KSDC announces 48-hour general strike from August 13 midnight

Universal News Agency

Imphal Aug 7: Barely two days after it has hinted of launching a series of the agitation, the Kuki State Demand Committee (KSDC) Wednesday announced a 48-hour general strike which would be effective

in Kuki inhabited areas of Manipur from midnight of August 13 as first phase of its agitation. Interestingly, the KSDC has made a slight change in their demand as this time instead of pressing for political dialogue regarding its demand for creation of creation of a Kuki state, the committee demanded statehood directly.

“The demand of KSDC is Kuki statehood. Nothing more nothing less, KSDC will continue our movement till Kuki state is achieved,” spokesperson of KSDC George Guite said Wednesday after the committee convened a series of meetings with other Kuki based civil organizations backing the KSDC. Leaders of associations of Kuki village chiefs from five hill districts of the state reportedly attended the meeting convened by the KSDC, an umbrella body of several Kuki civil bodies and Kuki village chiefs of Manipur.

During the meetings, leaders of KSDC reportedly convinced that it is high time for the Kukis to resume their suspended agitations against the backdrop of the decision of the Congress led UPA government that

agreed to the creation of Telangana state in Andra Pradesh. The decision to impose the 48-hour with effect from midnight of August 13 was resolved in the series of meeting convened by the KSDC in Churachandpur district headquarters and Kangpokpi of Senapati district today, after a threadbare discussion on the long pending demand of the Kukis. Even though the KSDC did not mention about boycotting the Independence

Day on August 15, the general strike which would be effective in Kuki inhabited areas of the state would be concluded midnight of August 15. George Guite hinted that the KSDC will launch a series of agitations

including imposition of blockades on the national highways passing through Kuki inhabited areas of the state and non-corporation movement against the government. Future course of agitation to be launched will be announced after another round of meeting is convened. The meeting is likely to convene during the general strike hour or after it has concluded, he hinted. The KSDC has been pressing the Centre to hold political dialogue with the Kuki militant outfits which are signatories of the ongoing Suspension of Operation (SoO) pact with the Centre and state governments. A Kuki State or a Kuki homeland within Manipur is the demand of the two umbrella organisations of the Kuki armed groups, which are party to the SoO pact. On Monday, leaderships of KSDC has warned of intensified forms of agitations alleging that the Centre has been ignoring their legitimate demand by producing a map encompassing the ‘Kuki area’ which covers 65 percent of the whole area of Manipur. As per the map, the area spreads over five hill districts. It includes Churachandpur, Chandel, Sadar Hills in Senapati and large chunks of land in Tamenglong and Ukhrul districts.