Imphal: The Coordination Committee (CorCom), an apex coalition of six banned underground organisations in Manipur, has announced a total general strike and boycott of India’s Independence Day on August 15.
The shutdown will remain in effect from 1 am to 6:30 pm, bringing normal life, public transport and commercial establishments across the state to a halt during the stipulated hours.
In a formal statement issued to media houses, the conglomerate said essential services, including medical emergencies, electricity, water supply, fire services, the press and religious ceremonies, would be exempted from the general strike.CorCom, comprising the Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP), Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL), People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK), PREPAK-Progressive, Revolutionary People’s Front (RPF) and United National Liberation Front (UNLF), asserted that India’s Independence Day has no historical or political connection to Manipur, which it refers to as Kangleipak.
The outfit accused state leaders of praising central authorities and criticised ongoing regional campaigns. It also urged people in Manipur to completely abstain from the nationwide Har Ghar Tiranga campaign being held from August 9 to August 17.
Reiterating its political position, the coalition claimed that Manipur existed as an independent sovereign entity in Asia before the merger agreement of October 15, 1949.
CorCom described the 1949 annexation as a violation of international law and Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter. It argued that the ongoing conflict in the region should be considered an international armed conflict rather than a domestic insurgency.
To support its claim regarding Manipur’s viability as a state, the conglomerate compared the region with other countries in terms of population and territory. It said several sovereign United Nations member states have land areas and populations significantly smaller than Manipur’s historical boundaries.
Citing records from the inaugural session of the Manipur National Assembly held on October 18, 1948, the statement put Manipur’s historical territory at 15,650 square miles (40,530 square kilometres).
CorCom further alleged that central authorities are attempting to alter the region’s territorial integrity and geographical boundaries. It invoked the legal doctrine of uti possidetis juris and referred to international jurisprudence, including the 1986 International Court of Justice ruling concerning Burkina Faso and Mali, to oppose any administrative changes to the region’s boundaries.
The organisation warned that failure to pursue self-determination would lead to the systematic erosion of indigenous cultures and populations. It described the independence movement as essential to safeguarding the region’s future.