Sinlung /
24 August 2011

Sadar Hills Impasse; Health Of Hunger Strikers Deteriorate

Dr. M.Lala Gen.Secy Red Cross at CHC Kangpokpi examining the health condition of seven admitted hunger strikers.

Imphal, Aug 23 : The conditions of the seven hunger strikers who were admitted to a local hospital on Saturday have deteriorated, said the hospital authority and advised the state government of Manipur to take over their care even as the strikers reportedly continue to refuse eating and even nose feeding.

Twelve women have launched hunger strike on August 15 in support of the ongoing general strike launched by Sadar Hills District hood Demand Committee (SHDDC) for the creation of Sadar Hills district that began on midnight July 31. Seven hunger strikers were on August 20 admitted to a community health centre at Kangpokpi under critical condition. Their health have reportedly gone from bad to worse since they continue to fast inside the hospital and refused to eat under the supervision of the attendant doctor.   

Having given up all attempts, Dr Pushpa Rai, MO in-charge at the health centre, reportedly stated in a medical report forwarded to the additional deputy commissioner that the authority at the center was unable to manage the seven hunger strikers. “They refuse to eat and nose fed,” she said and sought the intervention of the state government.

Meanwhile, an emailed press statement from Delhi by SHDDC said, “We feel proud of the hunger strikers and who volunteered themselves to sacrifice even their precious lives for this noble cause because district hood will bring more development and strengthen the integrity of the state.”

The statement maintained that a “diplomatic approach in Delhi and meeting with central leaders are progressing. We got attention of the VVIPs and all our meetings are positive and encouraging. Substantial solution to end the impasse over the movement of district hood is awaiting.”  

While observing that the present movement is set to be fought unto the last despite the verbal assurances and lip promises, the statement persuaded the people of Sadar Hills to “unceasingly lend helping hands, moral support and volunteers of the noble cause to continue and strengthen the movement and remain adamant for there will surely be the day we will achieve our aspiration.”

"Divisive policy of vested interests and uninvited section of communities should be ignored and not accounted to for the spirit of narrow mindedness usually brings worst result. However, it will be good and our society would be a healthy one if everyone has the spirit of positive thinking", it said.

Meanwhile, with the agitation by SHDDC entering its 22nd day today and another agitation triggered by the Nagas since yesterday, the people of Manipur are reeling under sharp and exponential price rise of essential communities.  

A 9-member Red Cross Society (RCS) Manipur led by its general secretary Dr M Lala sought a meeting with SHDDC today seeking access to National Highway 39 to ferry in life saving drugs which have run out owing to the ongoing agitation. The SHDDC has reportedly given the permission to bring in the required drugs via National Highway 39.

The team also went to Senapati to meet members of United Naga Council (UNC) concerning the same matter but had returned without meeting them as none of them were available at the district headquarters.

The Red Cross team then visited the seven hunger strikers at the health centre and interacted with them. The general secretary reportedly advised the hospital authority to shift the hunger strikers immediately to Imphal as their conditions have deteriorated.

Source: Newmai News Network

1 comments:

Rising Nagas said...

My Dear Naga and Kuki Brothers. Now what I have been saying is more apparent. This was what the Meitei government and the Meitei people are waiting for all along : to fish in the troubled water once the pro and anti Sadar Hills voices raises to feverish pitch thereby dividing the two community on ethnic lines to put up any genuine resistance against the Divide and Rule policy of Ibobi and his people. So do not be surprise, if on the excuse of “Reorganisation of Adminis-tration and Police District boundary to streamline administration of the State” if a large chunk of all the Hills districts are carved away and included in the Valley districts. This sounds like pure greeds for tribal lands. The Nagas and Kukis are like the two proverbial cats fighting for a lump of bread asking the monkey to divide it for them in the ends getting nothing. Tribal issues which need immediate attention get swept under the carpet and the ultimate gainer always the clever cunning Meitei who always exploited every such situation. In the fight for the avoidable issues the kukis and the Nagas always lost the larger picture and possibilities if they stick together. To our kuki brethren I would say that in their written history they have always been used by the more advanced and developed people and the casualties have always been the Nagas. This they need to ponder deeply if they ever think that peaceful coexistence with the Nagas, as the Kukis in Nagaland do is what they need in Manipur. Just because there are more than 30 kabui villages or that there are Tangkhul Avenue, Poumai Colony, Checkon etc in Imphal valley where tribals are majority does not confer them the right to claim them as tribal’s lands. Historically, logically and politicaly these places are surely in Meiteis’ land. Sadar Hill is not different. You may say Sadar Hills is for all communities and for administrative convenience. But why have you not got the consent of the Nagas or why are they not willing to be a part of Sadar Hills? Because the plot of Kuki homeland,(which is not feasible) is written all over it. Nagas have had enough of their land divided without their consent in the past. This time I do not think the Nagas will agree to such division without their consent not to forget the numerous MOUs. These MOUs were the foundation on which many lives were saved and interim peace brought in our land and between us and towards a more humane call. But by bypassing and ignoring the Nagas towards peaceful resolution of the Sadar Hills issue, peace may be a casualty. But if that is what you think is possible, think of the consequences. The ultimate loser again will be both Nagas and Kukis. The kukis are not the real enemy of the Nagas and vice versa. The real enemy is watching and laughing from a balcony and how we have fallen into their trap again. The Nagas and Kukis are not fed up of each other. But I can say for sure, given a chance, both the people are actually fed up of the Meiteis and their hegemonistic attitude. So all right thinking Nagas and Kukis, in the interest of peace and for our future, why not let us fight for a tribal state or something like that? We have been exploited since historical times socially, politically and economically. In such a political entity the chance of the two community exploiting each other becomes nil and our land will remains in our hands as always was.Think of the possibilities. And such political endeavours cannot be unfeasible if we stick and stay together. It’s time we think on a higher plane when our dreams are also not just about a district! For Ibobi and his cohort, the dream of riding to power for the third term on some flimsy but emotional issues that has little effect on the people, especially in the valley for whom he has promise more land at our costs, he will remain their hero. That is tempting and that is what they are doing right now. We should therefore defeat this communal agenda of the Ibobi and Meitei Government and think of our future generation.

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