1. Influential Kuki group, COTU, based in Kangpokpi, Manipur, has suspended the 12-day “economic blockade” on highways to Imphal.
2. The blockade, initiated on November 15, protested the perceived indifferent attitude of authorities towards law and order in Kuki-Zo inhabited areas..
3. The affected highways connect Dimapur (Nagaland) and Silchar (Assam) to Imphal, impacting the supply of goods to the capital and other parts of the state.
Imphal, Nov 27: The Committee on Tribal Unity (COTU), an influential Kuki group based in Kangpokpi, Manipur, has decided to suspend the 12-day “economic blockade” imposed on two national highways connecting Manipur’s Meitei-dominated state capital of Imphal.
The blockade, initiated on November 15, was a protest against the perceived indifference of authorities to maintaining law and order in Kuki-Zo inhabited areas. The affected highways connect Dimapur (Nagaland) and Silchar (Assam) to Imphal, disrupting the supply of goods to the capital and other parts of the state.
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COTU stated that the decision to suspend the economic blockade was made after considering the hardships faced by fellow tribals in the region. The group emphasized that the suspension is temporary and will be subject to review, with the possibility of reinstatement if deemed necessary.
The ethnic violence between the majority Meiteis in Imphal Valley and the tribal Kukis has resulted in significant casualties and displacement since May 3, with 182 people reported dead and around 50,000 displaced. The situation has created tensions and led to various forms of protests and blockades in the region.
