Naga students today suspended their over two-month-old economic blockade of two national highways that had caused a severe shortage of essential supplies to Manipur. The “temporary suspension” came ahead of the Centre’s decision to escort goods vehicles from tomorrow on National Highway 39 with the help of central paramilitary forces.
A joint statement said the decision to lift the blockade temporarily from 4 pm today was taken at a marathon meeting here among leaders of the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF), Naga Hoho (council), ANSAM, United Naga Council (UNC), Naga People’s Movement for Human Rights-South and Naga Women Union Manipur.
ANSAM, UNC and other Naga civil society bodies said in a joint declaration that the agitation by Naga people would continue in different forms and at different levels till the aspirations of Naga people were fulfilled by the Centre and the Manipur government.
It said the meeting endorsed UNC’s decision to declare the ‘imposed’ district council elections in Naga areas of Manipur as ‘null and void’. NSF had ‘temporarily suspended’ its blockade on Tuesday.
ANSAM supported by UNC, Manipur, had then, however, decided to continue the blockade on NH 39 and NH 53 which started on April 12. Yesterday, three companies of CRPF had flown into Manipur from Delhi to clear the blockade.
The meeting also endorsed the decision of UNC to ‘sever’ all ties with Manipur government and demanded the Centre immediately make ‘alternative arrangement’ for Nagas of Manipur.
The Centre had earlier given assurances for removal of Manipur Armed Police and Section 144 CrPC from Naga areas in Manipur, which had not taken place till date which should be immediately implemented, the statement said.
The meeting also condemned the declaration of presidents of UNC and ANSAM as offenders and ‘fixing price tags’ on them by Manipur government.
The joint declaration said the blockade was being temorarily lifted in deference to the request by the prime minister, home minister, leader of the opposition in Parliament, student bodies of neighbouring states and Indian civil societies.
