AIZAWL, April 28 - The fourth round of peace talks between the Mizoram government and the Hmar People�s Convention Democrats (HPC-D) was held here today 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 Sinlung Hills Development Council (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.
Dissatisfied with the 1994 accord, Lalhmingthanga Sanate had formed the HPC(D), which continued to voice its demand for an autonomous district council under the sixth schedule.
During the last talks held in December last, the HPC(D) delegates handed over the arms taken away from the police in an ambush on March 28, 2015 while the state government reciprocated by releasing the outfit�s self-styled �army chief� Lalropuia Famhoite on bail. � PTI
