SHILLONG, FEB 17: The proscribed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) claimed that even the ministers in the Mukul Sangma led state government supported Monday’s 12-hour bandh called by the outfit to protest against the atrocities on Christian community in Delhi.
“The absence of ministers from their respective offices revealed that they were also supporting the shutdown,” HNLC publicity secretary Sainkupar Nongtraw said in a statement issued on Tuesday.
On Monday, most of the ministers were not found in their office chambers despite the appealed made by the state government to defy the bandh called by the outfit which evoke mixed response from the people in Khasi – Jaintia hills region.
Nongtraw claimed that the success of the 12 hour shutdown proved beyond doubt that ‘our people’ had supported the HNLC through silent participation. “Our people are aware of the situation that made us announce this shutdown,” he said.
Besides the issue of atrocities on Christian in Delhi, the HNLC had also called a 12-hour shutdown to protest against the recent lathi-charge on truck drivers on NH-40 and the delay in making public the report of Mookhep firing last year.
Stating that the police had always termed the HNLC as a ‘spent force’, Nongtraw said, “But we (HNLC) can create such an impact in the entire region. What will happen if we multiply day by day, the whole system would be paralyzed.”
Accusing the centre for using ‘insecurity’ to push out the indigenous tribe, Nongtraw said, “We will assure our people that we must collect our resources back. If they take back power from us, we will take back our resources. Hynñiewtrep belongs to us and we must do everything possible to safeguard its unity.”
“Yes, we believe we should be peaceful, law-abiding but the time has come for the Hynñiewtrep people to fight back in self-defence whenever and wherever they are being unjustly and unlawfully attacked,” Nongtraw said. He further stated that if the government thinks the HNLC is wrong for saying this then the government should start doing its job.
“Let it prove itself that it stands to defend our people,” Nongtraw said.
According to Nongtraw, whatever has happened in the KHADC, JHADC, to the Syiems, Rangbah Shnongs is because the indigenous people do not possess the ‘political freedom’. “The legal authority of our Rangbah Shnongs has been slaughtered. Extraction of coal has been banned, and our language is not being recognised, why, it is because of this is exploitation,” he said.
Nongtraw also said that the HNLC would come up with more programs in the coming days in collaboration and participation with people. It has also extended its sincere thanks to the people, the elders, ngos, truck drivers, tribal as well as non-tribal business communities for co-operating and making this shutdown a success.- By Our Reporter
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