Sadar Hills strike off, blockade on

Imphal, Sept. 8 : After more than a one-month-long disruption of normal life, situation is slowly limping back to normality in Sadar Hills areas after the Sadar Hills District Demand Committee lifted its general strike, though the economic blockade is still in force.

The district demand committee lifted the general strike with effect from midnight last night allowing normal passenger services and traffic along the Imphal-Dimapur and the Imphal-Jiribam highways.

The blockade against vehicles carrying commercial goods along these two highways would, however, continue.

The demand committee launched its strike from July 31 midnight to put pressure on the Okram Ibobi Singh government to create Sadar Hills district having three Assembly constituencies by carving out Senapati district.

The spokesman for the demand committee, Seikhomang Haokip, said the general strike was suspended taking into consideration the hardship faced by the people of the state.

The United Naga Council (UNC) also imposed a total bandh along these highways from August 21 to register its opposition against “bifurcation” of Naga areas.

The UNC lifted its total bandh on Monday, but continued the economic blockade.

With the demand committee calling a strike, functioning of government offices and educational institutions was affected and all shops and commercial establishments along the highways passing through Sadar Hills areas remained closed.

Movement of private vehicles barring those carrying patients were also not allowed during the strike.

“Life started coming back to normal. Shops opened. Buses and other passenger services started plying along this route. People also started attending offices,” K. Haokip, a resident of Kangpokpi, the headquarters of Sadar Hills said over phone.

Trouble started last evening at Kangpokpi when blockade enforcers set on fire five trucks carrying goods.

They were escorted by the Assam Rifles towards Imphal.

More than 50 people, including women, were injured when the blockade supporters threw stones. Assam Rifles personnel escorting the trucks beat up the attackers.

The demand committee said the Assam Rifles violated an understanding that only trucks carrying Assam Rifles supplies should be allowed passage.
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