SHILLONG, AUG 17: The proscribed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Army (HNLC) it is willing for a ‘bilateral-ceasefire’, if the Meghalaya government is really serious about offering rehabilitation packages to the outfit.
“If the government of Meghalaya is really serious about offering rehabilitation packages to the HNLC then it should chalk out strategies to come under a bilateral-cease fire,” HNLC publicity secretary Sainkupar Nongtraw said in a statement issued on Sunday.
The statement of the outfit came following chief minister Mukul Sangma’s statement made in his Independence Day address appealing to all the “misguided youth” to take advantage of the government’s offer to come over-ground and avail the rehabilitation package.
Stating that peace process can only start with the advent of a bilateral-ceasefire, Nongtraw said, “The CM also offered rehabilitation packages to armed groups and to come overground. But before any group comes forward, what is necessary and most important is to come under a ceasefire.”
Nongtraw said that if the government of Meghalaya wants to influence the HNLC then it should also need to understand empathetically their point of view and to feel the emotional force with which the outfit believe in it. According to him, it is not enough to study the outfit like beetles under a microscope; the government needs to know what it feels like to be a beetle.
Nongtraw added, “Every dispute has a history; we have been sending messages to the centre and state governments and they have been ignoring us, even if only by silence or by a professed refusal to negotiate,” adding “Positions have been staked out. Proposals have been made and rejected.”
“One thing we know for sure: if the armed movement is continuing, whatever we have been saying and doing so far has not worked. It has not produced the result we want, or we would have turned our attention to other matters as well,” Nongtraw said. However, the HNLC also maintained that it will carry on its activities as long as the government turns a blind eye to their demands.
“A final reason for not coming up with better ideas is that the state government does not know how they are untrained in the art of generating fresh ideas,” Nongtraw argued while adding that the state government does not spend much time trying to invent in better solutions for all concerned. They rarely spend time consciously trying to invent original ways of resolving the differences or formulating principles that will appeal to both sides.
The HNLC recalled that in 1974, the United Nations General Assembly passed historic Resolution 3314, adopting the Definition of Aggression that includes the right to armed struggle. The Definition embodies customary international law.
“Therefore, it cannot be dismissed as mere political opinion. The Definition forbids
states and coalitions of states from “any military occupation, however temporary,” Nongtraw said adding “It also prohibits bombardments, blockades, or forced annexations of any lands (Hynñiewtrep). The Definition warns that no consideration of whatever nature, whether political, economic, military or otherwise, justifies aggression.”
Stating that even a declaration of war furnishes no legal basis to commit aggression, Nongtraw said, “Furthermore, the definition treats acts of aggression as crimes against peace. Peoples’ struggle including armed struggle against foreign occupation, aggression, colonialism, and hegemony, aimed at liberation and self-determination in accordance with the principles of international law shall not be considered a terrorist crime.”
Increasingly, the fourth world is emerging as a new force in international politics because in the common defense of their nations, many indigenous peoples do not accept being mere subjects of international law and state sovereignty and trusteeship bureaucracies, Nongtraw stated.
Instead, they are organizing and exerting their own participation and policies as sovereign peoples and nations, Nongtraw opined.
The HNLC also said that it would also come up with further strategies to continue the fight against National Green Tribunal (NGT)’s ban on rat-hole coal mining in the state.
Nongtraw said that the outfit also foresees that the hearing fixed to be held on October 8 by the NGT will engage in delay tactics and will furthermore come up with excuses to brainwash the people.
Earlier, the HNLC has called for three-day total shutdown in protest against the order passed by the NGT.
Claiming that the shutdown had also created an impact in the mind of the chief minister Mukul Sangma, Nongtraw said the CM had stated in his Independence Day speech that the state government will seek the help of other Northeastern states to get exemption from the centre for carrying out mining of coal, so that the provision of Paragraph 12 A (b) of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution is upheld in letter and spirit.
“If our cause was not genuine then the CM would have not stated the above as it is concern with the livelihood of lakhs of people across the state,” Nongtraw said.
The HNLC also expressed its gratefulness to the people of the Khasi and Jaintia hills region for cooperating and making the 48 hours shutdown a success.
Nongtraw said, “Especially the daily wage earners, vegetable vendors, and farmers who had sacrificed for their fellow beings livelihood sufferings due to the NGT ban and also to show to the government of India that they had offered full support to the HNLC in its endeavours.” He said the poorer sections, like the farmers, daily wage earners should have the confidence that the HNLC would also take up measures to protect their interests and stand up for their cause if the situation ever arises.- By Our Reporter
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