Chidambaram appeals for peace in Manipur

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Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, who arrived here on Wednesday on a two-day visit to Manipur, toured Naga-dominated interior Senapati hill district and appealed to people to settle all issues through dialogue.

Inaugurating a mini-secretariat building at Senapati district headquarters, Chidambaram said all efforts would be made to bring peace, harmony and development in the state.

On October 31, Sadar Hills District Demand Committee SHDDC, which had launched economic blockades on Imphal-Dimapur - Guwahati (NH-39) and Imphal-Jiribam-Silchar (NH-53), called off the 92-day strike after the state government assured them that their demands would be looked into.

The SHDDC was demanding conversion of Kuki-dominated Sadar Hills area into Naga-majority Senapati district, official said.

Chidambaram preferred to visit the interior hill district because both Nagas and Kukis there were well disposed towards the demand of the SHDDC for conversion of the Sadar Hills area into a full-fledged revenue district.

Chidambaram would visit various parts of the interior hill district during his two-day visit. The minister after spending about one hour in the district visited another Naga-dominated district Ukhrul, bordering Myanmar, where he inaugurated a SDO office.

Officials said he would hold a meeting with Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh to take stock of the law and order situation in Manipur.

Meanwhile, the United Naga Council said it will continue its economic blockade on the two national highways on Manipur side and called a three-day bandh from midnight on Thursday to protest against the government's assurance of turning Sadar Hills area in Senapati district into a separate district.

An UNC spokesman said the bandh will be supported by All Naga Students Association Manipur.

He said the ongoing economic blockade on the Manipur parts of the NH 39 and NH 53 which the group had launched on August 21 would continue. He said the bandh would cover all Naga-settled areas in Manipur.

In Ukhrul district, Chidambaram inaugurated a school building and an electricity office. He would leave for Guwahati on Thursday.