Imphal, Sep 26 (IANS) The United Naga Council (UNC), the apex body of Naga tribes in Manipur, on Saturday announced the suspension of its nearly four-month-old economic blockade along the National Highways in the state following a tripartite meeting with the Centre and the Manipur government in Assam’s Guwahati.
According to a senior official of the Manipur Home Department, the tripartite meeting with the UNC was held at the BSF Guwahati Frontier headquarters at Garbhanga near Guwahati as part of the prevailing law and order situation in Manipur and related peace-building measures.
Officials from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Manipur government, along with leaders of the UNC, participated in the important meeting.
After the meeting, UNC President N.G. Lorho, in a statement, said that following the agreement reached during the tripartite talks between the Government of Manipur, the Government of India and the UNC in Guwahati, the council had decided to suspend the ongoing economic blockade with effect from 6 p.m. on Saturday.
“The United Naga Council appreciates the cooperation and solidarity extended by all concerned during the course of the agitation,” the statement said.
The Imphal-Jiribam National Highway (NH-37) and the Imphal-Dimapur National Highway (NH-2) are the two crucial lifelines of Manipur, connecting the landlocked Northeastern state with the rest of the country.
The blockade was imposed by the UNC in May following the kidnapping of six Naga civilians from Leilon Vaiphei village in Kangpokpi district, which is mostly inhabited by Kuki-Zo tribals. The bodies of the six abducted Naga villagers were recovered on June 10, triggering widespread anger and agitations in different parts of Manipur.
The blockade severely affected the transportation of essential commodities and fuel in the state and led to a rise in the prices of various items. The prolonged disruption also affected the movement of vehicles and supplies along the major highways passing through Naga-inhabited areas of Manipur.
Saturday’s Guwahati meeting assumes significance as the blockade had disrupted movement along the two major highways, affecting the transportation of essential commodities into Manipur from outside the state.
The tripartite meeting between the Centre, the Manipur government and the leading Naga civil society organisations is being viewed as an important step towards restoring normalcy and creating conditions conducive to wider peace-building efforts in the state.
The meeting in Guwahati came after the UNC and other Naga civil society organisations had maintained the blockade for several months over their demands following the abduction and subsequent killing of six Naga civilians.
The UNC had earlier maintained that the agitation would continue until action was taken in connection with the deaths of the six civilians and other issues raised by the Naga organisations.
The suspension of the blockade is expected to facilitate the movement of essential commodities, fuel and other supplies through NH-2 and NH-37, which are among the key road links connecting Manipur with neighbouring states and the rest of the country.
–IANS
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