SHILLONG: The Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) has claimed that former East Khasi Hills police superintendent M Kharkrang had made an emailed communication with the organisation.
Sainkupar Nongtraw, the banned outfit’s publicity secretary, dared the Congress-led state government to arrest him and questioned the intention of the government in not arresting former Home Minister Roshan Warjri who also spoke over the phone with the general secretary of the outfit without the knowledge of the government.
The Art of Living (AoL) activists were arrested because they did not take permission from the state government to meet HNLC cadres.
“The government has not done what it is supposed to do. It is just like what is said in law — justice is not only to be done, it should be seen to be done. The government has shown too much lackadaisical attitude since nobody has been arrested,” Nongtraw said.
Defending the AoL activists, the HNLC member said anyone who wants to associate themselves with AoL can do so as it is not a communal organisation but a genuine one.
He revealed excerpts of the email between him and Kharkrang, currently Special SP, Special Branch, on August 13 this year to the DGP through Kharkrang, which stated that police officials had conveyed to Nongtraw’s family about convincing him to come over ground and surrender.
To this call for surrender, Nongtraw had stated, “I don’t feel that my coming over ground and surrender would make a difference in the present scenario.”
Speaking about initiatives for peace talks, Nongtraw said, “We had once failed during 2004 but after 10 years we had the positive vibes to make things happen. But all these turned out to be a bluff from the Government of Meghalaya. It was a political joke.”
Asserting that peace is still a distant dream, he went on to add that the chief minister had a soft corner only for ANVC because of Dilash Marak.
“I would categorically state that ANVC was used by Mukul Sangma for all his election proposes and businesses. Dilash Marak is still a close confidante of the CM, now he had joined BJP to make way for the forthcoming elections,” he added.
He alleged that the police department in Garo Hills is well versed with the politician-militant nexus.
“Garo outfits are given outright chances to come forward for peace talks. All the surrendered cadres work for the politicians and it is a known fact. This step motherly attitude of the GOM made us change our mind,” Nongtraw said.
Nongtraw in the email, appealed to the police department to stop harassing his family members as their frequent visits can create a fear psychosis in their minds.
Stating that HNLC is already under the shade of extradition treaty, he said, “I know that this is an international issue and your agents warning to hunt me down in a foreign country can be termed as a distant dream.”
“Emotional blackmail shall prove fatal. If this was the case then all the other NE outfits would have vanished from Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, China etc,” he added.
Later, an email was sent on August 18 in which Kharkrang gave Nongtraw his phone number for contact and again on November 21, Kharkrang had urged him to call or email about his plans of coming to the mainstream.
In reply on November 22, Nongtraw had said it was meaningless to call or take him individually if the organisation is not called to the negotiation table.
