THE economic blockade imposed by the United Naga Council (UNC) of Manipur has crossed the 100th day. It has caused immense hardships to the people living in the Imphal valley but despite several rounds of talks between the UNC, the Manipur Government and the Government of India, there has been no breakthrough and therefore no respite for the people of Manipur valley. The blockade is a reaction to the creation of seven new districts recently, which the Nagas claim intersects through their ancestral homelands and parcels away large chunks of their land to other tribes. In doing so, Ibobi has violated the agreement between the State Government and the Naga Hill Tribes that no new district would be created without consulting them. The creation of the districts is seen as a move to appease the majority Meiteis and the minority KukiChin tribes. The UNC on the contrary claims that it has a written assurance from the Ministry of Home Affairs in 2011, saying that it will be consulted before any decision on creation of new districts is taken. Ibobi is now in his third term and is battling antiincumbency but the blockade by the Naga groups who are alleged to be acting at the behest of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN)- IM , has only turned him into a hero of his people – the Meiteis – who see Ibobi as the only leader strong enough to stand up to the Naga insurgent outfit.
As a result of the blockade prices of essential commodities have skyrocketed. There is a shortage of baby foods, building materials, life saving drugs and of course petrol and diesel which are selling at a premium. But the UNC is unrelenting. For the Nagas the blockade of NH 2 and NH 37 is the only tool to punish the incumbent Government in Imphal. Manipur is scheduled for the state elections in March 4 and 8 this year and the UNC seems determined to carry on with the blockade until then. All attempts by the Centre to reinforce security arrangements have failed until now. Non-Naga tribes feel that Government of India should step in to diffuse the crisis. The Centre says this is a problem to be handled by the state government as law and order is a state subject. In this battle of wits, the people become cheap collateral.