Any end in sight ?
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: October 31 2011 -

The economic blockade imposed by the Sadar Hills Districthood Demand Committee (SHDDC) have entered the 92nd day today and we are, yet again, forced to visit this issue which as the days go by instead making some positive headway, appears to be moving further and further away from any resolution.

Once again, we see a hardening of the stand with the SHDDC calling for a 48 hours general strike in the hill areas of the state with effect from midnight of Oct 31 to midnight of November 2.

Side by side to mount greater pressure on the government, it has also decided to impose an indefinite bandh in areas under Sadar Hills from October 31. This is a sign of the widening gap between the the SHDDC and the government of Manipur.

The leadership seems to be getting nervous and restless given the fact that the government, by all accounts, seems to have nothing new to offer which could convince the agitators of its intent to move towards granting of districthood.

The SHDDC seems to be quite convinced that the state government is not showing undue haste or "inclination to address the issue" as per their latest release to the press.

In fact, in one of the most strongly worded release in recent times, the SHDDC has accused the Ibobi government of indulging in false and unfounded propaganda against the districthood movement to derive political mileage for electoral benefits.

The distance between the agitators and the government further went on a downward spiral following the incident of October 27 involving the works Minister K Ranjit and women SHDDC agitators.

While it was widely reported that the minister was detained by the women agitators who were trying to pressurize him to sign on a black paper granting districthood and there were even accusations of bullets being fired at the minister vehicle, the SHDDC rubbished this version and instead charged the minister of calling in a huge contingent of state force and letting it loose on the peaceful women agitators who were merely trying to talk with the minister.

Coming as it is at this juncture when there is a distinct impression created of government playing a waiting game, this incident will do the image of the state government no good.

The government needs to come clean on what exactly happened on that day and clear the atmosphere so that fresh efforts efforts can be put in towards engagement with the SHDDC leadership.

The SHDDC leadership, on the other hand, should see that such incidents are not used to whip up a frenzy among its supporters which might cause irreparable damage to the cordial relations among various sections of people which has come under enormous strain these past few months.

Meanwhile, we have to remind the SHDDC leadership that prolonging the economic blockade would only increase the suffering of the common people without in any way helping them in their pursuit.

The government seems intent on waiting out time, ostensibly for the Committee on Reorganisation of Administrative and Police Boundaries to submit its report.

But it is unlikely that report will make it in time before the election code of conduct comes into force for the ensuing election to the 10th Manipur State Legislative Assembly.

It is time for the SHDDC to do a rethink on the economic blockade.

First it has gone on for too long, it will surely assume catastrophic proportion after some time - if it hasn't already, the economically weaker sections, the sick, the infirm, women and children are the worst sufferer.

As we have been saying over and over again, they should not be made to pay for something over which they neither any control nor any say.

How long will it go on?