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| Tuesday, 10 August 2004 |
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Indian state paralysed by strike against anti-terror law IMPHAL, India, Monday (Reuters) Life in India's northeastern state of Manipur ground to a near standstill on Monday when a general strike called by protesters against an anti-terror law forced the closure of government offices, schools and markets. Unrest in Manipur, known as the Land of Jewels, has been simmering for nearly a month with hundreds of people demanding the withdrawal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, which gives sweeping powers to security forces to kill and arrest suspected rebels. The armed forces say they need the act to fight separatists in a state racked by revolt. It is one of seven states in the beautiful northeast bordered by China, Nepal and Myanmar. Once a Hindu kingdom, Manipur was a part of Myanmar. It became a princely state under British rule and joined India in 1949, when Manipuris say New Delhi forced their king to sign a merger pact. Troops in armoured vehicles patrolled the deserted streets of the state capital, Imphal, while paramilitary men armed with light machine guns kept a wary watch on pedestrians. Authorities have ordered police to shoot any demonstrators who attack government property and soldiers took up positions behind banks of sandbags at strategic locations in the city. "If there is a threat to the personal safety of security personnel and government property, they have orders to open fire," a senior police officer in Imphal told Reuters. Police had launched a crackdown on leaders of the movement and around 50 had been arrested in the past two days, he said. Most top leaders have gone into hiding as police have intensified search operations. Anger against the security forces has been running deep in Manipur for months. However, matters came to a head after soldiers picked up a suspected separatist, 30-year-old Thangjam Manorama, from her home, allegedly raped her and then shot her dead late on July 10. Security officials have denied the charges. More than 20 armed groups have been battling for freedom in Manipur for years, accusing the federal government of neglecting the economy and ignoring the welfare of people in the tiny state. The anti-terror law is in force in the seven northeastern states, known as the "Seven Sisters", which have been torn by separatist insurgencies for decades. More than 10,000 people have died in three decades of violence in Manipur alone. |
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