Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council
militant organization
The Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (abbreviated HNLC) is a militant organization operating in Meghalaya, India. It claims to represent the Khasi-Jaintia tribal people, and its aim is to free Meghalaya from the alleged domination of outsiders (the "Dkhars") from the Indian mainland. The Government of India proscribed it on 16 November 2000, but later lifted the ban, before banning it again in 2019.
History
The Meghalaya state was carved out of the Assam state, with an aim to address the unique needs of the major tribes in the region: the Garos, the Jaintias and the Khasis. However, discontent grew among the tribals due to the alleged high-handedness of the security forces, the youth unemployment and the inability to compete with outsiders from mainland Indian businesses. This led to the rise of several insurgent groups in the state.
The origins of HNLC lie in the Hynniewtrep Achik Liberation Council (HALC), the first militant organization in Meghalaya, which claimed to be a representative of the three major tribes of the state. After a split occurred in HALC over tribal differences, the Garo members formed a new outfit called Achik Matgrik Liberation Army (AMLA), while the Khasi and Jaintia members formed the Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) in 1993.
The original HNLC leadership consisted of:
Julius K. Dorphang, Chairman
Cheristerfield Thangkhiew, General Secretary
M. Diengdoh, Publicity Secretary
Bobby Marwein, Commander-in-Chief
Julius K. Dorphang resigned and surrendered to the Government of India on 24 July 2007, as a result of the internal differences within HNLC.
Area of operation
The HNLC primarily operates in the Khasi Hills region, and has carried out a number of terror activities in Shillong, the capital of Meghalaya. The top HNLC leadership is based in Dhaka, the capital of the neighbouring country Bangladesh.
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