After Centre talks tough, Naga rebels to lift Manipur blockade-15/6/10

After Centre talks tough, Naga rebels to lift Manipur blockade


15 Jun 2010, 0422 hrs IST,ET Bureau


NEW DELHI: The Naga Students Federation (NSF) on Monday said that it would suspend the two-month long economic blockade of Manipur. After a meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, a spokesman of the students’ federation said the blockade will be “temporarily” lifted.

“We met the prime minister this morning and he assured us that he will look into the matter and asked us to call off the blockade. Therefore, we have decided to temporarily suspend the blockade after consultations with senior members in Kohima,” a NSF spokesman told reporters.

Earlier in the day, the Centre had said that it will use paramilitary forces to break the over two-month long economic blockade enforced by Naga groups to ensure supplies of essentials into the region.

Union Home Secretary GK Pillai had said that troopers from the CRPF and the BSF would escort trucks carrying food and medicines by NH39 from Assam to Manipur passing through Nagaland. “The process would begin from Tuesday and we shall see to it that food supplies reach Manipur," Pillai said.

“The Central government's decision to use force to break the deadlock has come in late, but still we welcome the move,” a Manipur government spokesman said in Imphal. The impact of the blockade is such that prices of essentials went soaring — a kilogram of rice sold at Rs 100, a litre of petrol at Rs 200, and a cooking gas cylinder at Rs 1,500.

The chief secretaries of Manipur and Nagaland are expected to meet on Wednesday to sort out the crisis following orders from the Union home ministry. Several Naga groups called an indefinite blockade of National Highway 39, Manipur's main lifeline, on April 11 to protest against the decision of the state government not to allow separatist leader Thuingaleng Muivah to visit his birthplace.

The Naga student unions have also been demanding a separate “Nagalim” comprising all Naga-dominated regions. The government of Manipur, too, is adamant about not allowing Mr Muviah into the state as it fears breakout of more clashes. the state government, however, is against allowing the formation of a “greater Nagalim”.