Manipur: Kuki body lifts 16-day economic blockade, shutdown along vital National Highway

Imphal:A leading Kuki tribal organisation on Tuesday afternoon lifted its 16-day-long counter-economic blockade and ensuing total shutdown along the Imphal-Dimapur National Highway (NH-2), a crucial lifeline connecting Manipur with the rest of the country.

A senior police official said that following the lifting of the blockade, more than 460 goods-carrying vehicles, mostly trucks, which had remained stranded for around two weeks due to the economic blockade, resumed their journey.

The decision to lift the economic blockade and total shutdown along NH-2 followed a meeting between a Manipur government delegation led by Home Minister Konthoujam Govindas Singh and BJP MLA Thokchom Radheshyam Singh and representatives of the Kuki CSO Working Committee (WCKCSO).

The Imphal-Jiribam National Highway (NH-37) and the Imphal-Dimapur National Highway (NH-2) are the two crucial lifelines of Manipur, connecting the landlocked state with the rest of the country.

Home Minister Govindas Singh later said in a social media post that following the lifting of the blockade and shutdown, around 460 goods-carrying vehicles, which had been stranded due to the economic blockade, resumed their journey towards Ukhrul along NH-2, bringing much-needed relief to transporters, traders and the general public.

“Under the directive of Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh, a meeting was held with the Kuki CSO Working Committee (WCKCSO) at Shangkai Village in Ukhrul district on Tuesday. After a long and detailed discussion, the WCKCSO finally agreed to lift the Counter Economic Blockade and Total Shutdown along National Highway-2,” he said.

The minister said that the reopening of the highway was an important step towards restoring the free movement of people and essential goods and keeping the vital lifeline open for everyone.

The WCKCSO, in a statement, claimed that the counter economic blockade, enforced from July 27 and intensified into a total shutdown from August 5, was imposed in response to a selective economic blockade allegedly targeting the Kuki-Zo tribal community by certain Tangkhul Naga and Meitei groups along NH-2.

The decision to lift the measures followed the meeting held on Tuesday at Shangkai, where the Manipur government delegation, led by the Home Minister and MLA Radheshyam Singh, informed the WCKCSO that an agreement had been reached between the Tangkhul Naga and Meitei groups concerned to end the selective economic blockade along the National Highway against the Kuki-Zo tribal community.

Further, a handwritten agreement was executed between the WCKCSO and the government delegation, under which the latter undertook responsibility for ensuring the safety and security of NH-2 and preventing any blockade or disturbance by any group.

“In view of this development and the government’s assurance of free and non-discriminatory movement of essential commodities, the WCKCSO lifted the counter economic blockade and total shutdown from Tuesday afternoon,” the statement said. It said that the WCKCSO appreciated the government’s intervention and expected the agreement to be implemented in letter and spirit, ensuring that no community was subjected to selective economic restrictions.

IANS