HNLC offers olive branch, proposes peace talks

Shillong (Meghalaya), Aug 14, 2018:

On the eve of the country’s 72^nd Independence Day, Meghalaya’s Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) has offered olive branch to the government.

In a statement issued to the media by its publicity secretary Sainkupar Nongtraw, the banned militant outfit expressed its willingness to hold peace talks with the government without any precondition.

Nongtraw cautioned the Government of India against trying to resolve the conflict by using gun and said even the HNLC was ready to continue waging the battle for another 31 years.

However, he said the outfit wants to give peace a chance and hence was proposing peace talks,

Meanwhile, instead of celebrating the Independence Day on 15^th August, the proscribed outfit appealed to the traditional institutions to observe the day as “Wickliffe Syiem Day” in memory of Khasi nationalist Wickliffe Syiem, who was born on this day in 1909.

It regretted that despite achieving Statehood, Meghalaya was yet to achieve “political freedom”.