GUWAHATI: The Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU), an influential tribal organisation in Manipur, has asked the Centre to act against 'a selective blockade' imposed by Meitei mobs which allegedly targeted the Kuki-majority districts.
The tribal organisation giving three days to act on the matter said that a similar blockade would be carried out on two national highways if the Centre fails to resolve the issue.
National Highways 2 and 37, which enter Manipur from Nagaland and Assam, are the state’s lifelines.
“CoTU would like to express its disappointment over the goodwill mission between the Government of India and SoO (suspension of operations) groups with regard to the opening of national highways against the wishes of our people,” said Ng. Lun Kipgen, who is CoTU’s media cell coordinator.
“It is disheartening to learn that the supply chain of essential commodities from Imphal valley to the hill areas, particularly Kangpokpi, Churachandpur and Tengnoupal districts, has been stalled by Meitei mobs, led by Meira Paibis (Meitei women torchbearers),” Kipgen alleged.
He said the CoTU felt this “prescriptive policy” to placate one community over the other by the Central government needs reconsideration.
“Therefore, the public will be compelled to impose a highway blockade if the Government of India fails to check the selective blockade imposed by the valley Meiteis within three days with effect from August 17,” he warned.
A blockade was imposed on the two highways after the violence in the state had broken out on May 3. However, the SoO groups United Peoples’ Front and Kuki National Organisation, which are umbrella bodies of insurgent groups, played a key role in the lifting of the blockade on July 2. The decision to lift it was made in deference to an appeal by Union home minister Amit Shah.