Success of talks not guaranteed: HNLC

SHILLONG, May 19: The proscribed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) on Friday said it cannot assure the success of the tripartite talks expected to start in June.
“So far, only the Mizoram peace accord of 1996 has been successful. Peace agreements signed between the Indian government and the militant outfits have gone nowhere,” HNLC general secretary-cum-publicity secretary, Sainkupar Nongtraw said in a statement.
Confirming the June start for the peace talks as announced by Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, he said an agreement on the formal talks was arrived at after the outfit’s leaders met Deputy CM Prestone Tynsong.
Nongtraw said the members of the outfit did not surrender but came forward for the peace talks with the government. “We have come with the hope to have a dialogue to resolve some of the political challenges of the Khasi tribe (Hynniewtrep community). This initiative is not for any personal gain or benefit. It is for the overall interest of the indigenous community,” he said.
Asserting that the aspiration of the HNLC is neither for ‘separation’ nor for ‘integration’, Nongtraw said the outfit wants ‘recognition’ for the indigenous tribe.
“It does matter whether the recognition is within or outside the boundary of India. We need our own homeland similar to the Mizos who are residing in Mizoram. We want the government to come up with a permanent solution. We want our own land, which is the basis of all existence,” he said. He said the HNLC wants the Hynniewtrep community to have its own land and form its own government.
“We can develop, create jobs, and promote our own economy in our land. We can use our mineral resources and water resources to survive,” Nongtraw said.
He said the Garo people have to understand that they too need to have their own land.
“We would not want the Achik and the Hynniewtrep people to become the next Kuki or Rohingya or Kurd, who are landless and stateless, forced to migrate from one place to the other,” he said.