Aizawl: Mizoram Home minister R Lalzirliana on Monday said the state government wants to secure the release of five people abducted on February 19 last without paying ransom as demanded by the abductors.
Stating this during question hour in the assembly, Lalzirliana said the government would not pay the ransom demanded by the Bru militants who abducted the five people from a poaching camp inside the Mizoram-Bangladesh-Tripura border Dampa Tiger Reserve.
“In the meeting recently convened by the government the church leaders, major NGOs and student bodies, we decided that ransom should not be paid to the Bru militants who refused to work but indulged in money-making through kidnappings,” he said.
He said that the hostages were sick but the government could not provide medicine as it would mean succumbing to the militants
. “It was not that we do not feel pity for the captives, but we maintain that the hostages should be released all the more if they are sick,” he said, adding, even terrorists who hijack aircraft release women, children and the sick.
The abductors have demanded Rs 100 lakh ransom for the release of the five persons.
While there were 23 abductions during the 10-year rule of the Mizo National Front (MNF), there were four kidnappings during the four-year Congress rule, he claimed.
Meanwhile, the ongoing peace negotiations between the Mizoram government and separatist group Manipur Hmar People’s Convention (Democrats) could not be resumed early due to abduction of five Mizos by the Bru militants on February 19, the state assembly was informed on Monday.
Replying to a query, state home minister R Lalzirliana said the talks were initiated and the home department took up the parleys.
“The ground rules for negotiations were placed before the two parties and deliberated in the last talks,” Lalzirliana said, adding that the Suspension of Operations (SoO) was signed.
The steps were taken to ensure early resumption of the talks.
However, the talks could not be resumed as the militant group abducted five Mizos on February 19, the minister said. (PTI)