Imphal, May 11 2010: The situation in Manipur is extremely volatile and with the slightest provocation, an internal conflict may breakout at any time, the Human Right Alert warned in a statement lamenting that so far the state or the Union government has taken up any action to prevent the impending danger.

Keeping the view that the inaction on the part of the government, adopting wait and watch strategy to the plight of the civilians and the use of force against the protestors deliberate to sharpen ethnic divide and foment civil strife, the statement signed by its convener, Basantakumar Warepa further cautioned that "if this happens it could spread to a large area and destabilize the whole region" .

The ongoing economic blockade enforced by the All Naga Students Association Manipur (ANSAM) and others in the state since April 2010 has pushed the people in the state to the verge of existence.

The prolong blockade on the national highways has resulted in acute shortage of food, medicine and other essential commodities in the state.

The ANSAM strike in protest against the holding of elections to the Autonomous District Council in hill districts of Manipur has added another woe to the people of the state who are marred with extreme forms of violence ranging from abduction to murder committed by the state and non-state actors, Basantakumar observed.

The holding of elections to the ADC in hill districts of Manipur is considered to be a threat on the claim for "Greater Nagaland" also known as "Nagalim" a separate independent status within India merging the neighbouring states into one entity by the Naga organisations.

Amidst the agitations against the holding of election was at its high peak, the NSCN general secretary, Th Muivah was granted permission to visit to Manipur by the Union government which resulted to rise up a tension among the different communities, both from supporters and oppositions.

In the resultant scuffle of state administration increased security deployment in the border town of Mao to stop Muivah from entering the state, two protestors supporting Muivah's vsit were shot dead and injured to several others and hospitalized in the police action.

"This triggered off further protest and arson in some hill districts.

Naga Students' Federation (NSF and other Naga groups of Nagaland are extending support to these protestors," HRA observed.

Manipur government is opposing the visit of Muivah in the state with the permission of the Union government on the ground that the visit would escalate prevailing tensions between communities.

On the other hand, the prices of food grains ad other household supplies like rice, kerosene and cooking gas have escalated to such a level that the ordinary people cannot afford to buy any more.

Vehicles, including the inter-state and inter-district transport, are off the road as the fuel refilling stations remained close for weeks.

The situation is extremely volatile as an internal conflict may breakout that would spread to a large area and destabilize the whole region, the rights body warned lamenting that either the state nor the Union Government has taken up any action to prevent the impending danger.

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