- January 4, 2024
Meghalaya rebels pull out of peace talks | India News – Times of India
GUWAHATI: The proscribed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) of Meghalaya has pulled out of peace talks with the Centre and the state government, citing a deadlock on “fundamental issues” after six months of dialogue.
The outfit’s chairman and commander-in-chief, Boby Marwein, and general secretary-cum-publicity secretary Sainkupar Nongtraw wrote to the Centre’s interlocutor A K Mishra on December 31, saying they were “reluctantly withdrawing from the peace talks”.
“We have concerns that if these fundamental issues remain unaddressed, our political demands will also be dismissed,” states the letter, a copy of which was sent to CM Conrad Sangma.
The outfit recently issued a death threat to an MLA, Gavin Mylliemngap of the governing National People’s Party over the cabinet decision to shut down Mawmluh-Cherra Cements Ltd, a state-run cement company, at Sohra in East Khasi Hills district. The jolt to the peace process in Meghalaya comes days after neighbouring Assam’s pro-talks Ulfa faction inked a tripartite accord with the Centre and the state government, marking a breakthrough after 44 years.
HNLC’s general demands, placed before the Centre in 2021, include revoking the tag of “banned” outfit under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the withdrawal of all pending cases against its cadre in various courts.
HNLC was first declared a banned organisation in 2000. It was off the list for some years before being outlawed again in 2019 for advocating the secession of Meghalaya from the Indian Union.
The outfit traces its roots to the Hynniewtrep Achik Liberation Council (HALC), Meghalaya’s first separatist group founded in the 1980s. The parent group split in 1992, with the Garo members forming a new outfit called Achik Liberation Matgrik Army and the Khasi and Jaintia cadre creating HNLC.
The outfit’s chairman and commander-in-chief, Boby Marwein, and general secretary-cum-publicity secretary Sainkupar Nongtraw wrote to the Centre’s interlocutor A K Mishra on December 31, saying they were “reluctantly withdrawing from the peace talks”.
“We have concerns that if these fundamental issues remain unaddressed, our political demands will also be dismissed,” states the letter, a copy of which was sent to CM Conrad Sangma.
The outfit recently issued a death threat to an MLA, Gavin Mylliemngap of the governing National People’s Party over the cabinet decision to shut down Mawmluh-Cherra Cements Ltd, a state-run cement company, at Sohra in East Khasi Hills district. The jolt to the peace process in Meghalaya comes days after neighbouring Assam’s pro-talks Ulfa faction inked a tripartite accord with the Centre and the state government, marking a breakthrough after 44 years.
HNLC’s general demands, placed before the Centre in 2021, include revoking the tag of “banned” outfit under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the withdrawal of all pending cases against its cadre in various courts.
HNLC was first declared a banned organisation in 2000. It was off the list for some years before being outlawed again in 2019 for advocating the secession of Meghalaya from the Indian Union.
The outfit traces its roots to the Hynniewtrep Achik Liberation Council (HALC), Meghalaya’s first separatist group founded in the 1980s. The parent group split in 1992, with the Garo members forming a new outfit called Achik Liberation Matgrik Army and the Khasi and Jaintia cadre creating HNLC.
