This is being realized by the people of Manipur, the easternmost State of North-East India, from April this year. The first blockade was started by the All Naga Students Union of Manipur (ANSAM) on April 11 and continued for 68 days. It was lifted on June 18. Meanwhile, the leadership of the movement was taken over by the United Naga Council (UNC) of Manipur.

The situation was further aggravated by the Manipur Government's refusal to allow NSCN-IM leader Thuingaleng Muivah to visit his native village of Somdal in Manipur for fear that the visit would create law and order problems throughout the State. Ultimately, the Centre persuaded Muivah to avoid a confrontation and go back to his camp at Dimapur. Manipuris heaved a sigh of relief, hoping normal life would be resumed. But the hope was soon belied. The Nagas began a second blockade on August 4. Initially the call was for a 20-day blockade. But on August 24, the blockade was renewed for another 25 days. Nobody knows what will happen after that. For all practical purposes the people of an entire State are being held to ransom for no fault of theirs.

The blockade started as a retaliatory move by the Nagas against the decision of the Manipur Government to go ahead with the Autonomous District Council elections. The Naga population in the State which had for long been demanding the Naga-inhabited areas of Manipur to be integrated in a greater Nagaland or Nagalim, objected to the holding of the elections. Led by the ANSAM they insisted that there could be no elections till the ADC Act had been suitably amended because under the provisions of the existing Act, the ADCs “lack independent powers and remain subservient to the State Government.” The Manipur Government, however, stood firm on the decision to go ahead with the polls in two phases on May 26 and June 2.

Meanwhile, the blockade is having a crippling effect on the State's economy as hundreds of trucks lie stranded for days on the way and are often made targets of attack. Manipur is a rice-producing and rice-eating State. According to a study carried out by a Manipuri academician, the State is facing “an enormously positive growth of population”, rising from a mere 2.84 lakh in 1901 to nearly 25 lakh now. But the production of rice has been practically stagnating. It was 23.24 lakh tonnes in 1999-2000. Now it is 24.44 lakh tonnes.

About three-quarters of the total working population are engaged in agriculture in a State in which the size of the cultivable area is only 9.41% of the total geographical area. The only industries the State has are handloom and handicrafts. Exquisite handicrafts are made of cane and bamboo, which Manipur produces in abundance - about a million tonnes a year. There are no mechanized industries. It has to import every essential commodity from outside. There are only two arterial routes connecting Manipur to the rest of the country. One is NH 39 and the other is NH 53. Both are being blocked. The main highway is NH 39 which comes from Assam and through Dimapur and Kohima in Nagaland, enters Manipur at Mao. NH 53 comes from Silchar and enters the State at Jiribam in the South. This road was already in a bad shape when the blockade started. Its condition has deteriorated very much since then.

The situation has created acute bad blood between the Manipuris and Nagas. The All Manipur United Clubs' Organization (AMUCO) has condemned the attacking of trucks and setting them ablaze. Two trucks were torched on NH 53 on August 19. AMUCO has deplored that the Centre's assurance of providing “fool-proof security escorts” to transporters along the highways has “turned out to be a farce.”

The organization has alleged that incidents of illegal “tax” collection by “some groups” are taking place right under the nose of the CRPF. There have been cases of “burning vehicles, pushing them down gorges, robbery, thrashing of drivers and helpers and pelting of stones”. AMUCO has called on the people to “work out a collective strategy which can free future generations from the scourge of blockades.”

To add to the Manipuris' misery, Nature is also taking its toll. Recently, a large stretch of NH 39 was washed away near Kohima (Nagaland) due to heavy rains, snapping road communications with Manipur. Among other supplies, 135 oil tankers and 400 trucks laden with essential commodities bound for Manipur were stranded.

So far, the Manipuris have borne with their sufferings patiently and silently. But their patience cannot be taken for granted for ever. (IPA)