Manipur Blockade Part II

Click here for Manipur Blockade Part I

Why in news?

The Centre has decided to hold tripartite talks with the United Naga Council (UNC) and the Manipur government to end the ongoing blockade of two national highways in Manipur.

What is the current situation?

• UNC called for an indefinite economic blockade in November 2016 by cutting off normal movement of trucks on National Highways
• The blockade has disrupted normal life and led to a shortage of essential commodities in the State.
• Two C-17 Globemaster cargo aircrafts were used to airlift six fuel tankers to Imphal to ease oil shortage in the State.
• Manipur is going to the polls on March and due to the ongoing economic blockade, it has been kept in the most sensitive category.
• The State Government plans to declare UNC unlawful to curb the economic blockade
• The State government is also accused of not doing enough for peace talks to end the deadlock as the current situation would help them in the upcoming elections.

What was centre’s response?

• The Union government had signed a framework agreement in 2015 with UNC to resolve the decades-old Naga issue.
• Therefore it is accused of turning a blind eye to the activities of the UNC.
• Around 17,500 Central forces are deployed in Manipur currently.
• The Centre has even kept choppers and aircraft on standby, in case forces need to be airlifted.
• But no law permits the Centre to interfere in the matter, as law and order is a State subject.
• The Home Ministry had earlier written a letter to the Election Commission (EC) requesting it to defer the elections in the State in the wake of shortage of security forces.
• The EC overruled the request and announced that polls will be held in March.
• The centre is planning to send a notice for holding talks with the UNC and the Manipur government. The meeting has been proposed to be held in February.
• On November 2016 similar meeting was held but no representative of the Manipur government showed up.

Source: The Hindu