The Hmar People’s Convention Democratic (HPCD) on Tuesday said the underground outfit is still active in NC Hills of Assam and Manipur.
Despite Easter Monday peace agreement signed between the HPCD chairman H Zosangbera and Arvind Ray, the chief secretary of Mizoram, the Hmar rebels in a statement said that their presence would not be erased until an agreement is reached on the ‘unresolved issues’ of the Hmars settling in Assam’s NC Hills, Cachar Valley and Manipur.
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“The Memorandum of Settlement signed at Aizawl was below our expectations, the HPCD felt that the accord has, in no way can compensate the tears and bloodshed of the Hmars,” the press statement read.
“We, at the headquarters at Sinlung opined that political agreement cannot be total, but the HPCD strongly demands that the proposed Sinlung Hills Council be constituted by the Mizoram State Assembly and that a clear cut Council area delimitation be carved,” the HPCD added.
The MoS signed by the Mizoram government and the HPCD did not include demarcation of the Sinlung Hills Council area. It stated that an interim council should be formed before elections for the council is held.
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The HPCD statement asserted in strong terms that the organisation was very much active in Manipur and Assam.
“The HPCD chapter of Assam has been holding political level talks with the Assam government and the Manipur chapter of the organisation, under the banner of United People’s Front (UPF) have agreed on SoO and talks are on,” said the statement.
The Centre has been holding several rounds of talks with Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and United People’s Front (UPF) of Manipur to find an amicable solution to their long standing demand of land and political future.
The KNO and the UPF are demanding a territorial council for the hill tribesmen of southern Manipur.
“Initially HPCD movement was confined to Mizoram, but the need to safeguard the interests of the Hmars in Manipur and Assam has propelled the organisation to cross the state boundaries and the HPCD operatives have to work as per the interests of the Hmars settling in the three states, and for that reason, we wanted to tell the people that HPCD has made a deal with Mizoram government only, and that Manipur and Assam chapters are very much alive and active,” the statement said.