'Dialogue with rebels has led to decline in violence'
Source: The Sangai Express / Press Trust of India
Shillong, November 20 2012:
Government appointed Interlocutor with rebels in Assam and Meghalaya, P C Haldar today said "dialogue" between NE rebel groups and the Government have brought down level of violence and the talks with the pro-talks ULFA are heading in the positive direction.
"Dialogues have brought down level of violence even as there continues to be certain pockets of concerns," Haldar said.
He said "certain groups have not come to the table or have broken away from the parent organisation but I am optimistic that they will see reasons that dialogue is the only means to end strive and violence cannot be a medium of interaction" .
On the progress of the dialogue with Assam's pro-talks ULFA rebels, Haldar said, "Currently the talks are moving in positive directions.
"I have been meeting with them and they also held talks with Home secretary in the past two months," he said.
Haldar also a member of the National Security Advisory Board said that he hopes to see a breakthrough "soon" in the dialogue with Nagaland's rebels.
Meanwhile, the interlocutor put the ball in Meghalaya government's court on whether to invite the active rebel group operative in the five western Garo Hills districts.
"The decision on whether or not to continue with the truce with the ANVC or bring the ANVC(B), a break-away faction (or the GNLA) on board for talks is a decision the state government will have to make," Haldar said.
"My job is to move forward after the government takes a call on any particular issue to hold talks with them," he said.