Imphal: The People’s Progressive Alliance Manipur (PPAM) pushed back against a 48-hour ultimatum from the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) regarding highway access. PPAM claims the demand for free movement on National and Inter-State Highways is selective. They insist that constitutional rights must apply to every citizen equally.
PPAM Convenor MC Meetei questioned why these concerns surfaced only now. He pointed out that Meitei civilians have faced movement restrictions in Kuki-dominated areas since violence erupted in May 2023. These roadblocks effectively strip residents of their basic rights. Meetei argued that any restriction on public roads is a human rights violation, regardless of which group imposes the blockade.
Meetei dismissed the idea that human rights can be treated as a one-way street. "Human rights lose their moral force when they are defended for one community but ignored for another facing the same circumstances," he said. He added that national roads are public property. No group holds the authority to regulate or choke off access to these state arteries.
The group blamed both the Central and State governments for the breakdown in law enforcement. Officials must guarantee safe transit for everyone to restore order. According to Meetei, lasting peace requires ending the ethnic bias that currently dictates who can move freely across the state. Justice must be blind to ethnic identity to gain any real credibility.
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