Manipur Students Declare 100-hour Total Shutdown
Image Courtesy: Imphal Free Press
The All Manipur Students’ Union (AMSU) on Friday declared a 100-hour total shutdown in the state, starting midnight today.. They have demanded that the state government as well as the Union government must destroy the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak Muivah) (NSCN[IM]) camps within the state. This is in connection with an incident where the NSCN(IM) cadres had assaulted a cultural troupe in Nungba Bazaar, Tamenglong district.
On September 3, a group of students were returning from a cultural programme in Silchar, Assam, where they had been invited to perform by the All Assam Manipuri Students’ Union (AAMSU). Their bus was stopped at Nungba by four persons, two of whom had their faces covered. The persons identified themselves as NSCN(IM) cadres and demanded 'taxes'. The cadres also demanded that the troupe explain why they were flying a Manipur flag while the area was a part of 'Nagaland'. Eventually, the cadres left after taking Rs. 5,000 as 'taxes'.
On September 4, the AMSU demanded that action be taken against the NSCN(IM) by both the state and Union governments within 72 hours. They had also demanded that adequate security be provided along the National Highways 37 and 2.
Reacting to the demands of the AMSU, the chief minister of Manipur, N. Biren Singh stated that he had deployed Mountain Division personnel of the Army as well as Manipur Police Commandos to arrest the cadres who had assaulted the students.
Following reports of this incident, the NSCN(IM) had released a statement where they claimed that they had received reports that 'miscreants' were using the organisation's name to extort people. They further claimed that on September 5, they had apprehended two persons from the same area who may be a part of the group that had assaulted the Manipuri students.
The AMSU, however, has displayed their scepticism of the NSCN(IM)'s claims and instead termed their statement as eyewash. In the meantime, political parties and civil society groups have expressed solidarity with the AMSU and have demanded that the government ensure that the NSCN(IM) keeps to the terms of the ceasefire agreement.
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