Free movement in Manipur crucial for peace process: Congress

Imphal, June 23 (IANS) Opposition Congress in Manipur on Monday said that restoring free movement along the state's two vital National Highways and other highways is essential for the peace process in the state, which has been devastated by the ethnic conflicts for the past two years.

Manipur Congress President Keisham Meghachandra Singh said that there has been no free movement for the last 780 days in Manipur. He said that the Centre has ordered free movement in Manipur from March 8 (2025) and even placed State Corporation Transport buses under armed escort, but has failed to implement it.

Manipur continues to face grave difficulties due to ongoing ethnic tensions and restricted movement, Singh said. “If the government restores free movement in the state, it will be a step towards the peace process.”

After the ethnic violence broke out in Manipur on May 3, 2023, between the Meiteis and Kuki-Zo-Hmar, Kuki tribal organisations have strongly objected to free movement along National Highway-2 (Imphal to Dimapur) and National Highway-37 (Imphal to Jiribam along southern Assam), which pass through Kuki tribal inhabited areas.

The security forces currently provide heavy escorts to goods-laden trucks and other vehicles during their movement along the NH-37 and NH-2, the two vital surface arteries for ferrying essential items, food grains, medicines, construction materials and other goods from outside the state.

The Kuki-Zo-Hmar tribal organisations and ten MLAs belonging to these communities have been demanding that, unless a separate administration (equivalent to Union Territories) is given to these tribal communities, free movement would not be allowed.

On March 8, acting on Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s directive, the Manipur government attempted to operate state transport buses through the Kuki-Zo-Hmar tribal inhabited Kangpokpi district, but violent incidents occurred in the areas.

After the imposition of President’s Rule on February 13, four days after the resignation of N Biren Singh from the Chief Minister’s post, the state administration led by Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla has taken a series of efforts to restore normalcy and peace in the trouble-torn state.

However, sporadic incidents of violence took place in a few places of the restive state, with no major violence taking place during the past four months after the promulgation of President’s Rule.

--IANS

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