COCOMI condemns violence and Govt's negligence
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, June 08 2024:
In the wake of yet another cycle of violence in Jiribam, one of the last peaceful areas of Manipur where Thadou, Hmar, Paite, Kabui, Zeliangrong, Meetei Pangal, and Meetei communities have coexisted, Coordinating committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) has held the Government of India responsible for the prolonged deprivation and suffering of the indigenous people in Manipur.
In a release, COCOMI media coordinator Yumkhaibam Surjit Khuman said that the recent violence appears to be an orchestrated and provocative action by immigrant Kuki groups, aiming to further their demands for a separate administration through terror tactics.
Despite the Kuki Inpi Jiribam's attempts to defend their position, evidence points to the involvement of Kuki narco-terrorist groups in the abduction and murder of a Meetei victim.
This heinous act, perpetrated in broad daylight by individuals led by Gousang from Phaitol Village, who arrived in a Bolero vehicle bearing registration number AS 27 A 2905, is clearly intended to disrupt the longstanding peace among local communities.
Surjit questioned why the Indian government has allowed such a dire conflict to persist unchecked for so long.
The failure of Assam Rifles to pursue the actual perpetrators, opting instead to fire live rounds at an angry mob, is deeply troubling.
It raises serious concerns about the government's commitment to protecting the lives and properties of its citizens.
Furthermore, the preferential treatment of immigrant communities over indigenous populations is unacceptable.
The deployment of Indian security personnel, who seem more focused on Indo-Myanmar border areas rather than maintaining order within Manipur, highlights a gross misallocation of resources.
This neglect has allowed armed groups to perpetuate violence unchecked.
The proxy war tactics employed by the Indian government, purportedly to gain leverage in the Indo-China geopolitical arena, come at the expense of Manipur 's indigenous people, revealing a disturbing pattern of state- sponsored violence and political manipulation, Surjit denounced, while adding that the recent arrest of Kuki narco-terrorist group members from Imphal Airport involved in transnational conspiracies, as reported by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), underscores the complex and troubling nature of the conflict.
Moreover, the government's inconsistent narrative, particularly the shift in stance by Home Minister Amit Shah from blaming illegal migrants to downplaying the violence as mere communal disharmony, fails to address the root causes of the conflict.
The government's plan to mediate a meeting between the Meiteis and Kukis, while seemingly conciliatory, overlooks the broader issues of state-sponsored violence and political manoeuvring.
COCOMI called on the central government to take immediate and sincere actions to resolve the crisis.
It is imperative to fix responsibility for the losses and damages incurred over the past year.
The government must be held accountable for its role in perpetuating violence and must cease using local conflicts for geopolitical gains, he stated.
While extending deepest condolences to the families of the victims, he said that the sacrifices made by those who lost their lives will not be forgotten.
It is time for a unified voice to demand justice and accountability from the Government of India.
The indigenous people of Manipur must no longer be pawns in a larger geopolitical strategy, Surjit asserted.