SHILLONG, July 24 ? Meghalaya Chief Minister, D D Lapang has expressed happiness over the agreement with the ANVC and said no parallel move was on with another underground outfit of the state ? Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC).
?Don?t mix up the two,? he said adding ?we are dealing with an open mind...HNLC has surrendered in a phased manner and many of them have been rehabilitated.?
Queried if the Garo Baptist Church, a church body which was earlier appointed by his government to bring the ANVC to the negotiating table, was intimated about Friday?s development, Lapang said : ?We don?t have to inform each and everybody.?
Stating that Friday?s development was just a beginning to set the ball rolling for peace in the Garo Hills, Lapang said the church leaders would continue to work as many more things were left to do.
Asked if the government recognised the ANVC as a ?split? organisation as the signatories did not include its commander-in- chief and chairman, he replied in the negative. ?We presume the whole team as one and our presumption is based on hope and good faith.?