No response from Nagaland, centre: CM
AAMSU volunteers continue to enforce counter blockade in Assam
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, March 30 2022:
Chief minister N Biren has informed that he had urged the Nagaland government and the Centre to intervene into the indefinite bandh being called by Southern Angami Public Organisation (SAPO) but no intervention has beert made from either side so far.
On the sidelines of the launch programme of Imphal-Mao bus service, while responding to media persons on the state government's initiative towards resolving the border dispute permanently like that of Assam and Meghalaya, the CM said that the land dispute is not between two states.
It is only a matter of claim made by a Nagaland based organisation called SAPO.
Since Nagaland government is not making any claims, it could not be termed as inter-state dispute, he added.
Meanwhile, the counter blockade called by All Assam Manipuri Students' Union (AAMSU) along national highway 39 against the indefinite bandh imposed by Southern Angami Public Organisation (SAPO) along national highway-2 continued on Wednesday, with large number of AASMU volunteers blocking the path of all vehicles including trucks carrying goods coming from Assam from entering Nagaland.
Speaking on the sidelines, one of the Association members remarked that the people of Manipur are often disrespected by organisations imposing blockade along NH-2 which is the lifeline of the state over their demands.
Recently, SAPO called the bandh over the unjustified reason of demanding with drawal of a police outpost set up on Manipur's own territory.
AAMSU urged SAPO to withdraw the blockade but to no avail, while the government of Nagaland continues to turn a blind eye to the matter.
As such, AAMSU decided to impose the counter blockade as the bandh imposed by SAPO along a national highway, which is the lifeline of a state, is a gross violation of human rights.
AAMSU will not withdraw the counter-blockade until SAPO withdraws its blockade, it added.
There is no end in sight to the NH-2 blockade in Nagaland called by the SAYO against Manipur, which entered the tenth day on Wednesday.
According to news agencies SAYO was scheduled to sit with the apex organisations of Angami tribes on Tuesday to decide on its future course of action on the ongoing blockade but there no report on what decision the meet adopted.
Earlier SAYO president Metekhrielie Mejura asserted that the blockade will not be lifted until the Manipur government withdraws its forces from a police outpost at Kezoltsa, a place claimed by both Nagaland and Manipur as its own.
Recently, Manipur government's special secretary (home) had written to Nagaland's chief secretary, reiterating that the permanent structure and armed personnel of Manipur police are deployed with the territorial jurisdiction of Manipur.
Peeved with the SAYO stir that left many Imphal-bound goods and passenger vehicles stranded, the All Assam Manipuri Youth's Association (AAMYA) also launched an indefinite "counter-bandh" on Assam-Nagaland highway since Sunday midnight.
An AAMYA statement said that the counter-bandh will continue until SAYO withdraws its indefinite highway bandh in Nagaland.
SAYO initially called the blockade for 72 hours on March 21 against non-withdrawal of Manipur armed personnel stationed at Kezoltsa.
The blockade was later extended for an indefinite period from midnight on March 23.The blockade prompted the Manipur government to re-route stranded Manipur-bound vehicles, including petroleum product carriers, towards NH-37 (Imphal-Jiribam) bordering Assam with security escorts.
On March 26, the last day of the first session of 12th Manipur legislative assembly, chief minister N Biren informed the house that representations were being sent to settle the indefinite bandh.
He also said the blockade called by the SAYO is not a dispute between Manipur government and Nagaland government and that both the governments will try to resolve it at the state level.
However, he added that if it is not solved at the state level, they will resolve it at the central level with the central government as the mediator.