The Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU), a prominent Kuki-Zo organisation, on Monday announced that it was calling off its proposed three-day economic blockade on National Highway 2, a major relief for the Manipur administration.

The National Highway 2, the state’s lifeline, links Imphal with Dimapur in Nagaland.

The blockade had been declared on Sunday following the deadly ambush on Assam Rifles personnel in Bishnupur district’s Nambol area on Friday. Two soldiers were killed and five were injured in the attack carried out in a Meitei-majority zone. CoTU described the incident as a “serious security lapse” and demanded urgent action against those responsible. The blockade was set to begin at midnight on September 22.

On Monday, however, CoTU announced that it was suspending the stir after receiving “constructive initiatives and assurances” from the authorities. “The decision comes after assurances addressing the concerns raised over the incident,” CoTU said in a statement. Acknowledging the “swift initiatives” to restore normalcy and accountability, the organisation said the decision was taken at an executive meeting, also factoring in appeals from civil society groups and the impact of ongoing natural calamities along the NH2.

CoTU chairman L. Haokip said the government must now continue to take steps to prevent such incidents. On Sunday, while announcing the blockade, CoTU had pressed the government to extend the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) to all 19 valley districts and withdraw the “Free Movement” agreement signed between the ministry of home affairs and the Kuki-Zo Council on September 4. The group argued that AFSPA’s absence in denotified areas, including the site of the ambush, left security forces vulnerable.

AFSPA grants sweeping powers to the armed forces to search, arrest and even use lethal force in areas declared disturbed. CoTU argued that Friday’s attack showed the vulnerability of the Kuki-Zo minority community. “If the army and CAPFs are not spared by Meitei secessionist terrorists, what guarantee is there for Kuki-Zo safety?” it asked. The group further said the community had long resisted Meitei passage through Kuki-Zo stretches of NH2 for fear of further attacks and a repeat of the violence that erupted on May 3, 2023.

Manipur remains under President’s rule, imposed amid continuing ethnic conflict between Meiteis and Kuki-Zos. Officials said the CoTU’s decision provided temporary respite but warned that its reaction to the ambush would make it harder for the government to reopen all roads to free movement. Currently, Meiteis are barred from entering Kuki-Zo areas and vice versa due to security concerns.

The ethnic conflict, which began in May 2023, has left deep scars on the state’s social fabric, disrupted administration and created long-term mistrust between the two communities.