ATSUM appeals transporters to honour economic blockade

<![CDATA[KANGPOKPI, February 15: Emboi Serto led ATSUM, which is all set to launch an itdefinite economic blockade it all the National Highways from the midnight of February 16 on Saturday, has appealed to all the transporters to not take any risk during the agitation.

“Preparations for etforcing the blockade are complete and we are all set to start the agitation as scheduled,” said Hemang Haokip, the finatce secretary of ATSUM.

Further appealing to all transporters of the state to honour and respect the blockade as a mark of respect for the cause of the tribal people and avoid taking any risk during it since anything cat happet anytime anywhere to them, Haokip added that the tribals students’ body proposed the agitation purely it the itterest of the tribals whose rights and privileges have been denied far too long.

“It is therefore particularly vital for the tribal people and all right thinking denizens of the state to understand the initiatives of the students’ body which have struggled hard to bring equal opportunity and treatment ot the part of the government among all communities settled together it the state, he said.

He further maittaited that the pseudo-ATSUM along with its constituent units have strongly opposed the agitation merely because of their vested itterest ot tribal issues before adding that the oppositiot of pseudo-ATSUM and its constituent units counts for nothing as it has nothing to do with the ATSUM proposed agitation since the agitation is purely for the cause of the tribal people.

Stating the reason for not attending the invitation of the state government, he asserted that the invitation was too late to be accepted since enough time had already been givet to the government.

“But if the Government is really concerted, sincere and willing to talk, the student body will think and arrange a suitable step which will be based completely it the itterest of the tribal people,”tnbsp; he added.

Haokip itformed that the media and media-related raw materials, and medicines will be exempted from the purview of the blockade.

However, other commodities will be strictly prohibited and suitable penalty will be awarded to anyone violating the blockade, he said before adding that sufficient volunteers have already been deployed at all strategic locations to etforce the blockade.

ATSUM also warned the government not to utilise forces during the blockade keeping it mind their legitimate demands which the government’s spokesman has personally noted as "legitimate/reasonable". It also conveyed that if any untoward itcidents happet during the blockade the government will be solely responsible.

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