Silchar, April 27: Members of various Barak valley organisations imposed an indefinite economic blockade against Mizoram from today in Cachar and Hailakandi districts to protest the alleged harassment of non-Mizo traders.
The traffic on National Highway 306, connecting Silchar with Aizawl and National Highway 154 connecting Hailakandi with Kanpui in Mizoram came to a standstill as the protesters blocked the two important highways at Lailapur, 60km from here, in Cachar district and at Jamira, 87km from here, in Hailakandi district.
The blockade at Lailapur, which started at 6am, has been jointly called by the Forum for the Protection of non-Mizos, Amora Bangalee, All Cachar Karimganj Hailakandi Students' Association, Barak Nagarik Sangsad in co-operation with a number of clubs and other social organisations, while Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) and Creative People Students' Forum staged the blockade at Jamira from 7am.
South Karimganj MLA Siddeque Ahmed, Katigorah MLA Ataur Rehman Mazarbhuiya and North Karimganj MLA Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha participated in the protest demanding immediate steps from the Mizoram government to stop atrocities.
Ahmed said the people, especially from Barak valley living in Mizoram, were being allegedly harassed by the members of a few organisations for the past month. "Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi on my request also apprised his Mizoram counterpart (Lal Thanhawla) of the situation and urged him to take action to ensure safety and security of the non-Mizos. But the Mizoram government continues to maintain an 'intriguing silence' over the issue," he added.
The co-ordinator of the Forum for Protection of non-Mizos, Sankar Dey, said the traders and workers hailing from the valley were being allegedly harassed in Mizoram by Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP) and Young Mizo Association (YMA) in the name of checking inner-line permits.
The MZP today said its operation was against the illegal non-Mizo traders living without valid permits.
On October 9 and 10, the group passed a resolution, declaring that a search operation would be launched to drive out illegal non-tribal traders from the state. The Mizoram People's Congress youth wing slammed the Assam organisations for calling the blockade.
The adviser, All Cachar Karimganj Hailakandi Students' Association, Rupam Nandi Purkayastha, alleged that the traders from Assam had been forced to down shutters. "They are not being allowed to do the business despite having legal permits. The organisations are carrying out their 'illegal' activities at Khatla, Zharkhotstep, Tuikuwal and other adjoining areas in Aizawl," he added.
State secretary of Amora Bangalee Sadhan Purkayastha said hundreds of non-Mizo workers have fled from Mizoram during the past few weeks because of atrocities.
Assam organisations today threatened to intensify the economic blockade if the harassment against non-Mizos was not stopped.
Cachar and Hailakandi district administrations have been persuading the protesters since this afternoon to lift the blockade. Till the report is filling, the protest has not been withdrawn.
