HPC-D delegates submit charter of demands to Mizoram

AIZAWL: Mizoram based Hmar People’s Convention (Democratic) peace delegation has submitted their charter of demands to the Mizoram government.

HPC (D) delegation leader Lalthalien told PTI over phone that the five-point charter of demands was sent by an e-mail yesterday.

The first round of talks between the HPC (D) and the Mizoram government was held here on August 10 and the second round was scheduled to be held during mid-September or third week of the month.

Lalthalien said whether any member of the HPC (D) leaders would participate in the next round of talks was not yet known as the state government had not demanded the participation of the members of the outfit till date.

As the parleys were held on mutual trust, the HPC (D) delegation till today did not raise the issue of signing Suspension of Operation (SoO), the church leader from Imphal said.

The charter of demands were drafted by the Demand Drafting Committee headed by John Pulamte, a social activist and member of the HPC (D) delegation in the talks.

The eight-member Demand Drafting Committee was constituted in a meeting of leaders of different Hmar organisations on August 13 at Churachanpur in Manipur.

Both Mizoram government and the HPC (D) had made several efforts to find amicable solution to the Hmar imbroglio through negotiations and the last talks held in 2013 fizzled out due to disagreement over the period of extension of SoO.

After that hostilities continued resulting in the deaths of three state police personnel and one HPC (D) militant and also the arrest of several leaders of the outfit.

State home minister R Lalzirliana, yesterday expressed optimism over the outcome of the current peace talks.

Lalzirliana, however, made it clear the state government would never allow establishment of a separate autonomous district council carving out north eastern part of the state adjoining Manipur.