Mizoram Govt And HPC-D Peace Talks Fails To Take Place

Aizawl, Jan 16 : The ongoing peace talks between Mizoram government and the underground Hmar People's Convention Democrats (HPC-D) did not take place as the delegation of the militant group failed to come to Aizawl yesterday for resumption of talks.

While the officials were tight-lipped about the aborted negotiations, HPC-D leaders said the recent communication from the state home department made the militants unhappy.

"We received a letter from Mizoram home department in December, which said that only those who belonged to Mizoram should come to Aizawl to take part in the talks," one HPC-D leader said.

Saying that they are all Mizos living in separate states and countries only by the international and inter-state boundaries created by British colonial rulers, the militants expressed anger over the decision of Mizoram government.

Earlier on November 11, the state government and the HPC-D held the first round of talks when they agreed on bilateral suspension of operations (SoO) for six months and resume the talks during mid-January.

The HPC-D delegation, however, failed to turn up in Silchar, Assam and the officials sent to receive them on January 13 came back empty handed.