Facilitate parley with HNLC

SHILLONG, NOV 21: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) on Friday urged the Meghalaya government to immediately appoint a mediator to facilitate parleys with the proscribed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC).

“The state government should accept the call for talks offer made by the HNLC, immediately appoint a mediator and prepare grounds for a lasting and peaceful solution to the present standoff,” KSU president Daniel Khyriem said in a statement issued on Friday.

Khyriem said, “It would be in the fitness of things that the government should make serious and well-meaning efforts on the issue.” The KSU also reiterated that it has also earlier clarified its position following its former vice president Fredrick Kharmawphlang joining the HNLC.

The KSU had expressed its disappointment and remorse that the leader (Kharmawphlang) should take such an extreme step claiming that he had lost faith in the government due to its inability to solve the burning issues of the state ranging from the influx problem, inter-state boundary issue among others.

Stating after Kharmawphlang and others, including a schoolteacher, joining the HNLC, Khyriem said, “This has strengthened our belief in the trend that more and more youth are joining the outfit.”

Khyriem said that is is why government must take cognizance of this fact and act accordingly with an attitude and spirit of understanding the youth as it would its own sons.- By Our Reporter