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.
