New Delhi: The Centre has finally decided to use force to lift the economic blockade of Manipur by Naga groups almost two months after the confrontation started.
"We will use forces to remove the blockade. From tomorrow (Tuesday) we will move Central forces," Union Home Secretary GK Pillai told CNN-IBN.
However, the residents of Manipur and the media have been criticising the Centre for allegedly taking too long to respond to the crippling two-month long economic blockade of Manipur by Nagas.
"It is too little too late. Sixty days of blockade wouldn't have been possible in any part of the country but the Northeast. The Centre was apathetic to the situation. So long it has taken by Centre to mobilise its forces to break blockade. Friends in Manipur say valley and hills both are suffering because they also need essential commodities that come through NH 39. This is a violation of human rights and humanitarian crisis of a large scale," said Shillong Times Editor Patricia Mukhim.
Pradip Phanjoubam, editor of the Imphal Free Post, said the blockade has crippled life in the entire state.
"The blockade has been on for two months so it is bad there are two highways. One is partially open. NH 63 is partially open that is a little bit of a relief. The people are still stunned and are just waiting for it to get over. There was a counter blockade as well preventing essential stuff from going to the hills as well. The valley is a target, the hills were also suffering as the same lifeline serves both the hills and the valley," said Phanjoubam.
The economic blockade is essentially the fall-out of a standoff between Naga groups, the Manipuris and the Centre. The NSCN-IM is leading an agitation and wants four hill districts of Manipur - with Naga population - to become part of Greater Nagaland.
But the so-called project called 'Greater Nagaland' is being opposed by the Manipuris and the Centre. The NSCN-IM along with a few Naga groups began the economic blockade on April 12 to protest Manipur's decision to hold autonomous district council polls in Naga-dominated areas.
Their agitation intensified when NSCN-IM leader Muivah was denied permission to visiting his native village of Somdal in Manipur's Ukhrul district.
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