Imphal, August 07: The United Committee, Manipur (UCM) has announced closure of both state and Central Government offices in the State and ban on plying government vehicles from tomorrow to August 14 as part of it�s ongoing agitation for release of AMSU leaders and others who had been jailed during the agitation against the geographical expansion of NSCN (IM) ceasefire to Manipur.

The UCM had carried out a 12 hour general strike on August 5 demanding the release of the 41 persons including 12 AMSU members who are presently lodged in jails.

Announcing the decision during a press conference at Hotel Excellency today, UCM convenor S.Jadumani said that the decision for the series of agitations was taken during a meeting of representatives of the six constituent bodies of the UCM held today.

He said that Centre has agreed to review the ceasefire after admitting its mistakes.

As such the Centre should bear the responsibility of the violence in the people�s uprising against the ceasefire area extension and the casualties arising out of it.

Under such circumstances, the detention of the truce protesters is grossly unreasonable, he said.

Announcing the series of agitations planned against the detention, Jadumani said both State and Central Government offices will be closed down from August 8 till 14.All Government vehicles will not be disallowed to ply.

He however said that, educational institutions and essential services including Water Supply, Electricity, Post Office, Medical, Doordarshan, press and Post and Telegraph will not fall under the purview of the ban.

The UCM convenor said that mass sit in protests will be organized statewide during August 9 to 12 while mass court arrest will be conducted on August 14 against the detention.

While regretting that certain misunderstandings arose among the UCM constituents during the agitation against the announcement of the geographical extension of the NSCN (IM) ceasefire since June 15 last, another UCM convenor Udoi Thongam appealed to the general public not to view it in the negative sense.

Kh Ratan, convenor said no one should be victimized for the agitations as it was a people�s movement.

The Centre should be solely held responsible for the deaths and injuries inflicted on the people during the stir against the ceasefire extension in Manipur, he further said.

UCM has also notified that it will organize mass sit-in- protest on August 9 in Imphal East areas as part of its line of action announced earlier to demand the unconditional release of AMSU leaders and others.

Meanwhile, the All Manipur Students Union (AMSU) has asked all its units, branches and district committees to implement the UCM decisions.

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