Imphal, Jan. 23: Former Manipur Chief Minister Radhabinod Koijam led Citizens Committee, Manipur (CCM) resolved to urge Special Advisor to the United Nations(UN) Secretary General on ‘Responsibility to Protect’ to rescue the people of Manipur from the humanitarian crisis arising out of the blockade of the two lifelines for more than 80 days.
Addressing a press conference at his Thangmeiband residence here this afternoon, Koijam accompanied by CCM members mostly intellectuals from Manipur University, High Court of Manipur, senior non-congress leaders, said that the committee resolve to approach the UN considering the lack of willingness in both the state and central governments to carry out their respective responsibilities to end the hardship and sufferings of the people of the state due to indefinite economic blockade on states’s lifelines.
Manipur is reeling under indefinite economic blockade on National Highways 2 and 37 in Manipur since November 1 midnight last year.United Naga Council (UNC) called the blockade in protest against the government’s move to elevate Sadar Hills and Jiribam into full fledged districts.
The UNC and its associated bodies feel that the move has been done to bifurcate the ancestral land of the Nagas in Manipur. However, the State Government has denied the assertions saying it was done for administrative convenience.
He also admitted that they appeciated the initiatives of difrerence civil society organizations to find an amicable solution to the present problems arising out of the blockade and call of the titular king of Manipur Sanajaoba to end the blockade considering the public suffering.
CCM functionary Babloo Loitongbam, a human rights activist participating in the press conference informed that ‘Responsibility to Protect’ is a global political commitment which was endorsed by all members of the UN at the 2005 World Summit to prevent genocide, war crime, ethnic cleaning and crimes against humanity.Even the Union minister Kiren Rijiju during his recent Manipur visit termed the blockade as a ‘crime against humanity,’ he observed. Things could have been different if it happens in states like Gujarat or Maharashtra,he added.
