Lay off, COCOMI tells Kuki CSOs
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 04 2023:
The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) has asked 'the Kuki narco-terrorist group' ITLF and other Kuki leaders to not invite or ignite more violence by proposing a mass burial site at Torbung 'which occupies a significant historical importance to the indigenous people of Manipur' .
In a statement, COCOMI said that the mass burial programme which was planned on August 3 at Torbung Bangla was deferred on the direction of the Manipur High Court and the Home Ministry due to intense pressure from the indigenous Meitei population.
Saying that the matter (proposed burial programme), however, has become a serious concern to everyone, COCOMI appealed to the Union Home Minister to advise and impress upon ITLF, CoTU and Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) to restrain from intensifying the present crisis.
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The Centre and Manipur Government should not legalise or issue any permission to conduct a mass burial programme dedicated to the present crisis in any part of the State as it will become a symbol of enmity, COCOMI cautioned.
Further stating that dead bodies of the Meiteis which have been retrieved were either cremated or buried at their respective places and the same avoided creation of unnecessary tension, the Committee continued that there shouldn't be tension among the people on account of the last rites of the deceased from both sides.
COCOMI went on to state that creating a mass burial site in contentious areas will not only provoke the sentiments of the people on both sides but also remain as a symbol of enmity between the two groups of people forever.
The Committee also claimed that Kuki groups ITLF, CoTU, KIM etc which have been spearheading the violence since May 3 have not done anything which is either acceptable to all communities or as per the established law of the land.
The Solicitor General of India has expressed before the Supreme Court that most unclaimed dead bodies lying at morgues are suspected to be foreign Nationals, COCOMI reminded and asked all concerned to verify/identify all the dead Kukis lying at the morgues.
If there is any foreign National among the dead then it should be disposed of as per the law of the land while confirmed citizens of India must be allowed to be buried inside the territory of India, it demanded.
Dead bodies belonging to the old Kuki group should be taken to their respective villages for their last rites after proper verification and identification by the competent authority, COCOMI suggested.
Meanwhile, COCOMI said that the demand to withdraw State forces from Moreh and other parts of the State is unreasonable and it shouldn't be entertained under any circumstances.
Asserting that the demand being raised by Kuki narco-terrorists to disintegrate Manipur shouldn't be entertained, COCOMI added that the mass rally of July 29 which was participated by over 5 lakh people in Imphal is a testament of opposition to separate State/administration.