ZB against bandhs on Imphal-Jiri highway
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, March 15 2016: The Zeliangrong Baudi (AMN) has resolved to limit and restrict the number of bandhs and strikes in Zeliangrong inhabited areas along the Imphal-Jiri Highway, ban on National, international projects including railway construction and others in Tamenglong district.

This was decided by the ZB in its meeting held yesterday at its office located at Tarung, according to a statement issued by ZB (AMN).

The meeting yesterday was convened after a series of consultations and discussions with the frontal organizations of Zeliangrong community.

Frequent bandhs and strikes on Imphal-Jiri highway, ban on National and international projects greatly affect daily wage earners, labourers, small time business persons, entrepreneurs, and common people of Tamenglong district, ZB said in a statement.

File pic of a stretch on Imphal-Jiribam highway

Frequent bandhs and strikes dearly cost the progress of the developmental works of Tamenglong district which are set to be completed in a time bound manner.

The issues of other districts should not be brought to the Zeliangrong inhabited areas, said ZB.

It is not good that in any issue and problem arising in Manipur the construction of railway and other National projects along the National Highway become the soft targets to draw attention of the Union Government and the State Government, it said.

The ZB, AMN as the apex body of the Zeliangrong community caution and warn all associations and other aggrieved parties not to take laws in their own hand without classifying the merit of the issue that really compel to call bandhs and strikes on the Imphal-Jiri road, the National Highway, national and international projects, said the statement.

The ZB (AMN) appealed to all concerned to understand the issues which are of importance.

Common tribal issues, Naga political issue, and any matter related to affect the integrity and the unity of the Zeliangrong land and resources that attempt to further divide Tamenglong district and creation of new districts at the cost of Zeliangrong's territory to make the Zeliangrong people a minority are considered the top priority, it said.

In those cases where the rights of the Zeliangrongs are necessary to defend, all available means including bandhs and strikes on all National and international projects and blocking of highway will only be necessary.

Bandhs, blockades or ban on National/international projects should not be invoked on petty issues like intra-village matter, it said.

Any group or JAC which are formed to address local and petty issues and also to meet the interest of few individuals should not call bandhs on the Imphal-Jiri highway, the only life line of Tamenglong district, ban on National and international projects, it added.

It then appealed to all the associations and the aggrieved parties concerned to avoid calling bandhs and strikes on the Imphal-Jiri line and various projects which are of importance to the development of Tamenglong district.

Any association and group which attempts to impede the developmental works of the district will be considered as working against progress and development and they will be branded as 'anti-Zeliangrongs' .

In case any association/organization is compelled to call bandh/strike in the area mentioned, they must take the confidence of the Zeliangrong apex organization and all the frontal organisations of Zeliangrong people, it added.