Imphal, September 11: The Manipur government has requested the United Naga Council (UNC) to withdraw its ongoing indefinite economic blockade along the National Highways in Naga-dominated areas, citing larger public interest.
In a letter addressed to UNC president Shri Ng. Lorho, Chief Secretary Dr. Puneet Kumar Goel said that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has already been engaging with the UNC on the contentious issue of fencing the international border between India and Myanmar in Naga-inhabited areas.
“In this connection, it is to inform that the central government noted the concerns raised by the UNC and other stakeholders. Accordingly, the central government has been holding and will continue to hold dialogue with the UNC and other stakeholders for prior consultation before fencing works are taken up. The next tripartite meeting with UNC will be held on mutually convenient date and venue,” Goel stated in the letter.
The Chief Secretary further appealed, “In view of the above, it is requested that any form of agitation in this regard may be withdrawn in the larger public interest.”
The appeal from the state government comes two days after the UNC announced an indefinite “Trade Embargo” along the National Highways to protest against the India-Myanmar border fencing and the scrapping of the Free Movement Regime (FMR).
As a direct fallout of the agitation, more than a hundred goods-laden trucks, including those carrying essential commodities and fuel tankers, have been left stranded along NH-2 (Imphal–Dimapur) in Senapati district and NH-37 (Imphal–Silchar) in Tamenglong district.
