Guwahati, June 6: The North East Indigenous People’s Forum (NEIPF) has, amid the volatile situation in Manipur, urged both the Union and state governments to intervene and ensure safety of movement of people and vehicles in the state.
The forum, in its special executive meeting at the Assam Sahitya Sabha Bhavan here on Tuesday made a fervent prayer and appeal to all the communities in Manipur for peaceful and harmonious co-existence.
“We urge the Union and state governments to immediately intervene and ensure safe movement of people and transport vehicles in the region, particularly on the national highways in Manipur. We also urge the government to address the daily needs of the displaced persons by providing basic amenities,” NEIPF chairman Anup Chetia stated.
The forum appealed to all the communities not to resort to any form of blockades and counter blockades of the roads as all the communities were interdependent for socio-economic day-to-day lives and survival of the indigenous people, especially in the remote areas.
“We urge the state and Union governments to promptly act on the gradual influx of illegal infiltration of foreign nationals in the region, which has brought about a change in the demographic profile of the states,” Chetia said.
“The NEIPF also urges the central government to probe if foreign nationals are directly or indirectly involved in the present crisis in Manipur. Appropriate action should be initiated if foreign nationals are involved in the present crisis in Manipur,” he said.
The forum further appealed to all the indigenous people of the region to be alert and create a mechanism to check the settlements of foreigners as “such settlements hamper the economic growth of the indigenous people.”
“The continuous haul of narcotics and massive destruction of forests in the region is of serious concern for the future generations of the country. Whether narco terrorism is linked with the mass deforestation for poppy plantations in the northeastern states, including Manipur or not, has to be defined to save the indigenous people,” Chetia said.
