COCOMI warns against self-Govt call
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 16 2023: The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCO-MI) has categorically stated that the call for establishment of self-Govemment/ separate administration in Kuki-Zo dominated areas of Manipur will only escalate the prevailing tense situation.

The call for establishment of self-Govemment as touted in a press release issued on November 15 is something which will never be accepted by the people of Manipur.

It will prove to be a conspiracy to permanently rule out peaceful co-existence of even those groups of Kuki people who have settled in Manipur for a considerable length of time with other communities of the State, the COCOMI asserted in a statement.

Leaders of the so-called Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum must know that even the name of their organisation is not acceptable to all the communities of Manipur.

People have been already questioning the origins of the leaders of this particular forum.

The call for establishment for self-Govemment/ separate administration at such a juncture would shut all doors to continued settlement of Kukis in Manipur, the COCOMI asserted.

It is known very well to both the Central Government and the State Government that illegal immigrants are primarily responsible for the Manipur violence.

Recently External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar stated in New York that large influx of immigrants led to the Manipur violence.

Even after knowing well that the rebel groups who are trying to fragment neighbouring Myanmar and the militant groups which have been scheming to disintegrate Manipur have a close nexus, the Government of India has been maintaining a deafening silence.

The Government of India ought to state its position on the matter to the people of Manipur, it said.

The whole world knows that Kangleipak/Manipur was a sovereign kingdom in South East Asia ruled under monarchy for thousands of years.

The people know when Kukis came to Manipur and who allowed them to settle here.

If one looks into the genealogy of the Kukis who came to Manipur in the later phase by three/four generations, none would have any connection with Manipur, it said.

The assertion of the 'outsider' Kukis to establish their own self-Government in Manipur will only escalate the already highly volatile situation, it warned.

The Government of India and the State Government ought to take up befitting action against those people who have been demanding separate administration, COCOMI said.

It asserted that Kukis constitute a few lakhs out of the State's total population of over 30 lakh and majority of them (Kukis) are immigrants.

There have been several instances of Kuki intellectuals trying to distort the history of Manipur by writing volumes of fabricated histories including a history on the so-called Anglo-Kuki War which never took place.

The ongoing violence was ignited to stall the several policies and programmes taken by the Government of India and the State Government under the Constitution such as protection of reserved forests, protected forests, destruction of poppy plantations and updation of NRC etc.

For this very reason, the Kukis must be held accountable for the protracted violence and the resultant loss of lives and properties, it said.

The lobby to insert a chapter on the fabricated story of the so-called Anglo-Kuki War and all steps to secure autonomy in education and other sectors must be stopped immediately, and both the Central Government and the State Government must take appropriate action urgently, it said.

The Kukis, majority of whom are illegal immigrants, have been enjoying all the benefits/facilities which otherwise should go to Indian citizens.

In addition, they have been attacking and killing the people of Manipur who are bonafide citizens of India.

The people want to know why both the Government of India and the State Government have been maintaining a stoic silence to this rampant Kuki aggression.

Contain the militant Kuki immigrants and don't portray the people of Manipur as having tendency toward creating unrest, the COCOMI appealed to the Government.

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