Manipur tribal body to reimpose blockade on vital national highway to protest attacks

Fifteen days after the lifting of the blockade on the Imphal-Dimapur National Highway (NH-2), the life line of Manipur is likely to be blocked again as the Committee on Tribal Unity Sadar Hills (CTUSH), Kangpokpi decided to impose a 72-hour total shutdown on it from Sunday midnight in protest against the attacks, torching of houses, and killing of Kuki-Zo people.

After 54 days, movement of vehicles carrying essentials resumed along the NH-2 as the economic blockade, imposed by various organisations in the wake of the ethnic violence in Manipur, was lifted on July 2.

The CTUSH decision to re-impose the total shutdown along the NH-2 was taken during its emergency meeting held at Gamgiphai on Sunday afternoon where it also passed various other resolutions as well.

During the total shutdown, all shops will shut and vehicle movement, including private vehicles, will completely cease in the Kangpokpi district, a statement of the organisation said. However, medical services only will be exempted from the purview of the total shutdown.

CTUSH General Secretary Lamminlun Singsit said that on Saturday in the Sekmai area, mobs led by the Meira Paibi organisation torched three trucks of cooking gas service.

He alleged that Myanmar-based non-Kuki insurgents infiltrating into Manipur, in collusion with the radicals outfits, attacked Kuki-Zo villages of Thangbuh and Tingkai Khullen in Kangpokpi district on Sunday and killed one innocent Kuki-Zo volunteer Jangkholun Haokip (34).

Despite the lifting of the highway blockade by the United People's Front (UPF) and the Kuki National Organisation (KNO), the valley people led by the Meira Paibi blocked all routes connecting the Kuki-Zo people settlements from Imphal, and no essential commodities were allowed to transport into Kuki-Zo inhabited areas, Singsit said.

Another tribal organisation Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLE) condemning the killing of a middle-aged woman on Saturday night, said that gunning down of Lucy Marim showed that the state government still has no control over law and order even in Manipur's capital city.

“The middle-aged woman of Maring Naga community who has been suffering from schizophrenia was killed at her residence on Saturday and her face left disfigured by her assailants, who suspected her of being a Kuki-Zo tribal. On July 6, a mentally challenged Kuki-Zo woman was shot dead at point-blank range by Meitei gunmen in Imphal. How radicals from the Meitei community in Manipur can continue killing innocent women just because of their ethnicity. Their lack of moral character and humanity in the ongoing conflict should be sufficient indicators for the central government to know that it is impossible for tribals to continue living together with the majority community. Total separation is the only solution,” ITLF spokesman Ginza Vualzong said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the police control room statement on Sunday night said that nine persons, including five women, have been arrested by Imphal East district Police in connection with the incident in which one woman was found dead at Keibi Heikakmapal Maning Ching on Saturday night. Two arms, five ammunition and one car were seized in connection with the case.

The statement said that 19 persons have been arrested by Imphal West district Police in connection with the torching of three trucks at Awang Sekmai Mayai Leikai Lampak. They were produced before the duty magistrate Imphal West on Sunday and 17 were sent to police custody for four days and two were referred to Juvenile Justice Board.