Manipur to remain cut off for four consecutive days, beginning Aug 12 KSDC's 48 hr bandh to follow UNC's similar bandh
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 07, 2013: Close on the heels of UNC announcing a 48 hour bandh in Naga inhabited areas,the Kuki State Demand Committee (KSDC) has called a similar general strike in Kuki inhabited areas for the same length of time starting August 13 midnight.

An umbrella body of various Kuki civil organizations and village chiefs, the KSDC will cease all Government projects undertaken at 'Kuki areas' during the stir, the committee's information and publicity secretary George Kuki informed today afternoon.

The decision to impose the stir was taken during a meeting convened by KSDC on August 5. "Our demand is creation of Kuki State, nothing more nothing less.

We will continue our movement till Kuki Statehood is achieved," George said while appealing to one and all to support the bandh to 'avoid untoward incidents.' He said that the committee leaders have already mobilised the people at Kuki inhabited areas across the State to ensure that the strike is effective enough.

The KSDC has been demanding the Centre to hold political dialogue with the Kuki UG groups which are under Suspension of Operation (SoO) pact with the Government.

File pic of Proposed Kuki State map

KSDC's proposed 'Kuki State' map encompasses Kuki areas covering around 65 per cent of the whole territory of Manipur spread over five hill districts namely; Churachandpur, Chandel, Senapati, Tamenglong and Ukhrul.

Various Mizo civil bodies including the one set up by former cadres of the erstwhile rebel group, Mizo National Front (MNF) in neighbouring Mizoram continue to support the Kuki Statehood demand, claimed KSDC leaders.

However, Kuki Inpi Manipur, the apex Kuki civil organisation has not yet stated its position on the demand of Kuki State although the Government of India has literally opened a floodgate of Statehood demands across the country particularly in the North East after it gave its consent for carving out Telengana State out of Andhra Pradesh.

Kuki Inpi president Thangsei Haokip said that Kuki State is being demanded by a committee.

As for Kuki Inpi, it neither supports nor opposes the demand.

Notably, it is clearly written in the SoO ground rules that status quo of Manipur's boundary would be maintained whatever the outcome of the truce.

The UNC yesterday announced its agitation schedule including a 48 hour general strike from July 11 midnight in protest against the Centre's failure to give a positive response to its appeal for holding the sixth round of tripartite talk.

In the meantime, the UNC said that the non response from the Centre for indicating a date for the 6th round tripartite talk with the Centre and the State Government and on the demand for an Alternative Arrangement outside the State Government was discussed in its presidential council meeting on Monday.

The fifth round of tripartite talks as held at Senapati district headquarters on February 12 this year.

Besides calling the 48-hour general strike, the UNC said the Naga people would stay away from the 66th Indian Independence Day celebration.