SHILLONG, April 5: Home Minister, Lahkmen Rymbui on Tuesday said the state government’s proposed talks with the banned insurgent group Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) will be unconditional.
He told reporters that the government has entrusted interlocutor PS Dkhar to “convey and talk” to the outfit.
“Let’s hope the process starts as soon as possible and then, it should reach its logical end. The talks are unconditional,” Rymbui said.
Unconditional talks are a shift from the state government’s policy. The government has always maintained that any outfit, willing to come to the negotiation table, must lay down arms first. This is for this rider that peace talks with the HNLC could not be held in the past.
In 2018, the then Home Minister, James Sangma had asserted that the government will talk to the HNLC only after it lays down arms. Later in August last year, Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma had asked the outfit to surrender if it wanted peace. However, the insurgent group had refused to surrender first.
Drugs transportation
Rymbui expressed ignorance over government vehicles being used to transport drugs into the state.
Reacting to a query if ML 01 vehicles should also be frisked, he said he has no information about government vehicles or any vehicle being used to transport drugs.
He said if there are indeed instances of drugs or illegal items being transported in government or army vehicles, due process of law and action should follow against the guilty.
Recently, the High Court of Meghalaya directed the General Officer Commanding of the 101 Area and the Director-General of Assam Rifles to verify and take immediate remedial action if drugs are transported in army trucks, which are generally immune to checking.
Rymbui said the government is studying the court’s order.
“We don’t want anything illegal to come to the state in a private, government or army vehicle,” he said.
He also said that it is the duty of the government to ensure that the directions of the court are followed.
The High Court’s order had stated that it may do well for teams of flying army checkers to be deployed along the route to make surprise checks on army vehicles.