Guwahati: The proscribed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) has sought the withdrawal of criminal charges and sought amnesty against the activists of the proscribed outfit of Meghalaya.
The HNLC made this demand in the tripartite peace talks between the Centre, the Meghalaya government and the insurgent group, which began at Umiam near Shillong on Saturday.
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According to officials, Centres interlocutors–A K Mishra and Peter Dkhar and Ronnie Wahlang representing the Meghalaya government participated in the talks. HNLC is being represented by Sadon Blah.
He said the HNLC has demanded the withdrawal of all charges against its cadres to pave the way for successful talks.
“The general amnesty demanded includes withdrawal of all cases against the cadres, including a case against four top HNLC leaders who have been charge sheeted by the NIA … The general amnesty will pave the way for the peace negotiations to move forward,” Blah said.
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Stating that the meeting was positive, HNLC vice chairman Manbhalang Jyrwa said that the general amnesty, if granted, will create an “atmosphere of trust” between its cadres and the central and state governments.
“Before the talks proceed further in the weeks and months ahead, we want the government to come clean on this. We want peace,” he said.
Rynjah cited the case of Ranjan Daimary, the founder president of armed separatist outfit National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB), who was chargesheeted by the CBI in a 2008 serial blast case in lower Assam after the organisation signed a similar peace agreement in 2020 and was ordered a life sentence by Gauhati High Court in 2022.
“We hope that the government will respond via the interlocutors very soon to enable us to progress to the next level of talks,” he said.
Last year, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed charge sheets against four HNLC cadres in connection with a blast that took place behind the staff quarters of Star Cement Factory Colony Lane in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills on December 12, 2020.