The Mizoram government on Monday rejected the demand for another autonomous district council for Hmar tribals, a top official said.
The government has been holding peace talks with Manipur-based terror outfit Hmar People's Convention-Democratic (HPC-D) over its demands for all-round development of Hmar tribals, who mostly live in Mizoram and Manipur.
However, a faction of the HPC-D led by Lalhmingthanga Sanate has stuck to its long-pending demand for the autonomous district council under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution in areas having Hmar tribals and for tripartite talks involving central officials.
"The Mizoram government has decided not to constitute any more autonomous district council for any tribe in the state. We are holding peace talks with the HPC-D's major faction led by H. Zosangbera.
"This faction had abandoned its autonomous district council demand before talks were started with the state government last year," a Home Department official told IANS on the condition of anonymity.
He said: "The next round of talks with Zosangbera faction will be held in the third or fourth week of this month. These talks will be the last official ones as the parleys will be taken to the political level thereafter."
The Lai Autonomous District Council and Chakma Autonomous District Council in Lawngtlai district of Mizoram and Maraland Autonomous District Council in Saiha have been set up under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution for the all-round socio-economic development of the minority tribes.
--IANS
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