COCOMI urges FOCS to wait and watch
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, March 05 2025: The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) has urged Federation of Civil Society Organisations (FOCS) to review the progress of Union Home Minister Amit Shah's assurance to ensure free movement on all State roads by March 8, before holding peace rallies.

Notably, FOCS had announced plans to hold a series of peace rallies starting March 8 in areas that have become sensitive.

Speaking to the media at Lamphelpat today, COCOMI convenor Khuraijam Athouba said that the Centre might cancel its plan to make all roads and highways accessible to all sections of people from March 8 if the rallies go ahead.

COCOMI urges FOCS to wait and watch

People are eagerly anticipating the Centre's next move to ensure safe movement across the State, he said while appealing to the FOCS to wait for a tangible commitment from the Centre before proceeding with their peace rallies.

Athouba said that the Centre may genuinely intend to make roads and highways accessible to everyone, but there's no guarantee they'll keep all their words.

Saying that the Centre might withdraw their initiative citing law and order problems if the rallies go ahead, he further appealed to FOCS to wait and observe the Government's actions before proceeding.

On the Governor's call to surrender arms, Athouba said that village volunteers in the valley have handed over their arms to the authorities in large numbers but the same is not the case in hill districts.

He also said that the Kuki-Chin people have not surrendered sophisticated weapons smuggled from Myanmar and Mizoram amid the crisis in Manipur.

Although village volunteers in valley districts have been surrendering their arms, the Government has not provided any assurance to protect the people, he alleged.

Who will take responsibility if people in the valley districts are attacked from the hills during the disarmament drive, Athouba asked? .

Saying that CoTU has been openly challenging the Government's peace initiative by sticking to their Separate Administration demand, he asked why the Centre hasn't taken legal action against the Kuki group for defying the move to restore normalcy in the State.

Saying that people will suspect the Government has a hidden agenda if the Highways aren't reopened by March 8, Athouba added that the Centre's actions are being closely watched.

He also urged the Government to identify who are disrupting the peace initiative as restoring normalcy is their responsibility.

Athouba, meanwhile, said that COCOMI never declared a war against any community as their fight is against narco-terrorists.

Other office bearers of COCOMI also attended the press briefing.