Nephiu Rio is going to be stopped entering Manipur at all costs
Rio urged to defer visit due to volatile law & order situation
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, May 27 2011: Additional security forces have been deployed in Senapati district particularly in the district HQs even as the state government today urged Nagaland CM to defer his visit citing elaborately the "highly volatile law and order situation in Manipur" .

Sources said that state police force led by ADGP, V Zathang has reached Senapati district as reinforcement to maintain law and order in the district, particularly at Mao town bordering with Nagaland.

The ADGP will be stationed at Mao gate where the Nagaland Chief Minister and his entourage are to proceed if they decided to go ahead with their plan to visit Senapati against the Manipur government's decision.

Seven CRPF companies were also reportedly sent to Mao gate to assist the police.

Reports from Nagaland said security in the state has been beefed up to control any eventuality arising out of the Manipur government's decision.

As a precautionary measure, restrictions on movement of inter-state trucks on NH 39 has been imposed.

Nagaland police has also reportedly asked Imphal-bound trucks stranded at various places along NH 39 to vacate places and station themselves at safer places.

Loaded trucks leaving for Imphal were asked to go back to Dimapur or cross the Dimapur gate into Assam while empty trucks heading towards Dimapur were asked to return to Imphal.

Meanwhile, with no change in Rio's Senapati tour programme heavy deployment of security forces along the Kohima-Zakhama section of NH 39 has been made.

Rio is to be accompanied by some ministers, MLAs and office bearers of the NPF as per the intimation received by Manipur government.

In reply to the intimation, Manipur government informed the Rio to defer his visit giving an elaborate background behind the state government's decision to oppose the launching of the NPF unit in the state.

"The Manipur cabinet met several times and assessed that given the highly volatile law and order situation in Manipur, particularly in Senapati district, and that this high profile visit with a political agenda at this stage is likely to disturb public peace and tranquility in the state and may lead to public agitations and blockades of NH 39," a statement of the state Home Department quoted the intimation sent to the Nagaland government today.

It added that if any blockades could lead to scarcity of essential commodities in Manipur.

The state government is concerned that blockades on NH 39 at this stage will disrupt the efforts of FCI and IOC to build-up buffer stocks before the heavy monsoon rains.

At the time time, the next round of talks with the UNC scheduled at Senapati HQs on May 30 may also be disrupted, creating further public discontent, the intimation cautioned, explaining that the proposed talks have been agreed to after several rounds of informal discussions.

Senior officers from the Ministry of Home Affairs have already conveyed their travel plans and are arriving at Imphal on May 29.Besides this, the UNC delegation is also expected to travel by NH 39 to participate in the talks.

Any NH 39 blockade will disturb their travel plans, the Manipur government intimated.

The intimation also mentioned that the Nagaland government was fully aware of the crippling scarcity of rice and petroleum products for about six months during the 2010 blockades on NH 39 and NH 53.The people of Manipur went through an extremely difficult phase during the period.

The situation was normalized after concerted efforts of the state government in co-ordination with the Government of India, FCI and IOC, it asserted.

On the other hand, Manipur government will not able to provide full-proof security to Chief Minister of Nagaland who is placed in Z+ security category as state police is already over-stretched in countering ongoing activities of various militant groups.

It would be extremely difficult to provide his security, the intimation reiterated.

Nagaland's ministers, MPs, MLAs and party office bearers expected to accompany the CM.

in the given sensitive situation, if faced with any small incident during the proposed visit of the CM could spark violence and aggravate the law and order situation.

"It is therefore, not considered advisable to allow the proposed visit at this stage, the statement of the State Home Department signed by Special Secretary (Home) said.

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