By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Jan 8: Against the backdrop of the proscribed HNLC withdrawing from peace talks with the state and central government, its interlocutor Sadon K Blah has said that the leaders of the outfit are ready to reconsider the decision but with a rider that the state government will not be reluctant in dropping the cases against the leaders of the group and grant general amnesty to them.
Talking to reporters on Monday, Blah said the ball is now in the government’s court. The HNLC favours a political solution rather than a “legal solution”, he said.
Last week, the outfit withdrew from the tripartite peace talks with the Centre and the state government as its demand for general amnesty to its cadres was not met with. It blamed the government for its alleged lack of seriousness.
Blah said despite 4-5 meetings in the last two years, there still is a trust deficit as letters of summons were issued to HNLC leaders by the National Investigation Agency and the court of a magistrate in Meghalaya.
On one hand, the government is saying that peace talks are going on while on the other hand, a notice of summons was served. This is the trust deficit that was created, he said. “If the cases are not dropped and general amnesty is not granted, then the peace process is over,” Blah said.
Asked if the HNLC has taken a hasty decision to withdraw from the talks, he said it had 4-5 rounds of discussions with officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Intelligence Bureau and state government, and in every meeting, it stuck to the same demand – amnesty to its cadres and withdrawal of the cases against them.
On the issue of safe passage, Blah said it is a temporary arrangement that allows the members of HNLC to come, talk, discuss and stay while the process goes on.
He said it is a wrong approach if the state government says the HNLC can come and talk while the law will take its own course.
“The wars in the world have not been solved by the law. They have been solved by political discussions. So, if the government says the ball is in the court of the HNLC that is the legal approach. But when we say the ball is in government’s court, then we are insisting on the political approach,” he said.
The HNLC interlocutor reiterated that if the government withdraws the cases and grants general amnesty, there is every possibility that the peace process will continue.
During their talks, MHA representative AK Mishra had said that none of the crimes involving the HNLC was heinous in nature. “So, if crimes are not heinous in nature, then the government should consider dropping all these charges,” said Blah, adding that the cases registered are all related to bomb blasts.
He said there is a need for the government to have a political will to apply the same yardstick to the HNLC as was done for NGOs during the 2013 agitations for Inner Line Permit (ILP).
“As the leader of the agitating groups, I was implicated in a series of cases during ILP agitations. But former Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma had dropped all the cases instantly. If that yardstick can be applied to the agitating NGOs, then why not apply it to the HNLC,” the HNLC interlocutor asked.
Denying that there is any division in the HNLC, Blah said the top leadership of the outfit backs all its decisions.
“All letters, forwarded to me in the past while the peace process was on, were signed by both the chairman and the general secretary,” Blah said, adding that there is no change in the outfit’s demands.
Meanwhile, he said the HNYF has condemned the state government for failing to bring the peace process to its logical conclusion.
“We also feel that the government has everything in its hand to withdraw the cases, grant amnesty to all cadres of the HNLC, including those who are in jails, because if peace is to happen, the government must look for a political solution, not a legal solution,” he stated.
The wait for Tynsong
As the HNLC offers a chance for renegotiation, the wait is now for Deputy Chief Minister in-charge of Home, Prestone Tynsong, to return and attend to the situation.
Speaking to media persons here on Monday, Cabinet Minister and NPP leader, Ampareen Lyngdoh said that the matter is being handled by the Deputy CM, who is currently indisposed and unable to attend to the matter.
Lyngdoh, however, stated that the party remains dedicated to advise the government to go ahead with the crucial peace talks.
She asserted that the NPP remains committed towards the progression of the peace talks
“We would like to see that there should be an amicable understanding for long-term peace in the state,” Lyngdoh added.