Economic Blockade on Mizoram

Our Thoughts: Every year the Assam groups strangle Mizoram for the slightest reason. The Mizo government should give thought on how it can avoid it. That is, integrating Hmar Areas in Southern Assam with Mizoram building roads that can connect from Assam Hmar areas into Mizoram. Think of Greater Mizoram - Southern Manipur, South Eastern Assam. Its time the term Mizo has "greater" meanings.

Aizawl, Apr 27 : Several groups in southern Assam’s Cachar and Hailakandi districts are planning an economic blockade on Mizoram from Monday morning over some Mizo groups’ recent crackdown on non-local traders they say are engaged in businesses within the state without proper permissions.

Police officials said several groups in the Barak Valley region plan to impose the blockade from 6 am Monday at Lailapur (Cachar district) and Jamira (Hailakandi district), effectively stopping traffic on national highways 54 and 154 respectively.

The two NHs are Mizoram’s lifeline and only link to the rest of India save smaller roads connecting it to Tripura and Manipur.

It is not clear exactly how many groups are involved in the planned blockade and how long it would last, but police officials said some politicians from Karimganj- where a large number of informal workers in Aizawl are generally from- are likely to be present at either of the two places the blockades are imposed at.

The Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP or Mizo Students’ Association) and some other organizations have in recent weeks been closing shutters of non-native traders who they accuse of conducting illegal businesses in the Mizoram state capital Aizawl.

The Inner Line Permit system in force in Mizoram bars non-locals from entering, staying and working in Mizoram without prior permission from the authorities.

Both Assam and Mizoram police are preparing for any untoward incident that may take place on either side, especially with the hundreds of vehicles (private, public transport and good carriers) that ply the two highways in every direction everyday.