Assam rises against Muivah, economic blockade
Thousands stage rally at Hojai, condemn Muivah's dream of Greater Nagaland
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Hojai, May 17 2010: The North East People's Organisation (NEPO) in collaboration with Karbi Students' Union, Hojai, Dimasa Students' Union, NDC Hojai, All Assam Students' Union, Hojai Unit, Manipuri Sahitya Parishad, Assam, NDC Hojai, All Assam Manipuri Students' Union, NDC Hojai, Assam Ex-Tea Tribes Students' Union, Hojai Unit and Assam Meetei Chanura Apunba Lup, Lanka today organised a mammoth rally at Hojai in Assam.

About 10,000 people of different walks of life participated in the rally demanding lifting of the ongoing economic blockade launched by various Naga organizations on NH 39 and 53 immediately and all pledged that they will not remain as a silent spectator.

Thousands of people of different communities of Assam take out a peace rally in protest against Muivah's proposed visit to Manipur, theory of Greater Nagaland and economic blockade against Manipur at Hojai

The various voluntary organizations based in Assam will be compelled to launch road blockade on NH 39 (Numaligarh to Moreh) and NH36 (Nagaon to Dimapur) and the Naga voluntary organization shall be held responsible for any untoward incidents in future, the public meeting decided, according to the Convener of NEPO, K Chingkham.

The rally was flagged off by the local MLA, Dr Aditya Kumar Langthasa of UDA and a public meeting was held after the rally.

The All Assam Manipuri Students' Union, Hojai gave an ultimatum of 24 hours for the lifting of the blockade failing which a counter blockade will be launched.

The Union also burned the effigy of Th Muivah and shouted slogans against Greater Nagaland and the decision of the Union Home Minister to allow Th Muivah's visit to Manipur.

Meanwhile, All Assam Manipuri Student's Union (AAMSU), Nagaon District, Assam has made an appeal to the NSF and other Naga civil organisations to lift immediately the economic blockade enforced on Manipur.

In an appeal, the Publicity Committee of AAMSU stated that the communal harmony and ancient brotherhood/relationship which has been prevailing since time immemorial in the North Eastern region has been disturbed by the demand of the NSCN (IM) for greater Nagaland affecting the boundaries of Manipur, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.

The people of Manipur have been suffering specially from the frequent bandh and blockade on the National Highways in the state of Nagaland and Manipur.

Truck drivers and bus passengers have been often harassed, extorted, looted and beaten up during the past many years on this highway.

The anti-Manipur agitation organised by Nagaland based organisations like Naga Students' Federation by blocking roads and highways (National Highway 39 and 53), which are the only lifeline of Manipur, has resulted in acute shortage of food, medicine and other essential commodities.

The agitation led by these organisations has added further miseries to the people's lives specially in remote hill districts of Manipur as the government food storage facilities have become empty.

In Imphal, the capital city, hospitals have closed down emergency services due to shortage of essential supplies including medicines and oxygen.

School going children have been denied education as school vans and buses have been compelled to halt service due to fuel shortage.

The price of food grains and other household supplies like rice, kerosene and cooking gas have escalated to such a level that the ordinary people cannot afford to buy them anymore.

Vehicles, including those plying along the inter-state and inter-district transport systems, are off the road as the fuel stations have been closed, the appeal said.

Having strong belief that the Naga bodies' agitations of cutting off the lifeline of a state is against the law and God's will, the All Assam Manipuri Student's Union, Assam, Nagaon District appeals to all concerned to immediately lift the ongoing blockade and open the lifeline within 24 hours failing which the Union would be forced to take up appropriate steps like counter economic blockade, the Publicity Committee of the Union warned.