, these issues will be amicably resolved,” said Lyngdoh.
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Just hours before that, addressing the press, Blah, had informed that the proscribed outfit has officially pulled out of the peace talks citing the state government’s perceived “indifferent attitude” toward their core demands.
“The resumption of tripartite peace talks hinges on the state government’s willingness to withdraw all cases against the leaders of the outfit and provide a general amnesty to its cadres. The ball is now on the government’s court,” he told the press.
Blah further added that over the course of the talks initiated nearly two years ago, the government has shown a lack of effort in understanding the necessity of withdrawing cases and providing amnesty to the outfit’s cadres.
“We have had a series of talks with government is the past two years, but they are not understanding,” he said.
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Earlier on January 5, Cabinet Minister Paul Lyngdoh had hinted that the outfit’s request for amnesty for its leaders “would be granted”.
While speaking at the inauguration ceremony at the East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner’s office, Tourism Minister Lyngdoh had said, “It (amnesty) can be considered, depending on the nature of each of the registered cases against their leaders. I believe it should be and would be considered.”
Stating that the government would soon convene a meeting to reach a decision, he also urged the outfit to await the return of Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and Tynsong to the state.
