COCOMI questions Ministers, MLAs
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, May 13 2023:
The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) has questioned the silence of State MLAs/Ministers in view of the recent call for a 'separate administration' threatening the integrity of Manipur.
A statement issued by Somorendro Thokchom, Media Coordinator, COCOMI has asked if this is the time for MLAs/Ministers to remain mute and hold on to their coveted seats.
COCOMI also questioned the competence of State intelligence while asking if they genuinely did not have any idea of the 'nefarious designs for a separate administration' or if they intentionally ignored the disturbing intel.
It inferred that Manipur intelligence had 'failed' in this aspect.
The statement further mentioned Security Advisor Kuldiep Singh's recent statements confirming that some militants under SoO were missing from their designated camps, the case of missing arms and ammunition from two designated camps, abduction of three civilian from Torbung Bangla and the case of two missing persons at Khumbong.
COCOMI asserted that on top of these incidents, suspected SoO militants have even turned on innocent civilians and opened fire on State and Central Forces resulting in a death.
The statement questioned why the State and Central Government had not yet declared these militants as 'terrorists' when the prevailing situation has reached a boiling point.
Further, COCOMI called for the formation of a high level enquiry committee to probe into the security lapses that occured on May 3 when violence first erupted in the State following the Tribal Solidarity March and demanded for the erring/ negligent police officers to be duly punished.
Under such troubling conditions, COCOMI once again questioned the silence of State MLAs/Ministers and demanded that they make their stance on the matter clear to the people.
Recalling the incident of June 18, it further cautioned that history might repeat itself if the integrity of Manipur is threatened again.
Thus, COCOMI appealed to all MLAs, in ruling and Opposition parties, to come together to tackle the situation and work collectively in the interest of the people.
"Please work together for a united Manipur while there is still time", it concluded.