Meaningless to have SoO with foreign militants: COCOMI
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, August 28 2024: While ridiculing the idea of signing and prolonging Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreement with foreign militants, Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) stated that in case the government of India has firm resolve in continuing the same, then the pact should be made applicable in any part of India other than Manipur.

COCOMI also cautioned of launching intense agitation in coordination with the people if the GoI extends the SoO agreement.

Talking to media persons at its Lamphelpat office, here, on Wednesday, COCOMI coordinator Somorendro Thokchom categorically affirmed that the Committee has firm resolve that foreign militants cannot have SoO in Manipur and would not raise objective if the agreement aimed at ceasing hostility between the armed groups and security forces is enforced in other parts of India.

He also asserted that the Centre undermining stand of the committee would compel it to resort to mass agitation.

While stating that people of Manipur, India and the World are now well aware about purpose and agenda of Kuki militant groups, he noted that 25 Kuki militant groups which are bound under SoO had no conflict with Indian security forces.

He also contended that people need no reminding that Kuki militants who entered Manipur from a neighbouring country are behind the present conflict.

The COCOMI coordinator further said that SoO has to be made applicable with certain ground rules when two parties in conflict agreed to cease hostilities and hold peace parleys.

However, it was very unfair and objectionable that foreign militants were brought into Manipur and made them parties to the SoO agreement specifically to utilise them in geo-politics and suppress the indigenous people of the land.

These militants are being allowed to attack the indigenous people of Manipur with the government of India turning a blind eye to suffering of the people eventually laying bare the fact with each passing day that the government of India does not consider Manipur as a state of the country and its people bonafide citizens, he said.

The state government had already taken the decision to withdraw from SoO on the ground that foreign militants have violated ground rules contrary to the Centre seemingly endorsing the agreement, Somorendro opined and wondered as to why there is dissimilar decision when a single political party is ruling both in the state and at the Centre.

If the Centre decides to review SoO and extend the agreement, it is justified that the people of Manipur query if the government of India is according importance to foreign militants than the citizens in the border state.

If the Government of India sees people of Manipur as their own citizens, then the Centre should back the decision taken by the state government and withdraw SoO or else the people of Manipur might launch an intense agitation against the Centre, warned Somorendro Thokchom.

The COCOMI coordinator also announced that its plan to launch agitation in connection with the mention of 'Chin state of Manipur' in the NE Vision 2048 document regardless of the same words deleted after chief minister N Biren Singh formally conveyed to the Union DONER ministry for conducting an enquiry.

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