Meghalaya CM commends Church peace efforts in NE

Shillong – The bold efforts of the northeast Church to broker peace between the Indian government and a local tribal militant outfit have been commended by the Meghalaya Chief Minister D.D. Lapang.

The peace initiative started after the Subsidiary Intelligence Bureau (SIB) approached last December P.B.M. Basiawmoit, spokesperson for the Joint Peace Mission for Churches in North Eastern Region.

Basiawmoit is a member of the Presbyterian Church of India.

The Bureau wanted the Church leader to find out if the banned Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) was interested in talking with New Delhi.

HNLC is a prominent militant tribal outfit in Meghalaya that wants to transform the state as a province exclusively for the Khasi tribe and free it from ‘domination’ by the Garo tribe. Another HNLC objective is to fight against the presence of 'outsiders', as the outfit feels that Khasi youth are deprived of the fruits of development in Meghalaya.

According to Dr. Lapang, he had no problems if “an individual or a group” tried to bring the outfit to the negotiating table.

“It is alright if the Church leader tries to bring the HNLC to the talks table. We are happy to know that he (Basiawmoit) is trying and admire the move,” he said.

Dr. Lapang, who heads a Congress–led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance, said his government would support the initiatives. The state government would also try to join the peace talks.

In fact, New Delhi has reportedly made the state government’s presence as a precondition for the talks.

Basiawmoit said recently that the Indian government has invited HNLC to conduct talks within the framework of the Constitution and involve the state government as part of the process for peace.

The church leader had gone to Delhi with a letter from HNLC that stated its willingness to discuss peace with New Delhi. Basiawmoit also met Home Ministry officials to discuss the peace process with the HNLC.

“They have laid down six terms for the talks. The outfit wants the government to lift the ban on it, hold talks in a neutral country, arrange safe passage for its members, grant general amnesty to its members, supporters and sympathisers, allow it to appoint its emissary and finally to keep the agenda for talks open,” he said.

According to news reports, the Prime Minister’s Office has not yet responded to the HNLC’s letter. The outfit has demanded a direct reply from Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and has refused to accept a letter from Mr. A. Goyal, a Home Ministry Director in charge of northeastern India.