Our Correspondent
IMPHAL, February 3
The United Committee Manipur (UCM) has called a 12-hour dawn to dusk statewide general strike tomorrow.The strike will effect from 5 am.The strike was called by UCM as part of extending support to the ongoing indefinite on Imphal-Moreh route over the alleged harassment of villagers by troops 24 Assam Rifles.
President of UCM Y Nabachandra informed this to the media in Imphal today. The UCM leader said that Imphal-Moreh road is one of the important lifelines of the people of Manipur. However, people have been suffering from undue harassment and atrocities meted out by Assam Rifles personnel posted along the highway.He also said that they will extend support to the steps taken up by the Chandel district based civil society organizations for the cause.He also informed that UCM will announce its future course of action in consultation with the CSOs of Chandel district.Normal life along the 110 km Imphal-Moreh Road came to a grinding halt besides affecting the vehicular movement along the route since January 30 this year on account of the indefinite bandh called by villagers of Tengnoupal village in Manipur’s Chandel District bordering Chandel district protesting restriction against free movmene of villagers by 24 troops Assam Rifles deployed along the Tengnoupal sector of the route.The bandh had also forced many traders stranded at the border town(Moreh). More than a hundred private tata sumos, passenger taxis, buses besides the goods laden trucks have been plying along the route on a daily basis.For the fourth day, the bandh supporters also prohibited movement of vehicles including that of security forces.On Monday, a joint meeting of student’s body and other civil society organizations of Chandel district have decided to intensify the indefinite bandh by covering Pallel and Moreh towns from today. The meet also formed a Joint Action Committee against the atrocities by central security forces in Chandel district with Naga Chief Association President SK Angshel Lamkang and Kuki Students’ Organisation Chandel President Doumang Haokip as its co-convenors.
