20-Jan-2024 02:30 PM
6085
Shillong, Jan 20 (Reporter) The Meghalaya government has asked the outlawed Hynñiewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) to review its decision to withdraw from the tripartite peace talks with the Centre and the state.
"Our door is still open even though you (HNLC) have sent us the withdrawal letter. Think a thousand times, and don’t just blame the government.
You will not get this golden opportunity when it has reached this stage. If you feel unsafe coming here, we are ready for the talks anywhere fixed by the HNLC,” Deputy Chief Minister in-charge of Home, Prestone Tynsong, said.
The HNLC’s demands included lifting the ban on the outfit, withdrawing all pending cases against its members, and providing safe passage for its central leaders to facilitate the talks.
Tynsong is to submit the list of its cadres booked under various cases in both lower and higher courts throughout the state after the militant outfit pulled out of the peace talks.
He said the interlocutor of the government and the representative from the Ministry of Home Affairs had explained to the HNLC the need to furnish the list when the peace talks began.
"The HNLC never furnished the names of the cadres. How will we be able to know how many cadres of the outfits have cases against them in different courts? We kept waiting for the list, but instead, we received the withdrawal letter,” the Deputy Chief Minister said.
On their demand to lift the ban on it, he said, “We said this is a peace talk, and it has just started once. Let us continue with the talks to reach that point. But unfortunately, they withdrew.”
Tynsong said the HNLC’s withdrawal from the peace talks came as a “shock” because all the demands raised by them were discussed in the first tripartite peace talks...////...