GUWAHATI: As mobile internet services continue to remain suspended in nine of ethnic violence-hit Manipur’s 16 districts, pressure is now mounting on the state government to lift the ban.
An Imphal valley-based organisation, called the Federation of Civil Societies Manipur, on Sunday urged the government to restore the services, highlighting how life without the internet has impacted economic and social sectors.
According to the organisation, the ban has severely affected local entrepreneurs, professionals, businesses, students and healthcare services.
The organisation said the government suspended the mobile internet services to maintain law and order but did not realise how the daily life of people would be impacted by this decision. It said the students were at the receiving end due to frequent suspension of internet services besides curfews and general strikes called by organisations.
“Students rely heavily on the internet to access resources. Secondly, placement agencies are now not willing to visit the campuses due to curfews and general strikes in the state,” the organisation said.
There has not been any major incident of violence relating to the ethnic conflict in the past few days but the government is not taking any chances. It fears that the restoration of mobile internet services might trigger fresh violence.
Internet services – both mobile and broadband – were suspended on November 16 in the nine districts of Imphal East, Imphal West, Kakching, Bishnupur, Thoubal, Churachandpur, Kangpokpi, Pherzawl, and Jiribam after the Imphal valley witnessed widespread violence with protestors torching and attacking the houses and properties of several legislators.
The violence broke out after the bodies of three of six missing women and children from Jiribam, killed allegedly after abduction by the Kuki militants, were recovered.
Later, when the violence ebbed, the government restored broadband internet services but conditionally. However, the mobile internet ban has continued. It has been periodically extended.