Imphal: COCOMI, a unified civil society platform dedicated to safeguarding the territorial integrity, cultural identity, and social harmony of Manipur, has urged the State Government to exert strong pressure on the Government of India to abandon its alleged policy of suppressing and annihilating the Meitei community.
The committee also accused the Centre of waging a proxy war in the state and announced a total boycott of all BJP activities with effect from Sunday. Furthermore, it demanded that all ministers and MLAs of the state stop acting as puppets of Delhi and instead work with firm political principles to protect Manipur.
Speaking to media persons in Imphal, COCOMI convenor YK Dhiren stated that the people of Manipur have been suffering untold misery due to a proxy war that allegedly began on May 3, 2023.
He reiterated the call for MLAs and ministers to stop acting as mere puppets and to actively work to protect the state.
“Indian security forces remained silent while Kuki militants, armed with sophisticated weapons, attacked unarmed civilians, killed people, and burned down houses,” Dhiren stated. Since the beginning of the violence, COCOMI has demanded a military crackdown and the containment of the “proxy army”. He emphasized that peace will only return to the state once this proxy army is contained.
The State Government must act with firm determination to contain Kuki narco-terrorists if a solution to the crisis is to be found. To apprehend the perpetrators of the Tronglaobi terror attack on April 7, which resulted in the deaths of two children, the government must launch a military crackdown against those involved in the act.
COCOMI also demanded a judicial inquiry into the killing of three civilian protesters by the CRPF in the aftermath of the children’s deaths.
Stating that if the State Government cannot launch a military crackdown and institute a judicial inquiry as demanded by the people, COCOMI convenor asserted that both the Chief Minister and the Home Minister ought to step down on moral grounds.
Regarding the Chief Minister’s “peace mission” visit to Ukhrul district on April 17 and the subsequent killing of two Tangkhul civilians in an ambush on the Imphal–Ukhrul road the following day, COCOMI stated that these attacks made a mockery of all peace-building efforts by the State Government.
They noted that this sent a clear message that Kuki narco-terrorists have no regard for the government’s initiatives.