Hundreds of trucks are stranded along highway-37, connecting Imphal with
Assam as the bridge over the Barak river in Tamenglong district is
partially damaged. Over 900 trucks originating from Imphal are stranded
while several hundreds of loaded trucks cannot proceed towards Imphal.
Officials of the Border Roads Task Force said that it will take a few
days to repair the damage.
Meanwhile highway-2 connecting Imphal with Assam via Nagaland was open
to traffic. Officials said that the loaded trucks may reach Imphal in
two days' time. One massive breach was caused by landslip near Kohima in
Nagaland on July 13. However the movement of the trucks and other
vehicles including passenger buses along this highway will be affected
on Saturday.
Some tribal organisations at Mao, the border town, are imposing a
24-hour general strike which will paralyse the movement of the vehicles
along the highway-2. An announcement said that the strike will become
effective from 4 a.m. on Saturday. This is in protest against the
killing of Phokheho James on August 6 at Mao by unidentified persons. It
is claimed that the Naga People's Organisation, an influential Naga
civil group in the district, is extending support to the general strike.
The United Naga Council is also imposing a 48 hour general strike in the
"Naga inhabited areas" from August 11 midnight demanding holding the
sixth round of talks among the representatives of the Union, state
governments and the Naga activists. The UNC has been demanding
"alternative arrangement" for the Nagas in Manipur contending that they
no longer want to stay under the "communal government." The Kuki
Statehood Demand Committee is calling its own 48 hour general strike
from August 13 midnight in furtherance of the demand for the creation of
a Kuki state to be carved out of Manipur.
In practical terms it will mean that nothing can be transported to
Manipur during these agitations as the two highways pass through the
tribal areas. Following the landslips along the two highways there is an
acute shortage of various items including consumer goods. Fuel is still
in short supply and it is rationed in some oil pumps as and when there
is some stock available.
The appeal by the government not to impose the general strikes since the
demands of the Nagas and the Kukis are "pipe dreams" has fallen on deaf
ears.