Ready to resolve issue but cannot cross limit: Prestone
SHILLONG, March 14: Five days after the IED blast at the Syndicate Bus Stand at the entrance of Harijan Colony on Saturday, the HNLC on Thursday claimed responsibility for the blast and threatened to continue with its armed struggle if the state government did not complete the relocation of residents of Harijan Colony within one month.
“We claim responsibility for the IED blast at Them Metor (Harijan Colony) on the night of March 9. The Budnar Shadow Squad (BSS), which operates as the special forces of the HNLC, was responsible for carrying out this blast. The MDA Government and the police department were shocked to discover that our team was able to commit such an act in a high-security area. We did not intend to harm civilians or innocent lives, hence our restraint,” the outfit claimed in a statement released to the media on Thursday.
The HNLC also demanded that the government should promptly withdraw the CRPF from the Colony to ensure the freedom of movement for the Hynniewtrep people.
The outfit blamed the long-standing negligence of the Meghalaya government in relocating the Harijans from the area and said: “We have no choice but to resort to military action. This serves as a gentle reminder that if the government fails to protect our community, we may see Hynniewtrep descend into civil war. Any community that poses a threat to Hynniewtrep will be dealt with firmly. The government must relocate them within one month or face the consequences.”
“We acknowledge the long-standing presence of the Harijan community in Hynniewtrep land. We are not asking you to leave Hynniewtrep. Our intention is not to promote division or animosity. Instead, we encourage the Harijan community to consider relocating to an area designated by the government for your people and peacefully leave Them Metor,” the statement added.
The HNLC statement also said, “The state police are at war with the Hynniewtrep community, and we will defend our land and people by any means necessary. The Home Department has overall control by a non-tribal, and Khasi police officers are treated like hunting dogs.”
The statement went on to add that Prestone (Tynsong) and Sniawbhalang (Dhar) have been used by Garo leaders Mukul Sangma and Conrad K Sangma as political capital, first within the Congress and now within the NPP. “Please be informed that you two, the so-called political leaders, are not intellectually independent enough to think for themselves,” it said.
In an immediate reaction, the state government on Thursday said regardless of the threat from proscribed HNLC, it is ready to resolve the Harijan Colony relocation issue but cannot cross the limit.
“Whether you threaten or do not threaten, we are ready to resolve the issue. They also need to understand that the issue is also lying with the High Court and we cannot cross our limit,” Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, who is also the Home Minister, told The Shillong Times.
Stating that the state government had to judiciously move forward, Tynsong said, “They (HNLC) can talk anything but we have to see how to move forward as we run the government.”
Meanwhile, the Congress has asked the state government to pursue the matter of restarting the tripartite talks more seriously to bring an end to violent activities in the state.
“The state government should take things more seriously by pursuing the matter with the Centre. The Home Ministry has a lot of issues to deal with and unless it is pursued and there is a little bit of urgency, you will have such problems occurring,” leader of Opposition Ronnie V Lyngdoh said.
“The government should ensure there is security for all citizens. The Chief Minister (Conrad K Sangma) had made a statement that all those involved will be arrested. I would appeal to all organisations to not resort to violence as it will not solve anything but make matters worse,” Lyngdoh said, adding that negotiation is the best way forward.
He said if there are any misguided youth, they should not be taken lightly as it will only aggravate the situation.
“If you are trying to attract investment, the most important thing is that there should be a conducive atmosphere in the state,” he said.