‘HNLC should demonstrate seriousness on peace dialogue’
SHILLONG: The rebel-turned-politician Julius Dorphang has felt that the proscribed HNLC should show more seriousness if it really wants to hold political dialogue with government and regretted that the militant outfit had in the past missed several opportunities to sit for negotiation.
Dorphang, who represents Mawhati in the State Assembly, said on Monday that he was ready to play the role of the negotiator if both HNLC and the government want.
Dorphang said that when he was still in HNLC, he had advocated to have an unilateral ceasefire, which, however was rejected by other leaders of the organisation.
According to Dorphang, if HNLC had accepted the idea of unilateral ceasefire years back, there would have been honourable settlement to the demands of the organisation.
The former HNLC chief said that there were several well wishers including John Kharshiing, Michael Syiem , mother-in-law of Boby Marwein and PBM Basaiawmoit who wanted to bring the outfit to the negotiation table.
“During a peace consultative meeting held in Dhaka in 2003, I had stressed on the need to appoint a mediator for peace talk, but other leaders did not agree”, Dorphang recollected.
However, while welcoming the decision of HNLC not to boycott the Independence day celebrations and the recent offer of the outfit to hold unilateral ceasefire, Dorphang said that the militant group should delink themselves from ULFA and other rebel groups.
“The recurring statements of HNLC that they will target government buildings and resort to bomb blasts are not desirable as these shows that they are not serious in holding peace talks”, Dorphang said.