The banned HNLC has questioned the order issued by the judge of NIA Court, Shillong directing the leaders of the outfit to appear before the court.
In a statement issued today, the HNLC said that the court summon which was published in a local newspaper is a clear cut indication that the authorities concerned have bypassed the entire procedure of the ongoing peace talks.
“Before the initiation of the ongoing tripartite peace talks, the HNLC had made it clear that all its cases should be withdrawn so as to ensure a secure environment in order to pursue the peace talks. The government had assured that once the process begins, old cases should not be a cause of concern and that it shall not in any way hamper the peace talks,” the HNLC statement said.
“In fact Chief Minister Conrad Sangma along with Home Minister Lahkmen Rymbui had asserted that the NIA charge sheet shall not hamper the peace talks,” it added.
Stating that the summon order is an issue of concern as far as the ongoing peace talks are concerned, the HNLC also said that “this also clearly shows the double standards and attitude of the government, which again creates doubt and mistrust into the entire exercise.”
“The HNLC had abjured violence from the initiation of the peace talks and till date we have not created any kind of atmosphere so as to hamper the peace talks. We have had several rounds of meetings with officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs and the State government. So far, we had been assured of total peace, coordination and cooperation by the government but today’s summon as appeared in the local dailies was uncalled for,” the statement said.
