HNLC accuses Govt of using its surrendered members as weapons against the outfit

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJanuary 21, 2025

The proscribed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) on Tuesday accused the state government of using its surrendered cadres as “weapons” against the outfit.

In a statement, HNLC general secretary-cum-publicity secretary Sainkupar Nongtraw said the government’s actions during and after the peace talks with the HNLC demonstrate “bad faith diplomacy”. 

“Summoning our leaders during negotiations was not a step toward peace but an act of coercion, proving they sought control, not dialogue. Now, targeting lower-ranking members is a deliberate attempt to intimidate and fragment our movement—a textbook example of the divide-and-rule strategy,” he said.

“The state government, particularly the police department, uses these so-called surrendered HNLC members as weapons against the HNLC. These individuals, despite any crimes they may have committed against the public, are not charged with any cases and are allowed to work scot-free. This is because they are now fighting against the HNLC, making them tools of the state’s manipulative tactics to destabilize and weaken the movement,” Nongtraw alleged.

He further alleged, “Recently, the Office of the Additional Director General of Police, Special Branch, has resorted to delivering summons to the families of HNLC cadres, coercing them into signing and accepting these letters. This cowardly tactic weaponizes the love and bonds of family to pressure our people, attempting to break their resolve and suppress our movement through fear and public shaming. At the top of the letter, they prominently wrote -Secret-  Office Of The Additional Director General Of Police, Special Branch, implying that the content is confidential and intended for limited circulation. However, in a glaring contradiction to the very definition of secrecy, they shamelessly post these so-called “secret” letters on walls in markets or other public places if the families of HNLC members refuse to accept them.

This deliberate and public display of so-called “secret” communications highlights the hypocrisy of their actions and exposes their true intent: to humiliate and intimidate.”

“The HNLC has always made a clear distinction: those who leave the organization and join the government without fighting against the HNLC are considered surrendered. However, those who leave the organization but still engage in fighting against the HNLC are considered defectors,” Nongtraw added.

Urging the people to recognize this betrayal and stand united, the HNLC leader said, “Genuine peace comes from addressing the root causes of conflict, not by silencing those who demand justice and sovereignty for the Hynniewtrepians. Defectors act out of self-interest or weakness. Their decision to abandon their comrades and fight against them is the highest form of betrayal. In political terms, treason—the act of aligning with the enemy and turning against one’s own people—is far worse than sedition, as it is a calculated act of disloyalty, not merely a challenge to authority. Defectors are not Hynniewtrepians.”