Reopen national highways before it's too late
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: May 20, 2023 -

WITH the Kuki MLAs of Manipur and various civil society organisations deciding not to engage in any dialogue with the government led by chief minister N Biren Singh, it seems that all efforts to bring the peeved MLAs and CSOs to the negotiating table wouldn't fructify at this juncture.

As reported, several CSOs belonging to Chin-Kuki-Mizo-Zomi-Hmar ethnic groups in Manipur and the to Kuki legislators, including seven from the ruling BJP, held a meeting in Mizoram's capital Aizawl on Wednesday to discuss the prevailing situation in Manipur.

With the congregation of Kuki MLAs and CSOs in the neighbouring state unanimous that no dialogue or talk shall be held with the present Manipur government and to hold consultations on a wider scale so as to arrive at a common political agenda with other groups, it is could be safely stated that the demand for separate administration in the form of a union territory for the Kuki-dominat-ed districts or other political safeguard would continue to be pursued vigorously by the Kuki and its kindred tribes.

The Aizawl meeting was held after the 10 MLAs petitioned the Centre on May 12 to create a separate administration for the Chin-Kuki-Mizo-Zomi-Hmar commu-nity in the wake of the violent clashes with the majority Meiteis, and outright rejection of the demand by chief minister N Biren Singh who quoted union home minister Amit Shah as saying that the territorial integrity of Manipur will be protected at all costs, thereby implying that the demand for separate administration will not be entertained or considered.

While assurance given by Amit Shah is one of the reasons for the Meetei CSOs and public abstaining from violent agitations and limiting themselves to launching democratic movement in the form of sit-in protest in denunciation of the separate administration demand, involve-ment of cadres of Kuki armed outfits in attacking Meetei villages in the foothills and to demand that the Union government also withdraw from the So0 agreement, the government of Manipur should not ignore the growing frustration and tension among the non-Kuki communities in the state over blockade imposed in Kuki-dominated areas along the national highways.

For over a fortnight, protesters have been laying siege on the national highways consequently leading to hiking of prices of essential commodities and hoarding of goods by the business communities.

In case the highway blockade continues and the government authorities fail to reopen the supply lines then there is strong possibility that the restive situation will aggravate and might go out of the hand as the blockade-affected communities can't be expected to remain idle as people are well aware that the ultimate ob-jective of the highway blockaders is to starve the people.

Moreover, posers would be raised as to where and how the io,000-plus additional army and para-military personnel, who were flown into the state in the wake of the com-munal clashes, are being deployed.

As there has been no fresh violence in the valley areas, it is suggested that government galvanise all available manpower and machinery resources in sanitising the highways of unwanted elements before it is too late.