Imphal: The apex bodies of the two warring communities, the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) and Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF), are engaged in a media war on Wednesday, while their armed volunteers are fighting in the war fields.
The ITLF, on behalf of the tribals, tweeted, “Brothers. Sisters. Martyrs. Your blood sanctifies our land and justifies our cause. We salute and honour you for all that we are. For now, rest in the soil of our forefathers. Final Tribute to the Martyrs-3rd August 2023.”
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After nearly three months of the Manipur ethnic conflict, the final tribute to the Kuki-Zo tribal martyrs is scheduled to be held at 11 am onwards in Peace Ground, Tuibong, and the mortal remains of the members will be laid to rest at Haolai Khopi.
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In response to the media war, COCOMI, for the non-tribals, strongly opposed the plan for the mass cremation of Kuki dead bodies on Thursday, August 3, 2023, at the Torbung area. In a statement, COCOMI said, “The government, both at the state and the centre, must control this from happening if we do not want further escalation of the violence in Manipur.”
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COCOMI appealed to the government to do something that will prove that the Rule of Law prevails in the entire state of Manipur and also requested to check the identity of all the dead bodies before being cremated at their respective villages as per the law and confirm their citizenship.
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Furthermore, COCOMI appealed to both communities to refrain from confronting each other so that the state government can deal with the matter as per the law of the land. Encroachment to state land without prior permission and approval is a clear sign of a violation of law and the government must act accordingly. Considering the gravity of the tension between the two sides, if any untoward incidents happen, COCOMI will hold the state and central governments responsible.
In the ongoing communal clashes between the Meiteis and Kukis, over 150 people have lost their lives and 60,000 people have been displaced.