COCOMI petitions Gen Pande on armed Kukis intimidating army
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, February 17 2024: Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) has sought explanation regarding the viral video of an incident involving Chin-Kuki narco-terrorists overpowering Indian Army in Moreh on January 17 .

In a letter addressed to chief of army staff General Manoj Pande, COCOMI coordinator Somorendro Thokchom said that the visuals of openly threatening army personnel by automatic firearm-wielding Kuki miscreants and aiming rocket launchers at the soldiers were never witnessed in the history of Indian Army.

The incident not only diluted the integrity and authority of the armed forces, but also poses serious threat to national security, he pointed out while seeking the attention of the army chief for taking up necessary action to address the alarming situation.

A thorough investigation is indispensable to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the incident and identify any security lapses including possible advisories from the corridors of power in New Delhi.

Equally crucial is the implementation of measures to equip forces adequately and provide them with necessary support to effectively counter such threats in coordination with the state police forces in the future.

Upholding the safety and morale of the brave soldiers must be paramount concern and these incidents underscore the urgent need for action to ensure the safety and security of both the soldiers and civilians, he stated, while urging the chief of army staff to personally intervene, oversee a comprehensive investigation, and take prompt action to rectify this situation.

Questioning whether he (general Manoj Pande) is being advised or instructed by the central government to exercise restraint while confronting armed Kuki militants as they have been working with the Indian Army since the execution of Suspension of Operation (SoO) in 2005, Somorendro said that such attitude towards unregulated armed groups giving enough time to take their position in the confrontation could have endangered lives of the army personnel.

The coordinator further said that several brave Indian army soldiers and state police personnel have lost their lives at the hands of Kuki militant groups and further recalled a recent incident where one more BSF trooper suffered bullet wounds fired by Kuki militants in Sugnu.

The incident underscores alarming departure from historical precedent, where never before had the Indian army been so openly overpowered by armed groups, compelling them to retreat from their deployment area, without retaliation against the open attacks carried out by Kuki militants, injuring and killing several Indian army personnel, he contended, while maintaining that the current criticism faced by the Indian Army in the region, compounded by the perceived indifference in the Assam Rifles' handling Of the situation, merits urgent attention.

"It is crucial to safeguard the integrity and honour of Indian Army, as well as guarantee the safety and security of indigenous people in Manipur, especially in vulnerable areas like Moreh and other parts along the Indo-Myanmar border," Somorendro said in the letter.

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