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Angry people set on fire vehicles in Imphal East district on Sunday in protest against the United Naga Council (UNC)'s indefinite economic blockade. [/caption]
IMPHAL, Dec. 18: Indefinite curfew was clamped in Manipur’s Imphal East district on Sunday after a mob turned violent setting on fire around 22 vehicles, including buses and jeeps. They were protesting against the ongoing economic blockade in the state and a series of attacks on security forces.
Deputy commissioners of Imphal East and Imphal West districts, in separate orders, said in view of the development indefinite curfew has been clamped in the whole of the revenue jurisdiction of Imphal East district by the district administration from 4 pm on Sunday while curfew in Imphal West district was imposed from 6.30 pm of Sunday till 4 am of December 19. Today’s incident took place when a Manipur police team tried to escort a number of private vehicles, including buses. A large number of people, including the counter-blockade protesters, were blocking the Imphal-Ukhrul route at Khurai area in the afternoon at the time of the incident. However, there was no report of any casualty, sources added.
Manipur has also been witnessing counter-blockade at various places against the indefinite economic blockade by the United Naga Council (UNC).
The UNC imposed an indefinite economic blockade on the two national highways that serve as lifeline for the state since November 1 in protest against the Manipur government’s move to create Sadar Hills and Jiribam into full-fledged districts, creating artificial scarcity of essential commodities including petroleum products.
The state government created seven new districts on December 8 for “administrative convenience.” Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh-led ministerial delegation has started to inaugurate the newly created districts recently.
Ibobi on Sunday inaugurated Sub-Treasury office Moirang, Phougakchao Ikhai police station, Keibul Lamjao police station and Chingnu Moirang Thangjing guest house, Moirang in Bishnupur district.
PTI adds: In the wake of heightened tension and violence, parts of Manipur capital Imphal were on Sunday brought under indefinite curfew and mobile internet services were snapped at various places to prevent spread of rumours over an alleged attack on a church.
The curfew was imposed this noon and covers Porompat and Sawombung subdivisions of Imphal East district, said an order issued by the District Magistrate. It will continue till further directions.
Earlier in the day, the state Cabinet decided to shut down mobile internet services in Imphal West district with immediate effect, taking serious note on the prevailing situation here following three blasts on Friday.
The Imphal West District Magistrate issued an order directing telecom operators to shut down mobile data service in the district immediately until further orders.
The action came in the wake of tensions following Friday's blasts and an alleged attack on a church.
Major areas of the state capital fall in Imphal West district where the three blasts had taken place within an hour on Friday evening. The Cabinet decision came after analysis of the prevailing law and order situation and to halt spreading of rumours through social networking sites, officials said.
The move was preceded by a 24-hour bandh called to protest hill based militants' attacks on Manipur Police in the last few days in different parts of the state that left three policemen dead and 14 others injured. The militants also snatched several weapons from the IRB personnel.
All measures were being taken to contain violence by deploying a large number of police personnel at sensitive areas of the state, a police officer said.
The capital today saw violence by protesters who were agitating against the ongoing economic blockade in the state and a series of terrorist attacks. A number of vehicles were set on fire or vandalised.
The landlocked state has been experiencing severe hardship in supply of essential items since November 1 after United Naga Council (UNC) imposed an indefinite economic blockade on the two national highways that serve as lifeline for the state.
The blockade was imposed following the state government's announcement of formation of seven new districts, four of which have been formally inaugurated. Tension in the state heightened after suspected militants continued their violent attacks on Manipur Police and other state forces in the last few days that left three policemen dead and 14 others injured last Thursday.
The attack was followed by triple bomb blasts at Nagaram area in Imphal West district allegedly by Manipur Naga People's Front on Friday. In another incident, suspected militants overpowered a small outpost of Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) at Nungkao area yesterday in Tamenglong district and fled with nine service weapons.
Following eruption of violence in Manipur on Sunday, Chief Minister TR Zeliang has shot off separate letters to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Manipur Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh seeking their urgent and immediate intervention to ensure that the lives and the properties of the Nagas in the Imphal valley are secured.
Drawing their attention to the plight of hundreds of Nagas who are stranded in the Imphal valley and are being prevented from proceeding to their respective villages in the hills in the aftermath of open threats to their lives by the valley-based organisations and public, Zeliang said several buses and other vehicles carrying Nagas have reportedly been stopped and torched.
In his letter to the Union Home Minister, Zeliang said it appears that the law enforcing authorities in Imphal are not in a position to check or stop such lawless and violent activities which are endangering the lives of the Nagas in Manipur.
On the part of the Government of Nagaland, he assured, all steps are being taken to safeguard the safety of the Meiteis residing in or travelling through Nagaland.
The Naga Students' Federation has vehemently condemned what it called ‘barbaric act’ meted out to the innocent Naga people inImphal by the Meiteis under alleged patronage of the government of Manipur.
In a release on Sunday, the NSF said the Nagas have always believed in the democratic and non-violent means to assert our rights. But, the act meted out to the Nagas has become intolerable, the NSF said adding harassing and detaining innocent Naga travelers, vandalisation of church, burning of vehicles is totally unacceptable.
It warned that the government of Manipur will be solely responsible for the loss of any Naga life in the state of Manipur. “Ibobi Singh should immediately stop terrorising the Nagas in Manipur,” it added.
In view of the unfortunate incidents in Manipur, the Chakhroma Public Organisation (CPO) has appealed to all peace loving citizens of Nagaland to maintain communal harmony within the State.
CPO president Vichütuolie Mere, in a release, on Sunday also urged all the constituent villages under its jurisdiction not to be emotionally carried away by the situation in Manipur state and instead give any possible helps, if needed, regardless of the community to any of the Manipur-bound passengers travelling along National Highway.
The CPO further appealed to the Manipur government to bring normalcy in all the Naga-inhabited areas in Manipur. It also conveyed sympathy to all those who have become victim of today’s unfortunate incident.
“Let peace prevail in the region,” the CPO stated.
The Tangkhul Students Union Dimapur has informed their community members who as travelers/tourists are in Nagaland to contact its office for assistance if they need to get back to their homes. They may contact the union in these numbers 9089783284 and 9862895472.