HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, Jan 8: The proscribed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) maintains its unwavering stance, underlining that the peace process can only recommence if both central and state governments withdraw all cases and extend general amnesty to the top leaders and cadres of the organisation.
Following the formal submission of the HNLC’s withdrawal letter from the peace process to the state government’s interlocutor, PS Dkhar, Sadon K Blah, the outfit’s representative and president of the Hynniewtrep National Youth Front (HNYF), emphasized the pivotal conditions.
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“The prospect of the peace process continuing is high if the government withdraws the cases and grants general amnesty, as originally offered by the HNLC. However, if the government insists on the unrealistic demise of legal proceedings, this peace process will come to an end,” Blah stated.
Highlighting the disparity in perspectives, Blah pointed out the government’s inclination towards a legal approach while the HNLC advocates a political one.
“‘Therefore, the ball is with the government now,” he remarked.
Elaborating on the two approaches, Blah explained, “The key question at hand is whether the government should resolve this issue through legal means or opt for a political resolution. If the stance is to let the law run its course with regards to the HNLC, it represents a legal approach to the conflicting faction, which, in my view, is an incorrect methodology. Historical evidence suggests that wars worldwide have been resolved not through legal channels but through political discussions.”
Blah emphasised the need for the government to showcase the political will to apply the same yardstick to the HNLC as was done for NGOs during the 2013 ILP agitations.
He cited his own experience during the ILP agitations and urged the government to drop and withdraw cases based on political will.
Addressing the nature of the cases against HNLC leaders and cadres, Blah mentioned, “I remember AK Mishra (MHA Advisor (NE) during a discussion on the request to drop cases, had said that none of the crimes of the HNLC are heinous in nature. So if crimes are not heinous in nature, then the government should consider dropping and withdrawing all charges put against the leaders and cadres.”
Blah denied any division within the HNLC and asserted their unanimity in decisions, stressing that the outfit’s demands remain unchanged.
Condemning the MDA government for failing to conclude the peace process, Blah stated, “We also feel that the government has everything in its hand to withdraw the cases, to grant amnesty to all cadres of the HNLC, including those who are in jails because if peace is to happen, the government must apply a political solution, not a legal solution to this issue.”
