The plight of the Mao traders is multiplying. They are facing the neither-here-nor-there situation. The suffering of these traders stands out even amid the welter of trouble days for all in this agonized region.
Compelled by certain situation the Mao traders chose Imphal as their new destination a couple of months ago. The otherwise brisk businesses of these traders have been affected badly since then, thanks to social unrest in Manipur valley districts coupled with natural calamities such as frequent landslides between the 100-km long Mao Gate and Imphal.We have been informed that vegetables and fruits worth lakhs of rupees often get perished in want of outlets. There are more than just bandhs and landslides for the disruption of free flow business operation of the Mao traders in the past few months in Nagaland and Manipur. Concerned authorities not bothered to come forth to ease the traders’ hardship. These distraught traders have no other options but to silently bear the brunt of certain section of people for no faults of theirs whatsoever.
A couple of months ago it was familiar scenes for commuters travelling along the national highway that vegetables and fruits of these humble Mao farmers were pulled down and scattered in the roadsides. Unable to bear this inhuman infliction the Mao farmers/traders shifted their base to Imphal. Their new destination is no better. They are facing loads of problems. One is the language problem.
We should know that due to geographical convenience and trade viability Kohima and Dimapur became their trading centers. For these two reasons they are very comfortable with Nagamese (… did not get chance to learn Manipuri language or Meiteilon). For these traders, communication problem is too immense to operate business in Imphal especially those roadside ones. Due to this factor a sense of hostility and feeling of nostalgia always befall them. In addition to this hardship, the Mao farmers are also not free from acts of hostility in this bandh prone Imphal.
As recent as on August 19, Inner Line Permit (ILP) protestors threw vegetables and fruits of Mao traders in drains in the heart of Imphal. The only blame stacked up on the traders was that operating business while the hunger strike was underway was akin to ignoring the people’s movement.
What is most painful? Protestors could manage to have their way (throwing of vegetables and fruits of Mao farmers) right under the nose of the law maintaining agencies in Imphal (even in Nagaland two months ago). These insensitivities of the government and the concerned authorities have not been taken well by the Mao community.
