COCOMI urges extension of arms surrender deadline
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, February 22 2025: The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) has raised serious concerns on the follow-up security operations following the recent appeal by the Governor for the recovery or surrender of illegal arms across both the hills and plains of the state.

While acknowledging the appeal as a necessary step under the law of the land, COCOMI emphasised the need to recognise the circumstances that compelled local youth to take up arms and loot weapons in the first place, and urged for extension of the seven-day deadline for surrendering arms.

According to a press communique of COCOMI, this situation arose due to the incompetence of the government's security forces, which failed to protect vulnerable villages during the peak of the crisis.

It further warned that the terror threat still persists, as no official or formal declaration has been made regarding the withdrawal of armed Chin-Kuki narco-terrorist groups.

These groups, COCOMI alleged, continue to operate in the hill areas under the impunity provided by the central government through a deceptive pact called the Suspension of Operation (SoO).

COCOMI also called the seven-day timeframe for the surrender of arms "too short" for meaningful engagement with stakeholders and the public.

It argued that an extension of time would help foster better understanding and cooperation from the public, reducing the chances of misunderstanding or resistance.

However, the committee expressed serious concern over what it described as the aggressive stance taken by central security forces in various parts of the valley areas.

It alleged that these actions violated even the timeline set by the Governor, raising doubts among the Meira Paibis, local groups, and volunteers.

COCOMI questioned the intentions behind these actions, asking, "Why are the central forces not adhering to the Governor's instructions? Why are they displaying hostility towards local youth instead of following the official directive?" It warned that such actions are fostering growing mistrust within the community.

In light of these developments, COCOMI urged the Governor to initiate formal engagement with local youth leaders to ensure a cooperative and peaceful approach toward recovering arms from civilian volunteers.

It also strongly appealed that no legal action be taken against civilian volunteers who were compelled to defend their communities during the crisis.

The committee further demanded that the arms confiscation process should not be limited to weapons looted by civilians alone but must also include the unaccounted illegal arms smuggled across the border and used by Kuki armed groups operating under the So6 agreement with the Government of India.

COCOMI insisted that transparency is essential and called for reports on the confiscation of arms from the hills to be made public to ensure fairness and rationality in the process.

Additionally, the statement demanded that all armed Kuki militant camps operating under the Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreement in the surrounding hill areas be shifted to other locations to fully restore law and order.

COCOMI urged the government to devise a concrete and foolproof plan to secure villages, instil a sense of safety among villagers and volunteers, and guarantee that no further attacks will occur.

In conclusion, COCOMI asserted that the Government of India must not legitimise the presence of foreign-origin armed narco-terrorist groups such as the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and the United People's Front (UPF) under the pretext of peace talks.

It emphasised that any engagement with such groups must prioritise national security, uphold the rule of law, and protect indigenous communities.

COCOMI warned that the ongoing violence and illegal activities perpetrated by these groups pose a severe threat to the stability of Manipur and the surrounding region.

It called for immediate and decisive action to dismantle these networks, rather than granting them legitimacy through flawed agreements.

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