The All Assam Manipuri Youths Association (AAMYA) has imposed an indefinite blockade on the Assam-Nagaland national highway No. 39 from Sunday midnight.
According to K. Kundal and N. Thangal, the chief advisor and the general secretary respectively of the AAMYA, the outfit was constrained to take up the step as the Southern Angami Public Organisation (SAPO) has refused to withdraw the blockade against Manipur. The SAPO had imposed the blockade against Manipur from March 21 demanding the withdrawal of the state paramilitary forces and demolition of the construction of the police station at Dzouku valley along the Nagaland-Manipur border.
However, Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh said, “The construction works are being done 100 metres inside the Manipur’s territory. We never encroached on the territory of another state. We have written to the Nagaland government pointing out that as established by the satellite map the construction sites are located well within Manipur. There is no question of compromising Manipur’s land simply because some organisation is agitating. If the impasse cannot be sorted out at the state level we will approach the centre”. The ASMYO said that its appeal to the SAPO to withdraw the blockade fell on deaf ears..
Meanwhile the All Manipur Muslim Organisation Coordinating Committee president S. M. Jalal said that a counter blockade may be imposed if the Nagaland government refuses to take actions against the SAPO activists. On the other hand, the students’ bodies in Manipur have said that the Manipur government should not retreat a step while handling the issue. They said that it is highly appreciated that Mr. Biren has said that nothing that will compromise Manipur’s territory will be done.
Reports said that the movement of vehicles towards Nagaland through NH 39 is hampered. Official reports said on Sunday that stranded oil tankers, goods trucks, inter-state passenger buses and other private vehicles had turned back from the Nagaland areas and had started entering Manipur through NH 37. Adequate armed guards are provided to these vehicles. Drivers from Imphal are avoiding the NH 2 and plying along NH 37 which reaches Jiribam district bordering Silchar district of Assam. Officials said that there is no question of shortage of fuel and essential items and said that traders who resort to artificial scarcity shall be pulled up.
