Manipur: 48-hour general strike shortened to 24 hours amidst exam concerns

Thirteen prominent organizations in Manipur have jointly announced the reduction of the 48-hour general strike to 24 hours, citing concerns over ongoing class 10 and class 12 examinations. The decision comes in response to the recent arrest of three cadres of the Pambei led United National Liberation Front (UNLF) by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on March 13.

The strike, initially slated to commence at midnight on March 14, has been curtailed to minimize disruption to the examination schedule. Despite the shortened duration, the organizations maintain their commitment to peaceful demonstrations, including rallies, sit-ins, and torch rallies, advocating for the unconditional release of the arrested cadres.

The arrested individuals, including key figures such as self-styled chief of the UNLF-P army Th Thoiba and Lieutenant Colonel Laimayum Ingba, were apprehended by a combined forces operation supervised by the NIA from the Kwakeithel area in Imphal West.

In a joint statement released today, signatories including the Federation of Civil Society Organisation, All Manipur Students’ Union, and Manipuri Women’s Federation expressed solidarity with the cause while acknowledging the importance of minimizing disruptions to the education system during the ongoing examinations.