SHILLONG: Deputy Chief Minister, Prestone Tynsong on Monday said that the State Government was yet to decide on asking former HNLC general secretary, Cheristerfield Thangkhiew to be the ‘mediator’ for bringing the entire militant outfit to the negotiations table.
Talking to media persons here on Monday, Tynsong made it clear that the Government was yet to take a call on the matter. It may be mentioned that Cheristerfield Thangkhiew who ‘retired’ from the HNLC recently has offered to be the ‘mediator’ between the militant group and the Government
The former HNLC general secretary would ultimately be apprise to the start the initiative for negotiation if the Government finally decides on the issue of appointing a mediator,” Tynsong said
Earlier, the HNLC had stated that it was willing to accept the offer of its former general secretary (Thangkhiew) to act as the ‘mediator’ to bring the outfit to the negotiations table.
When asked if the Centre would also be involved in the peace negotiations with the HNLC, he said that let all cadres of the HNLC came over ground and Government would look into all those segments.
When asked about the Opposition Congress raising questions over the manner of Cheristerfield has come over ground, he said that this was not the first time since it was former Chief Minister Dr D.D.Lapang who had received the former HNLC chairman Julius Dorphang when he came overground.
“Special passage has to be there for anybody who wants to come over ground. Do they want to say that we should allow them to continue take up arms. The remark on the part of the Congress is very childish,” Deputy Chief Minister said.
Meanwhile, Tynsong asserted that the doors is always open for the cadres of the militant outfit to come over ground even as he denied that Cheristerfield had put any conditions before surrendering
Replying to a question about Cheristerfield denying that he has surrendered but retired from the HNLC, the Deputy Chief Minister said that there was no difference since the main objective was the come back of the HNLC leader to the mainstream.
“The efforts of the Government would be to see that all the cadres of the HNLC comes back to the mainstream,” Tynsong said.
When asked if the another 14 cadres of the HNLC were coming to surrender, the Deputy Chief Minister said that he was not aware about it.