PM steps in, Manipur blockade suspended

June 14: Naga students have agreed to suspend a blockade that has been choking Manipur for 65 days, yielding to gentle persuasion by the Prime Minister that was preceded by a home ministry statement that central forces would be sent. The students announced that the blockade on National Highway 39, Manipur's lifeline, would be lifted "temporarily" from 5pm tomorrow. The NH 39 is blocked at Mao Gate and the NH 53 at Jiribam. Only NH 150 is open but it takes longer hours. (See map) The announcement came soon after the students met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Delhi, and a few hours after the home ministry said it would send central forces to open the blocked roads. However, immediate resumption of services by Manipur buses and supply trucks along NH39 is fraught with uncertainty as transporters are unwilling to resume service. The blockade traces its roots to the dispute over contiguous Naga-dominated areas in Manipur, which Naga groups stake claim to. But the standoff that began over local elections snowballed into a fullblown crisis when the Manipur government denied permission to Naga leader Thuingaleng Muivah to enter the state. Muivah wanted to visit his ancestral home in Ukhrul but the Manipur government feared that it would inflame passions. The standoff, blamed on the Union home ministry's lack of foresight in allowing Muivah to proceed till the Manipur border, eventually led to the death of two of his supporters in police firing. However, shedding the kid gloves, Union home secretary G.K. Pillai said in Delhi today that the Centre had decided to send forces to Nagaland and Manipur to end the blockade. Sources in Imphal said the forces would arrive in Manipur from Nagaland and other neighbouring states by tomorrow for deployment along the Imphal-Dimapur NH 39. The sources said the Union home ministry had also called the chief secretaries of Manipur and Nagaland to New Delhi on Wednesday to chalk out a joint strategy for reopening the Imphal-Dimapur and Imphal-Jiribam highways. Other sources said the Kohima-based Naga Students Federation (NSF) thought it prudent to suspend the blockade after the Prime Minister heard out its delegation. NSF members, led by president Mutsikoyo Chakhesang, met Singh this morning. The Prime Minister assured them that he was personally monitoring the situation and wanted a peaceful atmosphere for the talks with the NSCN (Isak-Muivah) to continue. The Centre's interlocutor, R.S. Pandey, is scheduled to hold talks with NSCN (I-M) leader Muivah in New Delhi later this month. NSF adviser Achumbemo Kikon said the delegation was "impressed" by the way Singh spoke to them. NSF delegates had called on home minister P. Chidambaram and leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj last week. All the three leaders urged them to call off the blockade, as did sister student organisations from other Northeast states. However, wary of losing face, the students said the blockade would be withdrawn temporarily. "If the Manipur government does not withdraw warrants against student leaders, we will resume (the blockade) any time," Kikon said. With Manipur starved for essential commodities, the state government started using the Imphal-Jiribam highway to bring in supplies but did not force open the Imphal-Dimapur highway. Following severe criticism for inaction, the Centre decided to deploy paramilitary forces to reopen the highway. (The Telegraph)