Incidents and Statements involving HPC-D: 2017

Date

Nature of incident

February 4

Aizawl

A senior official of the State Home department of Mizoram said that the date for the fourth round of peace talks between the Mizoram Government and the Manipur based HPC-D would soon be fixed. The official said that the meeting of Home department officials to be chaired by Additional Secretary Lalbiakzama. While from the HPC-D side, the delegation would be led by the working 'chairman' L T Hmar.

The fourth round of peace talks between Mizoram Government and HPC-D, which was scheduled to be held in the second week of February, has been deferred. The officials said that the next round of talks had to be deferred as other departments like Finance, DP&AR and Law have to be consulted in the process of the ongoing negotiation. The exact date for talks could not, however, be decided, but it is likely to take place in the last week of February, they added.

A senior State Home Department official said in a statement that the fourth round of peace talks between Mizoram Government and HPC-D militant will be held in March (this month). Earlier the fourth round of peace talks scheduled to be held during mid-February, was postponed as the Home Department had to approach Law and Finance departments before the talk.

Mizoram Governor Lieutenant General Nirbhay Sharma said that the final stage of peace dialogue between the State Government and the Manipur-based HPC-D militants was expected soon. Addressing the State legislature, the Governor said that three rounds of dialogue have so far been held. "During these talks, arms and ammunition snatched from the police by the HPC-D cadres were returned," he added.

NS

A senior State Home department official said that the fourth round of peace talks between Mizoram Government and the HPC-D militants is scheduled to be held on April 21. The official informed that the parleys were expected to revolve around giving more autonomy to the Sinlung Hill Development Council and also on the financial aspects including proposals for rehabilitation and resettlement of the HPC-D militants, after they lay down arms in the event of the agreement being signed. The State Government delegation would be led by Additional secretary in the Home department, Lalbiakzama while the HPC-D delegation would be headed by working president of the HPC-D, L T Hmar and comprising of overground Hmar leaders from both Manipur and Mizoram.

Aizawl

Mizoram Home Minister R Lalzirliana said that the fourth round of peace talks between Mizoram Government and HPC-D was scheduled to be held on April 28. The State Government delegation would be led by Additional Secretary, Home department, Lalbiakzama while HPC-D delegation is expected to be headed by working 'chairman' of HPC-D LT Hmar and comprising Hmar leaders from Manipur and Mizoram. Earlier the date of the scheduled talk was reported as April 21 in SATP from a different source.

Aizawl

The fourth round of peace talks between the Mizoram Government and the HPC-D was held in Aizawl with both sides agreeing to continue with the dialogue in the near future. State additional secretary for Home Lalbiakzama, who is the leader of the government delegation, told PTI that the parleys were held in a cordial atmosphere and mutual trust. "Official level talks to deliberate on the terms of the framework agreement would continue till the talks, in the final phase are elevated to political level," a senior Home department official said. The six-member HPC-D delegation was led by L T Hmar, 'working chairman' of the Hmar outfit. Sources in the HPC-D delegation said, that the talks now revolved around autonomy of the SHDC, formed in the wake of the accord signed between the state government and the erstwhile underground HPC on July 27, 1994. The name of the council was also proposed to be changed from SHDC to Sinlung Hills Council, by omitting the word 'Development', the sources said.

NS

The fifth round of peace talks between the Mizoram government and the HPC-D militants is scheduled to be held in July, State additional secretary for Home, Lalbiakzama said. Lalbiakzama said that the coming round of talks might be the last official level talks as the parleys may be elevated to political level soon. "Official level talks to deliberate on the terms of the framework agreement would continue till the final phase and the parleys would be elevated to political level," he said.

Aizawl

State Additional Secretary for Home, Lalbiakzama, said that the fifth round of peace talks between Mizoram Government and HPC-D militants is scheduled to be held in July, 2017. He said in Aizawl that the coming round of talks might be the last official level talks as the parleys may be elevated to political level soon. "Official level talks to deliberate on the terms of the framework agreement would continue till the final phase and the parleys would be elevated to political level," he said. Sources in HPC-D delegation said that the talks now revolved around autonomy of SHDC, formed in the wake of the accord signed between State Government and the erstwhile underground HPC on July 27, 1994. The name of the Council was proposed to be changed to Sinlung Hills Council by omitting the word 'Development', sources said.

