UNC suspends Manipur highway blockade after talks with Centre, state government

The United Naga Council (UNC), the apex body of Naga tribes in Manipur, on Saturday, September 26, announced the suspension of its nearly four-month-old economic blockade along the state's national highways with immediate effect from 6 pm.

The decision followed tripartite talks between the UNC, the Manipur government and the Government of India in Guwahati on Saturday, where the prevailing law and order situation and measures for peace-building were discussed, officials said.

In a statement, the UNC said the decision was taken following an agreement reached during the tripartite meeting involving the Government of Manipur, the Government of India and the council.

“Upon the agreement arrived at in the tripartite talks held amongst the Government of Manipur, the Government of India, and the United Naga Council (UNC) in Guwahati on Saturday, the council hereby announces the suspension of the ongoing economic blockade with effect from 6:00 PM of September 26 today,” the statement said.

The council also thanked various stakeholders for the cooperation and solidarity extended during the course of the agitation.

A delegation of Naga civil society organisations led by the UNC, along with representatives of several Naga organisations, had left Senapati on Friday and arrived in Guwahati ahead of the meeting scheduled for Saturday.

The meeting was convened by the Manipur Home Department and held at the BSF Frontier Headquarters Officers' Mess in Garbhanga, Assam. Representatives of the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Manipur government also attended the talks.

The suspension of the blockade comes amid ongoing efforts involving the Centre, the Manipur government and Naga civil society representatives to address the state's law and order situation and advance peace-building measures.