Newmai News Network
IMPHAL, January 25
Nearly 50 vehicles including goods-loaded trucks have remained stranded near Mao gate along Imphal-Dimapur road (National Highway 2) due to a 48-hour tribal areas bandh called by United Naga Council (UNC) since January 24 midnight to press for its demands.
The Imphal-bound vehicles are unlikely to enter the state until security forces come there to escort them. In the meantime, over 90 loaded trucks heading towards Imphal were stranded near Yangangpokpi in Imphal East owing to an indefinite bandh on Imphal-Jiribam road by Jiribam District Demand Committee (JDDC), sources said today.
The committee demands the Manipur government for conversion of Jiribam subdivision under Imphal East into a full-fledged revenue district. JDDC served an ultimatum to the Manipur government to implement the MoU signed four years ago about making Jiribam a full-fledged revenue district on or before October 31, 2015.
The committee has called the indefinite bandh saying the state government has been keeping mum over their demand even after signing the MoU on November 9, 2011.
UNC said the Centre has been indifferent to the tribal people and taking the role of fence sitters to the ‘goonda raj’ of Chief Minister O Ibobi and Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam. The Naga apex body has already announced a boycott of Republic Day celebrations 2016.
The committee’s boycott decision has been taken to draw the political intervention of the Centre against the three ‘anti-tribal’ Bills and the resolution of the State Assembly on August 31 and the subsequent killing of nine civilians whose bodies are still lying at the morgue of Civil Hospital, Churachandpur.
Other demands of the UNC include, ‘to revoke and nullify the notification/order of the Home Department, Government of Manipur on re-organising police district boundaries.’
Withdrawal of all Manipur police commandos and IRBs from cease fire and Suspension of Operation (SoO) coverage territories and UNC delivering of justice to the victims of K Somrei Naga village who were indiscriminately fired and beaten up by Manipur police commandos posted at ABCI camp on December 27 last year during Christmas festival at 7.30 pm.
Religious program, earthquake related activities, educational institutions, medical, electricity, water supply and media have been exempted from the purview of the general strike.
