SHILLONG, Sept 3: With peace talks with the outlawed
Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council at an advanced stage,
a local court here has summoned the outfit’s general secretary,
Sainkupar Nongtraw, to appear before it later this month,
officials said on Sunday.
Police pasted the court order outside the residence of
Nongtraw at Sohra (erstwhile Cherrapunjee) in which the
outfit’s leader and spokesperson was directed to appear before
it on September 20.
He was charged in a case at Sohra PS, the details of which were
not divulged by police.
In a statement on Sunday, the HNLC condemned the summons
and said such action could hamper the tripartite peace talks.
“This is not the first time when HNLC leaders, including the
chairman and finance secretary, have been summoned during
informal discussions. Such actions not only undermine our trust
in the government but also have the potential to hinder and
disrupt the efforts towards achieving a lasting resolution,”
Nongtraw said.
He said the outfit is “deeply concerned” about the double
standards of the government.
“The state government demanded my attendance at a meeting
with a strict deadline of September 30, while the MHA, on the
other hand, specifically targets all senior leaders of HNLC to
appear in person,” he said.
He added that the leaders and cadres will not come out openly
until our political demands are met.
“We urge the government to hold talks with the delegation
authorised by the HNLC central executive committee led by the
vice-chairman,” he said.
The HNLC remains the only armed militant group active in
Meghalaya although militancy has been declining in this hill
state over the years barring in 2020-21 when the outfit was
behind IED blasts in the state.
