Farmers' Wing asks DCs, SPs to discuss security concerns
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 20 2025: The COCOMI Farmers' Wing has appealed to all Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police concerned to convene joint meetings with farmers' organisations and deliberate on the security concerns of farmers so that paddy cultivation can be done without disturbances at foothill and vulnerable areas.

Speaking to media persons at the Lamphelpat office of COCOMI today, COCOMI Farmers' Wing convenor AB Elangbam demanded that the Central security forces should give details of how they are/will be protecting Meitei farmers when the latter undertake agricultural activities on their paddy fields located at foothills and areas affected by the violence.

So far the Central security forces have not informed Meitei farmers when and how many months they can work on their paddy fields, AB Elangbam said.

He urged the security forces to inform the Meitei farmers the exact period the farmers can go to and work on their own paddy fields.

With the security forces not informing the farmers the exact period during which they can work on their fields, many of the farmers have been facing life threatening risks, he said.

The authorities concerned must inform the farmers how many hours in a day and how many months they can work on the paddy fields.

In addition to giving this information, foolproof security measures must be put in place so that farmers can undertake their agricultural activities without any sense of insecurity, he demanded.

One Ningthoujam Biren, a Meitei farmer, was fired at by Kuki militants when he was working on his paddy fields at Phubala Maning Leikai Shingeirok.

He survived the attack by providence because the bullet hit his hand, not any vital body parts.

AB Elangbam pointed out that Central security forces are deployed just 30-40 metres away from the spot where the Kuki militants fired at the Meitei farmer at close range.

It is a matter of grave concern that the Central security forces asked the Meitei farmers to flee for their lives when the Kuki militants fired 8/9 rounds of shots, he decried.

Asking as to why the Central security forces asked the farmers to flee for their lives instead of taking on the Kuki militants, the COCOMI Farmers' Wing convenor expressed strong suspicion whether the Kuki militants carried out the attack in collusion with the Central security forces deployed there.

Condemning the attack on unarmed farmers in the strongest terms, he demanded a thorough enquiry into the incident and punishment of all those found guilty.

He then urged DCs and SPs concerned to convene joint meetings with farmers' organisations and fanners of violence affected areas and deliberate on the security concerns of the farmers and devise a foolproof strategy so that farmers can undertake agricultural activities in the affected areas without any disturbances.

If the Central security forces continue to remain indifferent to the attacks carried out by Kukis on Meitei farmers, the situation will certainly escalate, he warned.

He also urged the Government to take up strong measures so that the situation does not escalate.

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