Aizawl

The proposed fifth round of peace talks between the Mizoram Government and HPC-D, which was tentatively scheduled to be held at the end of July is now likely to be deferred. Mizoram State Home Department officials said that the next round of peace parleys might need to be deferred as the Mizoram government is yet to complete its "homework" for the proposed talks. The next round of peace talks is likely to be held in August and is believed to be the last official level talks after which the ongoing parleys would be elevated to "political level", the officials further said.

Aizawl

An unnamed senior State Home department official stated that Mizoram Government was making efforts to rein in the Lalhmingthanga Sanate faction HPC-D to ensure that they also come over ground. The official said the government wants to ensure that Sanate faction of HPC-D comes over ground when a peace accord is signed with the faction led by H Zosangbera with which the State Government is holding peace talks. The proposed next round of talks scheduled to be held during July was deferred because of some reasons including the efforts made to include Sanate's faction of HPC-D in the proposed accord to find amicable solution to the vexed Hmar imbroglio, he said. Preparations have been made to resume the talks during August which would likely be the last round of official level talks, he said, adding that the talks would be elevated to political level parleys after this round.

NS

HPC-D welcomed the Mizoram Government's decision to hold talks with the HPC-D faction. The State Government had decided to hold talks with HPC-D faction led by Lalhmingthanga Sanate within this month and with the Zosangbera faction next month which had been nearing conclusion.

Aizawl

The proposed peace talks between Mizoram Government and Lalhmingthanga Sanate faction of HPC-D did not materialize as the State Government rejected the conditions put forward by the militant group. "The HPC(D) faction led by Lalhmingthanga Sanate set pre-conditions like establishment of an autonomous district council under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution in the Hmar community concentrated area and tripartite talks by inclusion of a senior official from the Centre," a senior State Government official said. The State Government rejected the conditions as its stance was that there should be no conditions for holding talks, he said. The talks were to be held in August end. Peace parleys with the major faction led by H Zosangbera would soon resume and the next round of talks was likely to be the last official level talks as it would be elevated to the political level, he said.

The proposed peace talks between Mizoram Government and Lalhmingthanga Sanate faction of HPC-D did not materialize as the State Government rejected the conditions put forward by the militant group. "The HPC(D) faction led by Lalhmingthanga Sanate set pre-conditions like establishment of an autonomous district council under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution in the Hmar community concentrated area and tripartite talks by inclusion of a senior official from the Centre," a senior State Government official said. The State Government rejected the conditions as its stance was that there should be no conditions for holding talks, he said. The talks were to be held in August end. Peace parleys with the major faction led by H Zosangbera would soon resume and the next round of talks was likely to be the last official level talks as it would be elevated to the political level, he said.

Aizawl

The two day peace talks between the Mizoram Government and HPC-D held in Aizawl concludes on a positive note. It was the fifth and the last official level talks which began on August 10, 2016 to find amicable solution to the vexed Hmar political problems in Mizoram. With the culmination of the official level talks, the next round of peace talks will be held at a political level, a senior officer in the Home department said.

Sakawrdai/ Aizawl

The draft MoS proposed to be signed between the Mizoram Government and the HPC-D was approved at the consultation meeting of the Hmar community. The meeting was convened by the "Hmar Inpui" (apex Hmar body) and chaired by Joseph Lalrothanga, 'president' of the Hmar Inpui. The meeting also approved the draft Sinlung Hills Council Bill, 2017, which is required to be approved by the Mizoram council of ministers before its introduction in the State Legislature.

Aizawl

Mizoram Home Minister R. Lalzirliana expressed hope that the ongoing peace talks between the state and H. Zosangbera faction of the HPC-D would end the imbroglio over the SHDC. The home minister said the onus for the continuation of parleys with the group lies with Chief Minister Lal Thanhawala. An unnamed Home Department source said another HPC-D faction of the Convention, led by Lalhmingthanga Sanate, which had earlier insisted on conditional talks with the state, has now softened its tone. The Sanate faction has expressed willingness to come to the negotiating table, before the government signs a peace agreement with the Zosangbera-led faction, he said.

Resumption of peace talks between Mizoram state Government and HPC-D proposed to be held before Christmas has been deferred. A committee, headed by CM Lal Thanhawla has been formed to look into the political aspects of political settlement.