United Naga Council lifts the economic blockade in Manipur; IED blast in Imphal leaves one dead; Situation in Manipur remained gloomy; Noted Assamese writer Indira Goswami dead; Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) to be declared a banned organization; A
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    • NORTH EAST INDIA

    According to reports, the United Naga Council (UNC) has resolved to lift the economic blockade on the National Highways in Manipur from November 29, 2011. Decision was taken in an emergency presidential council meeting of UNC at Tamenglong. The meeting of UNC took the decision to lift the blockade from 6 am of November 29 giving due regard to the assurance given by Union Home Minister P Chidambaram to the UNC delegation on November 22, 2011 at North Block that Government of Manipur will not be allowed to take any unilateral decision on Sadar Hills issue without consulting the Nagas. The meeting also took into consideration the official communication from the Ministry of Home Affairs on November 24 with a request to lift the blockade. The UNC also said that the stand to lift the blockade was taken considering the appeal made by the church and civil society organisations. The UNC, however, warned they will resume the blockade if the authority failed to translate the assurance into action.1

    However, according to reports, an explosion outside a festival venue in Imphal, Manipur killed one person. A police spokesperson said the bomb exploded near the entry gate of the ongoing Sangai Tourism Festival. The carrier of the bomb was apparently riding a cycle rickshaw when the blast took place. The blast comes ahead of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's daylong visit to Imphal on December 3 when he is scheduled to launch and inaugurate several development projects. The prime minister is also expected to address a public meeting.2

    Meanwhile, according a Manipur minister, state of affairs remains grim in Manipur even though a crippling 121-day economic blockade has been temporarily lifted. Minister noted that the withdrawal of the national highway blockade will come as a respite for Manipuris, but the state government needs to go a long way in resolving ethnic issues between the Kuki and Naga tribes in the state. Though the economic blockade had been lifted but the 121-day blockade has plunged the strife-torn northeastern state into a severe economic crisis.3

    Noted Assamese writer Indira Goswami died at a hospital in Guwahati after prolonged illness. She was 69. Winner of India's highest literary award Jnanpith, Goswami acted as a facilitator to broker peace between the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and New Delhi. But she gave it up in 2005.4

    Reports noted that with the Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) continuing with its atrocities, the Centre has decided to declare the outfit as a banned organization in India. The decision to ban the outfit was taken by the Centre after receiving inputs from the State government and other agencies. The official said that the Centre can ban any organisation on its own if they posed a threat to the country’s security. But in this case, the Centre has sought the State government’s view asking whether the GNLA should be banned or not.5

    According to reports, alarmed by the turmoil over the Subansiri Hydroelectric Project, the Ministry of Water Resources has decided to convene a meeting with the Governments of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh this month. Minister of State for Water Resources, Vincent H Pala said that the Centre has taken note of the agitation over the dam project and the hurdles created in execution of the hydroelectric power Project in Assam. Agitation over construction of big dams in Arunachal Pradesh has gathered momentum in Assam and disruption of project work has troubled the Centre.6

    In other developments, reports noted that a police constable and his daughter in Meghalaya sustained bullet injuries after suspected rebels of the Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) opened indiscriminate fire. Goelson Marak, an armed branch constable and his five-year-old daughter Kadime Sangma sustained bullets on their legs when the rebels fired indiscriminately at the house in Rimrangpara village Meghalaya's West Garo Hills district.7

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