Staff Reporter

Shillong, Jan 5: Spokesperson of the MDA government and cabinet minister Paul Lyngdoh today appealed to the proscribed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) not to pull out of the ongoing peace talks.

Speaking to reporters, Lyngdoh said the government has only seen the HNLC’s statement conveying its decision to withdraw from the tripartite peace talks in media reports but officially nothing has been communicated to the government as yet.

“So first, I would appeal to the HNLC not to pull out of the peace talks because a lot of grounds have been covered initially and we would hope that good sense will prevail and we should be able to return to the negotiating table,” he said.

Asked, Lyngdoh said he will not be in a position to say much on the issue since both the chief minister Conrad K Sangma and deputy chief minister in-charge home (police) Prestone Tynsong are presently out of the station.

“But certainly, the government will take a call on the matter and it should be happening very soon once the CM is back,” he added.

He further assured that the matter will be taken priority once the CM and deputy CM in charge home are in town.

On the HNLC’s demand for a general amnesty, Lyngdoh said, “Well, it certainly can be considered depending on the gravity of each of the cases registered but certainly yes, it should be and it will be considered.”

Referring to the NIA cases against the outfit, the spokesperson said, “See those are matters of details but in general the approach should be when you have peace talks it should not be to the detriment of any section and to the interest of only one section so it has to be reciprocal.”

“Based on the principle of reciprocity then only we can take a stand on matters of details but the general approach would be that has to be give and take,” he asserted.