The HNLC today stated that the amnesty issue will be its main agenda in the first formal tripartite talks with the State government and the Centre.
Speaking to media persons here today, HNLC interlocutor Sadon K. Blah said that negotiation cannot be held without conditions. He also informed that a few rounds of deliberations were held earlier to pave the way for the formal talk.
The press conference held at the MeECL Inspection Bungalow at Umiam was attended by HNC vice chairman Manbhalang Jyrwa and Political Secretary Aristarwell Thongni. They were accompanied by their personal security officers – Storgy Lyngdoh and Raymond Lapang.
“We cannot go straight into the political demands of the organisation. What we have done in these four-five deliberations is that we talked about the safe passage for the leaders of the HNLC to be able to come to India and have face-to-face discussions,” Blah said.
“Secondly the deliberation was on amnesty because the peace process cannot move forward until and unless both the Centre and the State government consider amnesty for the organisation as a whole and all these individual members,” he added.
According to Blah, the issue of safe passage was agreed about a year ago so that all the participating leaders of the HNLC could move freely to proceed with the peace process.
“As far as amnesty is concerned, that is a subject matter which we will be placing in the first formal meeting that is going to be held soon,” he said adding that waiving of legal action against the HNLC through amnesty would create a conducive atmosphere for the HNLC to go for ceasefire agreement.
“But the subject matter of the ceasefire will be placed in the first meeting and we have to hear the technicalities of it and we will have to discuss with the Home Ministry and the State government and if it is okay it is okay and if not then it might be delayed,” Blah said.
Talking about the statement made by its publicity Secretary Sainkupar Nongtraw earlier, Blah said what the publicity secretary meant was they cannot guarantee the success or failure since it is a work in progress.
“We cannot guarantee whether it will be 100 percent successful or there will be speed breakers at certain points,” he clarified.
Talking about issues and agendas for the meeting, Blah said, “Violation of the Indian government about the Instrument of Accession and the annex agreement that is the base of all other issues, you talk of ILP influx development all is based on that”.
Blah also said that the HNLC since its inception has looked at violation of the Instrument of Accession and Annexed Agreement as “a big aggression” and that the outfit through the peace process wanted this to be rectified.
He added that the Instrument of Accession and Annexed Agreement will be reviewed after the first formal talk.
Meanwhile, HNLC vice chairman Manbhalang Jyrwa said that the purpose of the press conference is to inform the public and the people regarding the status of the peace talk.
“The status right now is we will be having formal talks very soon in the first week of June and after the formal talks then only we will be able to deliberate further,” he added.
He refused to divulge much on the agendas that the HNLC will be putting at the talks.
