Two student unions in Manipur’s Ukhrul and Chandel have urged the state government to immediately restore mobile internet in the two districts, The Hills Journal reported.

The request was made by Raphel Katamnao Long, which is based in the northern areas of Ukhrul district, and the Naga Students’ Union, Chandel.

While Ukhrul is a Naga-dominated district, Chandel also has a substantial Naga population.

The Manipur government had lifted the ban on mobile internet on September 23 – over four months after the services were first suspended in the wake of the ethnic conflict between the Meitei and Kuki communities in May. However, the ban was reimposed on September 26 after thousands of people protested in Imphal over the killing of two Meitei students.

On October 7, the suspension of mobile internet services was extended till October 11, The Times of India reported.

Last week, Raphel Katamnao Long and Naga Students’ Union said in separate press statements that people in Ukhrul and Chandel had been facing difficulties due to the prolonged ban on mobile internet, even thought the two regions had not been affected by the conflict in the state.

“Internet ban for over five months has unfairly penalised residents of peaceful areas in the state,” Raphel Katamnao Long said. “By depriving the people of this vital service for such an extended period has led to severe consequences in education, healthcare, economic aspect, access to information and violation of human rights.”

The student body said that for far too long, students in peaceful regions have been denied access to online resources for education. The suspension has severely hampered the activities of small businesses and entrepreneurs, it added.

The Naga Students’ Union said that while it understands the need for the government to take measures to bring the crisis under control, banning mobile internet in peaceful regions like Chandel defies rationality.

The Manipur government had shut down both broadband and mobile internet services in the wake of the ethnic violence that broke out on May 3. Over 200 people have been killed in the state since the conflict started.

On July 25, the government conditionally lifted the ban on broadband internet services. It also allowed internet to be provided through Internet Lease Lines, used typically by businesses, and Fibre to the Home connections, which are more expensive to install than traditional broadband ones.

However, the July order did not allow internet connections through WiFi hotspots. Social media websites and virtual private networks also remained blocked.

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