Even as the Centre announced sending of paramilitary forces to remove the two-month-old blockade of national highways in Manipur that has crippled life and created a humanitarian crisis of severe proportions, the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF), after meeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday, declared a “temporary’’ suspension of the blockade from 6 pm on Tuesday.The NSF leaders also said there was going to be no dilution of their demands, which include withdrawal of police commandos from Manipur’s Naga-inhabited areas, revocation of “wanted’’ tag on two Naga leaders by the Manipur police, and revocation of prohibitory orders from all Naga areas. Their announcement came within hours of Union home secretary G K Pillai saying, “We have decided to send paramilitary forces to remove the blockade in Manipur.’’ He said the chief secretaries of Nagaland and Manipur would meet in Delhi on Wednesday to review the situation in Manipur.
The blockades on NH-39 (Imphal-Dimapur road) and NH-53 (Imphal-Silchar road) have pushed Manipur on the verge of a complete breakdown, with stocks of all essential commodities, including baby food and life-saving drugs, almost drying up. Before the blockade, between 300 and 400 trucks carrying essential commodities plied on the two highways every day. Manipur government spokesman and sports minister N Biren Singh said the Centre’s intervention was a positive step towards ending the blockade.Meanwhile, NSCN (I-M) leader Thuingaleng Muivah is likely to reach Kohima on June 16 to visit Khonoma and Pughoboto in Zunheboto district of Nagaland.
No comments:
Post a Comment