Guwahati, June 19: The All Assam Manipuri Youths’ Association (AAMYA) has threatened to call an indefinite economic blockade on national highway-54, connecting Assam and Mizoram through Lailapur in Cachar district, from June 23, 2023, if the Mizo National Front (MNF) does not announce its withdrawal of support for a separate administration for the Chin-Kuki-Zo people in Manipur by Thursday.
- In a statement, the association expressed its displeasure at the response of the MNF in justifying their stand of supporting the demand for a separate administrative structure for the Chin-Kuki-Zo people in Manipur, invoking Article 3 of the Indian Constitution.
AAMYA said that such justification of supporting the demand for a separate administrative structure for the Chin-Kuki-Zo people “was not relevant in the context of Manipur, which has a boundary recognised by the international community even before the state merged with India on September 21, 1949.”
The association stated that though it appreciated Mizoram chief minister Zoramthanga’s statement, supporting the steps taken by the Manipur and the central government, it insisted that that “MNF should publicly announce its withdrawal of support for a separate administration for the Chin-Kuki-Zo people in Manipur in the larger interest of peace in the region.”
The organisation further asserted that in any arrangement of peace and dialogue, MNF and the Mizoram government must not go against the integrity of Manipur.
“In the light of the positive gesture of Mizoram chief minister Zoramthanga, AAMYA humbly seeks clarification from the Mizoram government whether the statement of Mizoram chief minister also means withdrawal of support for a separate administration for the Chin-Kuki-Zo people in Manipur,” the association stated.
AAMYA further stated that it was looking forward to the active support of the Mizoram chief minister in protecting the territorial integrity of Manipur and the MNF’s public announcement of the withdrawal of support for the separate administration of Chin-Kuki-Zo people in Manipur.
“AAMYA will wait till June 22, 2023. If MNF does not clarify on or before June 22, the association will take the statement of chief minister Zoramthanga as a ploy to sabotage AAMYA’s plans, and move on with its resolution (indefinite economic blockade from June 23, 2023),” it said.
“Services, ambulances, students going for exams and interviews, marriages and religious ceremonies and other emergency humanitarian work would be exempted from the blockade,” it stated.