HPC(D) delegation submits charter of demands to Mizoram govt

Aizawl, Sep 5 (PTI) Manipur-based Hmar People’sConvention (Democratic) peace delegation has submitted theircharter of demands to the Mizoram government. HPC (D) delegation leader Lalthalien told PTI over phonethat the five-point charter of demands was sent by an e-mailyesterday. The first round of talks between the HPC (D) and theMizoram government was held here on August 10 and the secondround was scheduled to be held during mid-September or thirdweek of the month. Lalthalien said whether any member of the HPC (D) leaderswould participate in the next round of talks was not yet knownas the state government had not demanded the participation ofthe 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 signingSuspension of Operation (SoO), the church leader from Imphalsaid. The charter of demands were drafted by the DemandDrafting Committee headed by John Pulamte, a social activistand member of the HPC (D) delegation in the talks. The eight-member Demand Drafting Committee wasconstituted in a meeting of leaders of different Hmarorganisations on August 13 at Churachanpur in Manipur. Both Mizoram government and the HPC (D) had made severalefforts to find amicable solution to the Hmar imbrogliothrough negotiations and the last talks held in 2013fizzled out due to disagreement over the period of extensionof SoO. After that hostilities continued resulting in thedeaths 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 expressedoptimism over the outcome of the current peace talks. Lalzirliana, however, made it clear the state governmentwould never allow establishment of a separate autonomousdistrict council carving out north eastern part of the stateadjoining Manipur. PTI HCV MMTIR