SHILLONG: The Meghalaya government seems to have given in to the demand of amnesty by the Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC).
Two days after the proscribed outfit pulled out of the ongoing tripartite peace talks with the Centre and state government, cabinet minister Paul Lyngdoh, on Friday, hinted that the outfit’s demand for amnesty for its leaders “would be granted”.
Speaking on the sidelines of an inauguration ceremony at the East Khasi Hills, Deputy Commissioner’s office on Friday, Tourism Minister Lyngdoh also added that the outfit hasn’t officially communicated their decision of withdrawing from the peace talks with the government.
“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,” he said.
Lyngdoh also informed that despite no official communication from HNLC, the government is “seriously” considering the amnesty demand and would soon call for a meeting to arrive at a decision.
“A lot of ground has been covered (in regards to the peace talks) and now is not the time to pull out of it. We would have a meeting with Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, once they are back in the state,” he said.
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Earlier on January 3, the HNLC, through a statement, had informed about withdrawing from the ongoing tripartite peace talks citing the alleged “non-fulfilment of core demands” by the governments as the primary reason.
Expressing regret over the inability to reach a consensus during the peace negotiations, the outfit had also highlighted the government’s “purported lack of seriousness” in addressing their core demands, of which, amnesty to its leaders was a primary mandate.
During the first tripartite talks in June, the HNLC had sought amnesty and later indicated that further discussions hinged on the government’s reconsideration of dropping charges.
The outfit specifically mentioned that its chairman and general secretary would not engage in peace talks unless pending cases against them were withdrawn or a framework agreement for a ceasefire was established.
Meanwhile, the state unit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a member of the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance 2.0, has urged the banned outfit to reconsider and join the mainstream, stressing the party’s desire for lasting peace in the state.
