Reported by Bit Irom
Imphal: The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) has strongly criticised the government’s handling of the prolonged ethnic conflict in Manipur, questioning whether youths who took up arms to defend their communities during the outbreak of violence in May 2023 are now being treated as criminals.
In a statement issued by Phijam Shyamchand, Convenor of COCOMI’s IPR Sub-Committee, the organisation said the government had failed to protect lives and property when large-scale violence erupted, forcing local youths to rely on available weapons to safeguard their villages and families.
COCOMI said that as the security situation gradually improved, many of these youths voluntarily returned to civilian life in an effort to prevent further bloodshed and destruction.
Referring to the recent arms surrender initiative, the organisation noted that authorities had assured individuals possessing weapons that no FIRs would be registered against those who surrendered them. However, COCOMI alleged that the disarmament process lacked fairness, claiming that while residents in the valley largely complied with the directive and surrendered their weapons, armed Kuki groups did not do so even after the deadline had expired.
The organisation argued that the resulting disarmament exercise was unequal and ineffective, raising concerns over its implementation and impact on public confidence.
COCOMI also expressed concern over what it described as serious national security and human rights issues. Citing recent incidents, including the alleged assault of Naga women and the recovery of mutilated bodies of Naga men, the organisation claimed that the Kuki-Zo Council had acknowledged the involvement of its members in the incidents. It questioned the silence of both the State and Central governments over the matter.
The committee further criticised the initial response of the State and Central security forces during the early phase of the conflict, alleging that security personnel refrained from taking decisive action due to the absence of explicit operational orders. According to COCOMI, this compelled civilians to obtain weapons from police stations and Indian Reserve Battalion camps for self-defence.
Calling for a more balanced approach to restoring peace, COCOMI said the crisis should be viewed as a proxy war rather than merely a law-and-order problem. It warned that any attempt to normalise the situation without ensuring fairness and accountability would undermine public trust and fail to deliver lasting peace.