Tribal Group Threatens Highway Blockade in Manipur, alleges selective treatment

New Delhi, August 17, 2023: A tribal group in Manipur has issued a stern ultimatum, warning of a potential blockade on two vital national highways that serve as lifelines for the land-locked state. The Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) alleges that a selective blockade in the valley is obstructing the flow of essential items to the hills. The group has vowed to initiate the blockade within three days if the situation doesn’t improve.

CoTU, a significant tribal organization, has targeted both the main National Highway 2, connecting Manipur to Nagaland, and the extended National Highway 37, linking the state to Assam. This move is likely to intensify existing tensions in Manipur, which has been grappling with ethnic conflicts for over three months.

The CoTU’s Media Cell Coordinator, Ng. Lun Kipgen, expressed the group’s disappointment regarding the situation, highlighting the disruption in the supply chain of essential goods from Imphal valley to hill areas. Kipgen remarked, “CoTU felt that this prescriptive policy to placate one community over the other by the Centre needs to be considered.” The group’s ultimatum is set to take effect from August 17.

The violence in Manipur, which erupted on May 3 during a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ protesting the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status, has resulted in over 180 casualties, 3,000 injuries, and displacement of more than 60,000 people. Property damage worth crores has also been recorded.

As tensions mount and communities seek resolution, the potential highway blockade poses another challenge for the already-fragile situation in the region.