Manipur tense over Muivah trip

The government on Tuesday stepped up security measures to prevent entry of NSCN (I-M) general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah into the state, even as miscreants torched six Manipur-bound trucks.The Naga leader has decided to go ahead with his proposed visit to his village Somdal in Ukhrul district on Wednesday, defying a government ban.Late on Monday, around 15 people set goods-laden trucks on fire at the Manipur-Nagaland border.“It’s a miracle that we managed to escape from there,” said truck driver Heramot.His truck was among 300 that were safely brought back to Imphal on Tuesday morning.The incident took place in between Khuzama and Vishwema villages in Nagaland’s Kohima district, which borders Manipur’s Mao gate.Nagaland police said the trucks were stranded for the past two days since Manipur police were not allowing vehicles to cross over following strict prohibitory orders in bordering Senapati district to prevent Muivah from entering.An indefinite economic blockade imposed last month by the All Naga Students Association Manipur (ANSAM) has seen many Manipur-bound carriers stranded in Nagaland, along the National Highway (NH) 39.The ANSAM is demanding amendment of the until the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council (Third amendment) Act 2008.Muivah is likely to begin his journey from Dimapur with members of Naga civil society organisations as escorts for a safe transit. The organisations, on Monday, sought Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s intervention into the ongoing impasse over their Muivah’s visit. The groups also issued an ultimatum asking the government to lift the ban on the Naga leader’s entry to the state.Muivah’s proposed visit to Manipur would be the first in four decades.

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