Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma will leave for New Delhi on Tuesday, where he will take up the issue of peace talks offer made by the banned militant outfit HNLC with the Centre. 

Conrad Sangma will meet the officials of the ministry of home affairs (MHA) on Tuesday and discuss in lengths the way forward in regards to the HNLC peace offer. 

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“I will meet officials of the MHA and brief them about the developments and discuss on how to take this (peace process) forward. Once we get a nod from MHA, we will take the next step,” Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma said. 

Earlier, on February 8, banned Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC), had stated that it is ready for peace talks and that too, without any pre-conditions. 

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Saiñkupar Nongtraw, general secretary of HNLC, issued a statement to announce the outfit’s decision to come forward for peace talks. 

“After receiving a lot of requests in the last few days from elders and some social organizations, we (the HNLC) have decided to give peace a chance once again,” Nongtraw said. 

“As of now we are ready to talk within the ambit of the Indian constitution and we are ready to have talks without any pre-conditions,” the HNLC leader said.  

The banned outfit has been fighting for a sovereign homeland for the tribal Khasi population of Meghalaya. 

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Nongtraw claimed they continue to defend the right of the jaidbynriew (indigenous Khasi) population. 

The HNLC leader said ‘killing’ of the former general secretary Cherishterfield Thangkhiew last year had derailed the peace process. 

Nongtraw claimed that Thangkhiew was in favour of the peace talks and he was assigned the task to carry forward the peace initiative with New Delhi. 

“As assured by some elders, the peace talks shall provide an excellent opportunity for the government to strengthen peace in the region,” the HNLC leader said.