It is good that the United Progressive Alliance government has finally woken up to the suffering of the people of Manipur brought on by the 65-day economic blockade of the State by Naga political groups. The decision to send a convoy under armed escort to Manipur came after Naga student groups in Manipur refused to withdraw the blockade of National Highway 39 even after Nagaland-based groups lifted their siege on the State's crucial road link to the rest of the country. The latter were protesting Imphal's refusal to allow Thuingaleng Muivah, the leader of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (I-M), to travel to his ancestral village in Manipur. The Manipur-based Naga groups, on the other hand, are protesting the Ibobi government's decision to hold elections to the Autonomous District Councils, which they fear will erode autonomy for Naga tribes living in the hill districts of the State. The two sets of protests were provoked by different events but both are linked to the demand for Nagalim, a “greater Naga land” that will include territory from adjoining States, including Manipur. With each passing day, it became clearer that the central government's failure to end the blockade, and the attendant shortages and rise in the prices of essential commodities, including medicines, was a dereliction of constitutional and humanitarian duty. The first hopeful sign came when Nagaland student leaders met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi. The government is still trying to persuade the Manipur-based Naga groups to withdraw their siege, failing which trucks escorted by paramilitary personnel will take supplies to Manipur. That the Centre had to cite in support of its decision a recent Guwahati High Court order asking it and the Manipur and Nagaland governments to clear the highway speaks volumes about the complexity of the situation.
The Meities of Manipur and the Nagas have adopted inflexible positions that make compromise seem difficult. While the Nagalim demand is totally unacceptable, Manipur's decision to hold the ADC elections, after a controversial amendment to the relevant law affecting the authority of the elected councils, exposed an exclusivist ethnic approach to politics and governance. Deplorable as the Naga blockade is, the Manipur government's decision to bar Mr. Muivah from visiting his village in the State has caused problems for the central government, which has been in peace talks with the separatist leader for more than a decade. While there are no easy answers, what the situation cries out for is a responsible and coherent policy approach that places the interests of ordinary people at the centre of decision-making.
Keywords: Manipur blockade, Naga student groups, NH 39
What can we say? This really meant to all Manipuris that Govt. of India is not caring about Manipur. They don't bother whether we get our neccessary materials or not. They really ignored us for last 60-65 days . Seems they don't want us to be part of India.
Thank GOD better late than never.
Delhi took 68 days to hear the blockade of Manipur, the power house of Indian Sport.
There is only two seats available for manipur in lok sabha, this all boils down everything.No matter how many people starving and killing each other in manipur GOI says all is well.GOI doesn't care ,media doesn't care because nothing is affected to them.
Hello GOI if you don't want to care anything about these states why do you say they are still belongs to India.Is it because you don't want to loose the land? If the non-manipuris were not living in manipur then the food produces by themselves will be enough for them to live without depending on others.
India is one of the fastest development in the world but if you visit any of these north east states one would realize how hard they struggle to survive. There is not much changes after British left.British have done much better than GOI.GOI never cares anything about happening in these corner states
It is good to see TWO editorials on the edit pages of The Hindu in the last 60 days over the humanitarian crisis arising out of the economic blockade of Manipur by Naga Students Federation (NSF), All Naga Students Association, Manipur (ANSAM) and United Naga Council (UNC). While reflecting concern for the crisis and also pointing towards a possible solution, the last paragraph of the current editorial says "The Meities of Manipur and the Nagas have adopted inflexible positions that make compromise seem difficult." This kind of understanding of the situation is problematic and has been influenced by deliberate ethnisization of humanitarian issues. For the records, the stand-off as of now is between the Government of Manipur and the Naga Groups...not between Meiteis and the Nagas on ethnic or community lines, as one of the parties to the current impasse would want the public to believe. So what is The Hindu talking about when it says that the Meiteis of Manipur and the Nagas have adopted inflexible positions. It is as good is saying the centre's stand of not taking a stance on the plight of the Lankan refugees in Tamil Nadu is the stand/position of the North Indian Congress supporting Upper Castes.
Please remember the government of Manipur does not represent only the the concerns of the Meiteis just as the current Tamil Nadu Government led by Kalaignar M. Karunanidhi does not represent only the Backward Classes as opposed to the High Caste Tamil Brahmins.
This seems to be the trouble with most media coverages of areas which have already fallen off one's radar of political consciousness. Fortunately, The Hindu has been one of the most credible national newspapers in India and we take The Hindu seriously for its rational believe in core values of democracy.
Regards
Soul Sakri
Delhi
Was the national media sleeping for the last 60-70 days and finally bring this to notice?
All the front pages of newspapers and news websites never see a headline for this big issue for the past 60-70 days.
More than 2 lakh people are suffering due to this blockade and all the national media do not bring this in the front.
The lack lustre approach of Central government toward the complex issue in Manipur is in fact due to its failure to understand the ground realities. No one will ever understand the condition of National Highways unless he or she travels on it. Leaders who rarely or never travel on this route will never understand. The national 39 & 53 highways is one of the most dangerous highways of India. It passes through one most treacherous mountain ranges, which receives highest amount of rainfall and is prone to frequent landslide and landslips. Apart from nature fury, the more virulent problem is the dirty politicking on the National Highways played by the political leaders as well as the NSCN(IM)for narrow political game. If NSCN leaders genuinely wish to visit their ancestral village in peace, they should be welcome by all. The fringe organization with tacit support of the NSCN (IM) keep the people of Manipur at ransom by resorting to frequent economic blockade, bands,illegal tax collection in name of donation and so on. The people of Manipur have suffered a lot, there must be limit to tolerance. It is the high time for the GoI and State Government to address the grievance of the people.
Thank you sir that at last The Hindu is coming up with this issue in editorial column. Govt simply did nothing for more than two months. I wonder why and how can a democratically mandated Union Govt can be inactive for one fourth of the year to care about that state. It's just because Manipur doesn't buy votes and seats in parliament. Today concept of India as 'Union of States' is shattered and Manipuries rightly can demand to secede from union if they can be starved for 3 months like this.
The question is who invited/permitted Muivah from his exile habitat to visit India and allow also to visit his ancestral home in Manipur? Is it Government of Manipur? Or UPA in New Delhi?
Relief for common people at last. God save both Manipur & Nagaland.
So this is what hope looks like in India. In the past sixty years India has made progress in many areas, agriculture, nuclear technology, fusion, bollywood films. These were planned yes, they didn't just happen. At the same time in the north east a low intensity war has been waged treating the whole of the north east as collateral to be damaged. This too did not just happen. It is a premeditated plan. Today the UPA have agreed to send in paramilitary to open up Manipur sealed off by having little or no investment in a basic infrastructure these past sixty years. If I were one of the ordinary people you claim might be involved in decision making what is termed democracy in the West then I'd be looking to secede from an Empire that has no interest in my best interests. And I would take my inspiration from the preamble to the American Declaration of Independence. The divisions between the peoples of Manipur were deliberately nurtured by successive foreign powers from the British and now the Indian Central Government in Delhi. Hope comes when the state-sponsored discussions from retired soldiers about the necessity and benefits of bombing your own civilians ends. Hope is not going to visit India while it persists in its barbaric third world view of normalcy. One can tire of telling the truth to Indians. When you are ready to hear and see, look and listen.
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