JOIN USLife-saving drugs flown in, trucks reach Manipur
Manipur has been cut-off by a Naga student economic blockade on two highways from Assam and Nagaland since April 16.
The two aircraft with life-saving drugs, which were running low in the state holding up emergency operations in hospitals, arrived at Changangei airport on Monday, official sources said in Imphal.
Around 18 heavy and 17 light commercial vehicles carrying 220 barrels of petrol, 76 barrels of diesel and 35 bags of sugar and other supplies also entered Manipur territory from Mizoram on May 15. More trucks are on their way to Manipur.
The Mizoram government, which has accepted the appeal of neighbouring state for allowing trucks through its territory to Manipur, on Monday appointed state Joint Secretary for home T V Fambol the nodal officer to oversee movement of essential commodities via the Silchar-Aizawl-Sinzawl-Churachandpur-Imphal road.
Reports said the Border Roads Task Force personnel were assisting trucks coming from Mizoram.
Meanwhile, the blockade by the All Naga Students’ Association Manipur continued on National Highway 39 (Dimapur-Imphal) and 53 (Jiribam-Imphal) to protest against the state government’s plan to hold elections to autonomous district councils in the hill districts.
In Nagaland, National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM) leader T Muivah stuck to his stand of visiting his ancestral village in Manipur. The Naga leader, who set out on May 5 from the NSCN(IM) headquarters Camp Hebron near Dimapur, is camping in Viswema village near the Nagaland-Manipur border.
Although, the Centre’s envoys persuaded Muivah to postpone his visit till the situation stabilised in Manipur, the outfit has asserted that they would not wait for long and there was no question of going back to Camp Hebron.
Naga organisations of Manipur declared that they were committed to peaceful settlement of Naga political conflict and integration of all Naga inhabited areas of the region.
The declaration, adopted at a consultative meeting on May 15 at Tahamzan in Manipur’s Senapati district and made available to the press here on Monday, urged the Centre to demonstrate its sincerity and respect for the “unique history and situation of the Nagas.”