Kuki-Zo body says 48-hour ultimatum on NH blockades over

IMPHAL, JUN 29 (PTI): A Kuki-Zo organisation in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district on Monday said the 48-hour ultimatum served to the authorities for removal of unauthorised checkpoints along national highways had expired, warning that it would not be held responsible for any outcome arising from efforts to ensure normal transportation of essential commodities.
In a statement, the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) said authorities had failed to ensure the resumption of free movement of essential commodities, including medical supplies, along National Highway-2 within the stipulated period.
“With the expiry of the 48-hour ultimatum… the committee nor any of its CSOs (civil society organisations) from Kangpokpi cannot be held responsible for any outcome to ensure normal transportation of goods and food items by ourselves,” it said.
The organisation issued the ultimatum on June 27, citing a sharp rise in prices and depletion of essential commodities in the Kuki-Zo-majority district due to disruption of traffic on NH-2 and NH-37, sources said.
CoTU had alleged that road transportation, the “lifeline of the people and backbone of economic activities”, had remained severely disrupted for over a month due to blockades and unauthorised checkpoints allegedly manned by Naga groups. “This has caused immense hardship in the transport of essential commodities, medical supplies, and the free movement of the public,” it had said.
The organisation also alleged that while India aspired to emerge as an economic power in Southeast Asia, its domestic policies in the Northeast had allowed armed militants a free hand, thereby “destabilising peace” and threatening the livelihood of citizens.
It may be recalled that in the aftermath of the abduction of six Naga civilians from Leilon Vaiphei village in Kangpokpi district on May 13, Naga village organisations in the district and adjoining areas set up checkpoints and blockades along national and state highways to enforce an economic shutdown in protest and to monitor the alleged movement of Kuki armed militants.
Their bodies were recovered on June 10 from the vicinity of a Kuki Zo village.