Shillong: Khasi militant outfit
Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council has rejected
Meghalaya Chief Minister D D Lapang`s offer of an honourable
surrender.
Alleging that the government was "not sincere in
solving the political problem," HNLC publicity secretary
Sainkupar Nongtraw said in an e-mail last night, "the chief
minister’s statement was only to frighten us and dampen the
patriotic spirit."
Nongtraw said the HNLC would also not entertain the
safe passage offer by the state government.
"If the political problems cannot be resolved through
dialogue, the government should not expect that by eliminating
leaders, the fight would end," the email said.
The HNLC which is closely linked to the NSCN-IM and
the Tripura-based NLFT, has never reciprocated peace overtures
from the government and been demanding declaration of
Meghalaya as a province exclusively for the Khasi tribe
free from `outsiders`.
It`s `chairman` Julius Dorphang surrendered to the
government in 2007, but its self-styled General Secretary
Cheristerfield Thangkhiew and `C-in-C` Bobby Marwein are still
at large and believed to be in Bangladesh.
PTI
