Outfit again blames Lapang for stalling peace process
SHILLONG: Lauding Chief Minister Mukul Sangma’s Independence Day invitation to the HNLC to initiate a peace dialogue and to enter into a bilateral ceasefire with the Government, the outfit’s publicity secretary Sainkupar Nongtraw on Tuesday said that the organisation was awaiting an invitation from the State Government to “give peace a chance”.
In a statement issued here on Tuesday, Nongtraw reiterated that former Chief Minister D.D. Lapang was responsible for derailing the peace process in 2004, while also condemning Rev. P.B.M. Basaiawmoit’s defence of the former Chief Minister.
“We were surprised that the former Chief Minister (Lapang) had blamed the Centre for the failures of his Government. It was the failure of Lapang to convince the then Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre that had derailed the earlier peace process,” Nongtraw said in his statement while reacting to the statement of Rev. Basaiawmoit where he defended Lapang despite allegations by the outfit that the former Chief Minister had lost a chance to bring the outfit to the negotiation table.
Nongtraw said that Lapang’s statement blaming the Central government for the failed peace process becomes contradictory as the ANVC had also signed the ceasefire agreement in 2004 and till date the Central governments (former UPA, present NDA) is communicating with the leadership of the ANVC, whereas in the case of HNLC the entire peace process was stalled.
“Why this step-motherly attitude towards the HNLC? This proves beyond doubt that the selfish motive of Lapang was solely responsible for the damage. The outfit was left in the dark about communications that took place between the Centre and the Chief Minister to the proposal of the peace process with the HNLC,” Nongtraw said.
The outfit also condemned former Home Minister R.G. Lyngdoh’s comments that he was not happy with the HNLC’s decision and had criticized the outfit’s initiative in a section of the media.
“Charity begins at home and RG Lyngdoh should try to resolve his personal affairs rather than interfering into the affairs of the HNLC,” Nongtraw said, adding, “He should stop provoking us since we have decided to abjure violence and enter into a peace process.”
“There is so much violence around the world that we might assume that violent conflict and coercion are the natural order of things. Human beings are inherently aggressive, and wars and violent conflicts are inevitable. Yet violence does not always occur, even when interests differ; violence is not inevitable,” the HNLC said.
He said that violence is contingent upon the presence or absence of certain conditions.
“Not all conflicts are violent in nature; some conflicts can be settled peacefully. The HNLC shall strive to do this through the process of dialogue and discourse, achieving peaceful settlements of conflicts with justice and equality,” Nongtraw said adding that the HNLC had expressed its willingness to have the bilateral ceasefire agreement and now it was upto Chief Minister Mukul Sangma to give peace a chance.