Hills bandh continues peacefully

Imphal, July 21 : Normal life in hill districts of Manipur severely affected Monday on the first day of the 48-hour bandh imposed jointly by the Naga frontal organizations demanding review to the cabinet decision of the Secular Progressive Front (SPF) government to deploy Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) and Manipur police commandos in the hill districts.

Four inter-state passenger buses arriving this morning at Mao gate stranded owing to the bandh apart from more than 60 goods carrying trucks which have been stranded there since the commencement of the infinite blockade imposed by the All Tribal Students' Union, Manipur five day back from midnight of July 15 .

Reports received from four hill districts, Tamenglong, Senapati, Ukhrul and Chandel said bandh was total in the districts.

Entire streets in the district headquarters wore deserted look as all kinds of vehicles were off the road.

However, bandh has less impact in Churachandpur district.

Shops and other business establishments, government offices, private undertakings remained closed.

However, schools remained open.

The bandh exempted media, electricity, PHED, medical, fire-fighters and security forces.

No inter-district buses leave or arrived in the districts headquarters for the day.

No untoward incidents reported so far during the strike hour which commenced from last midnight and due to end by Tuesday midnight (July 21) .

The 48-hour bandh in hill areas of Manipur was jointly sponsored by the United Naga Council (UNC), All Naga Students' Association, Manipur(ANSAM), Naga Women Union, Manipur (NWUM), and the Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR) demanding review to the cabinet decision taken on May 19 to deploy IRB and Manipur police commandos in the hill districts of Manipur.

The bodies are alleging that the government move to deploy intended to terrorize the peace loving hill people.

They also lamented the government of ignoring the assertion of the Naga people against 'state militarization policy' in memoranda submitted to the governor and chief minister of Manipur as well as New Delhi.

Our district correspondents said that the bandh got support from various district level bodies in Ukhrul, Tamenglong, Chandel and Senapati districts.

The Zeliangrong Baudi, Tamenglong Zone announced support to the 48 hour bandh by imposing another 48 hour total bandh in Tamenglong district.

Our Tamenglong correspondent informed that total bandh was observing in the district on the first day of the 48-hour bandh stating that all institutions of both government and private are remaining closed.

Shops and business centres also remained closed for the day apart from remaining all kinds of vehicles off the road.

Our Chandel Correspondent adds: Normal life comes to a standstill in Chandel district as the 48-hour bandh called by several apex Nagas' bodies in the hill districts comes into effect.

All shops and institutions in the district downed their shutters and people resorted to remain indoor today.

No vehicle was seen plying on the roads.

However, there was no bandh-related violent incident today.

The bandh will continue till tomorrow.

In Ukhrul district also the Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL) jointly with other district based civil organizations endorsed the United Naga Council (UNC) sponsored bandh.

Normal life reported totally paralyzed in the district too.