Cherishstarfield Thangkhiew (51), fondly called Bah Che, is a free man. The former Cherishstarfield Thangkhiew (51), fondly called Bah Che, is a free man. The former general secretary of HNLC termed his exit on October 18 as retirement from the organisation he served for the last 31 years, the prime of his life. He does not have the look of the youthful days when he sported a beard and it is difficult to compare his current attire with his old pictures posted in the police stations. At his Mawlai Kynton Massar residence, he receives his guests with a smile. Thangkhiew spoke to The Shillong Times on Sunday evening about his life, plans and the future of the organisation which he had represented.
ST: How do you feel coming home after several years?
Thangkhiew: I am happy to return. But there are many challenges on the home front as I have seven children. Only one among them is employed. I have to work hard to fill the vacuum which they had felt in the past during my absence though they were looked after by my wife.
ST: How did you reach home on October 18 from Bangladesh?
Thangkhiew: I came secretly from Nohksiar, a Khasi-dominated village under Sylhet, and walked just 10 minutes to reach Dawki. After reaching Dawki, I hired a vehicle and reached home. Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong had taken initiative to establish contacts with me. Chief Minister and Home Minister were aware about it and they knew the date of my arrival.
ST: What about the commander-in-chief of HNLC Bobby Marwein and other cadres. Are they willing to come over ground?
Thangkhiew: Of course they are willing. I had suggested them to disband the organisation. But where do they go without proper approval and process from the government?
ST: What role you can play after your return?
Thangkhiew: If the government allows me, I can go back to Bangladesh officially with passport or unofficially and lead the remaining cadres to come over ground. But the government should give me an official letter authorising me as the negotiator.
ST: Do you feel any regret for spending many years with HNLC?
Thangkhiew: I have no regret of being a member of the HNLC which was fighting for a cause.
ST: Can you trace the history of HNLC and the leaders?
Thangkhiew: In fact, Founder Cajee and Sounder Cajee along with a few of us were the founding members of the erstwhile Hynniewtrep Achik Liberation Council (HALC) in 1987. Julius Dorphang and John Kharkrang were also with us at that time. Vincent Sangma was part of HALC. Later in 1990, Sangma joined the police force. The current Army Chief of HNLC, Bobby Marwein, joined the organisation in 1991.
ST: What resulted in the split of HALC into Khasi (HNLC) and Garo outfits, A’chik Liberation Matgrik Army (ALMA) and then ANVC?
Thangkhiew: We did not have any ideological or tribal differences. The reason was due to the distance from Khasi Hills to Garo Hills and communication was difficult.
ST: What was the reason for the Shillong jail break involving you and other militants in 1995?
Thangkhiew: The jail break was part of our struggle. Eight of us escaped from the jail including some Naga and Garo rebel leaders. An ex-police man who was in the jail also escaped along with us.
ST: How was your links with the NSCN leaders and top members of other militant groups?
Thangkhiew: We had received assistance from the Northeast groups including those from Nagaland, Assam and Manipur in terms of training and other logistics. Those days, many of our cadres were trained in Eastern Nagaland (Burma).
However, we shifted the base to Chittagong area of Bangladesh in 1993 due to the proximity of Khasi Hills with the neighbouring country compared to Burma which is far.
ST: How many camps were maintained by HNLC?
Thangkhiew: You cannot call them camps as these are only small settlements.
Now, we do not have camps as there is only a rest camp since there are no forest areas. We had the main camp in Burma.
We have been staying with local Khasi residents in Bangladesh. There are over 40,000 Khasi residents in Sylhet area of Bangladesh while the population of Garos is more than one lakh in Mymensingh.
ST: Was there any pressure from the security forces in Bangladesh?
Thangkhiew: Of course there was pressure. Two youths who were arrested are still languishing in jail in Bangladesh for the last 20 years. I remember their names as Oliver and Milton. After my return, I told the government and the police to take up with the Bangladesh authorities concerned to ensure that they are released since their official jail term as per the court order was only 18 years but now their detention is illegal. India government had close coordination with Bangladesh and now the BJP-led NDA government is also having good relations with the government of the day in Bangladesh.
ST: Do the leaders of HNLC possess properties and land in Bangladesh?
Thangkhiew: We do not have individual property but the assets are under the name of the organisation. However, the land is leased out and even the Khasi residents in Bangladesh do not have land as they are living on land leased out to them by the government.
ST: What about the money collected over the years?
Thangkhiew: It was used as common fund and kept as cash and it was not meant for personal use.
ST: Has the demonetisation affected the organisation?
Thangkhiew: There were some problems those days. Now I don’t know whether any collection of funds is going on.
ST: The surrendered cadres had said in the past that they had to work in the betel nut plantations in Bangladesh.
Thangkhiew: Yes, we were trying to survive while engaging in varied activities and there should not be any excuse that one cannot work or cultivate.
ST: In the armed struggle by HNLC, many innocent persons, including policemen were killed. You also lost many of your cadres during the encounter with the police. How do you look back?
Thangkhiew: The deaths from all sides are the result of our struggle. We are not killers but fighters. During our struggle, the killing takes place. Our fight was against the political system and not against the police or civilians.
We never made any individual decisions and all the decisions were made by the organisation.
Historically, the Hynniewtrep people were a free nation and politically, they are under occupation. When the British left, the Northeast and Kashmir came under the control of the Congress government. When Sib Sing Syiem was the Syiem of Hima Nongstoin, the Hynniewtrep areas were forcefully annexed without the consent of the Dorbar Hima.
ST: What about the elimination of the cadres who came out of the HNLC?
Thangkhiew: If the cadres come out without any information and run away with arms and ammunition, that is dangerous. We have the right to retire from the organisation and this is allowed. My case is that of retirement with the consent of the organisation and they cannot force me to stay.
ST: Was there any pressure from any quarters for you to come over ground?
Thangkhiew: There was no pressure from any quarters and not even from the family. Coming out of the organisation was my personal decision. (To be continued)