A fallout of Manipur’s hostage crisis: Stranded trucks, shrinking supplies
Security forces unable to find 6 missing men; hostilities between Kuki-Zo and Naga communities continue to escalate
Naga groups allege that they had been taken captive by Kuki groups, while the latter maintain that they have released all hostages and have no information about these six men. With security forces unable to find six Naga men nine days after they went missing, and 14 Kuki men still being held hostage, Manipur continues to remain on edge. Highway blockades have meant hundreds of trucks are stranded, paralysing everyday life.
Following the killing of three church leaders, tensions erupted between Manipur’s Kuki and Naga communities and dozens of villagers from both sides were abducted and held captive in Kuki-Zo-majority Kangpokpi district and Naga-majority Senapati district on May 13. After a day-long stand-off, both sides released 14 individuals each.
However, Naga groups in Senapati continue to hold on to 14 captives, demanding the release of six people who they claim were abducted by Kuki groups and are still missing. Kuki groups maintain they have released all hostages.
Nine days later, despite search operations undertaken by joint security forces in the hill ranges of Kangpokpi and neighbouring areas, the six men have not been located.
Meanwhile, the Kuki Inpi Manipur has maintained a shutdown across the state’s Kuki-zo majority districts, while the United Naga Council has announced an economic blockade along national highways passing through Naga areas.
Since Manipur’s geography comprises a small Meitei-majority valley surrounded by hills where different Kuki-Zo and Naga tribes live, this effectively affects all the state’s key highways. The key highways through which goods enter the state include NH-02, a transit route from Nagaland’s Dimapur, and NH-37, a transit route from Assam’s Silchar.
According to All Jiribam Road Transport Union leader L Maniton Singh, trucks on the route from Silchar through Jiribam began moving earlier this week with security cover. However, hundreds of trucks are stranded in the Senapati district because of the NH-02 blockade.
“They are stuck at different places. There are around 200 trucks stuck between Mao, where they enter Manipur from Nagaland, and Tadubi. There are over 150 at Makhan. The highest number, over 400, is stuck in the stretch before the Kangpokpi district. It has been nine days now,” said D B Mavieo, who is part of the Senapati Truck Owners’ Association. He said that most of the stranded trucks are carrying goods such as potatoes, onion and construction material.
Kangpokpi DC Mahesh Chaudhari said, “The security forces are talking to the stakeholders regarding this.”
In the meantime, the United Naga Council on Thursday submitted a memorandum addressed to Union Home Minister Amit Shah at the Senapati DC’s office requesting his intervention to ensure “handing over the Naga hostages, dead or alive, without further delay.” The Kuki Zo Council also issued an “appeal for peace” and requested “all concerned and responsible parties to hand over all hostages, whether alive or dead, to the appropriate authorities and concerned families without delay.”
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