Manipur Violence: The Manipur government has decided to extend the suspension of internet services until June 10 to maintain peace and stability in the state, following recent incidents of violence. The ban was initially implemented on May 3.
As per a recent order issued by the state government on Monday evening, the suspension of internet services will continue for an additional period of five days, specifically until 3 pm on June 10.
Since the outbreak of clashes on May 3, the ongoing ethnic violence between the Meiteis residing in and around Imphal Valley and the Kuki tribe settled in the hills, sparked by the Meiteis' request for inclusion under the Scheduled Tribes (ST) category, has tragically resulted in the loss of more than 70 lives.
To restore peace, over 10,000 Army and Assam Rifles soldiers have been deployed in the state.
During his recent visit, Home Minister Amit Shah appealed to both the Meitei and Kuki communities to maintain a calm and peaceful environment while actively striving to restore normalcy.
Additionally, he made an appeal to the communities, emphasizing the importance of removing road blockades, particularly those obstructing the Imphal-Dimapur National Highway-2.
This step is crucial to guarantee the uninterrupted flow of essential goods and supplies.
The aforementioned highway, which passes through the hilly Senapati district and descends to the capital city of Imphal in the valley, serves as the exclusive transportation route for supplies to numerous locations within the state.
A highway blockade is not uncommon in Manipur, and crucial supplies are disrupted, making everything more expensive.
The people residing in the conflict-affected state have been enduring numerous hardships, including shortages of essential commodities, transportation fuel, cooking gas, and life-saving medications.
The disturbances in banking services and online facilities have disrupted normal life, while the month-long suspension of internet services across the mountainous state has only intensified the suffering experienced by the population.
In the lack of Internet services, travel agencies, internet-based services, online booking, media, students, and the business community face numerous challenges.
Multiple organizations, including the Congress party, have raised demands for the immediate restoration of internet services in Manipur.
In the previous week, Chongtham Victor Singh, a lawyer practicing at the Manipur High Court, lodged a petition with the Supreme Court challenging the recurrent internet shutdowns in Manipur.
According to the petition, despite the government's assertions of the state returning to normalcy, the suspension of internet services persisted.