State advised not to endorse Centre's hidden agenda
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, June 20 2024: Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) has asked the state government not to endorse the Centre's nefarious policy, intentionally or under pressure.

The Committee asserted that the ongoing conflict in Manipur is fallout of the secret agenda of Chin-Kuki narco-terrorists, rather than being an ethnic clash between Meetei and Kuki communities.

COCOMI stated that the conflict, which erupted on May 3, 2023, was not a result of inter-community tensions but engineered by Chin-Kuki narco-terrorists.

Prior to this, the Meetei community had no enmity with any other community in the state.

Historically, any community's demands were directed at the Central and state governments rather than at other communities, it pointed out while recounting that the tribal solidarity march, organised by All Tribal Students' Union Manipur (ATSUM) on May 3 last year was mostly peaceful in the hill districts, except in Kuki-dominated areas, suggesting that the crisis was premeditated.

Incidents such as the vandalism and arson of an open gym scheduled for inauguration by the chief minister and some forest offices in Kuki-dominated areas preceded the outbreak of the crisis on May 3.These actions, according to COCOMI, were precursors to a larger plan targeting the Meetei community, leading to retaliation from the Meetei people.

The Meetei community then took drastic measures to protect themselves from the armed militants of the Chin-Kuki community.

COCOMI mentioned that the government had admitted lapses in intelligence and security measures.

In the aftermath of the violence, COCOMI played a significant role in evacuating civilians of both communities to safer locations.

This effort, they argued, demonstrated that the conflict did not begin as an ethnic issue but was a result of aggression by Chin-Kuki narco-terrorists against government actions targeting illegal poppy cultivation and forest encroachments.

The Central and state governments have acknowledged external influences in the conflict.

Union home minister Amit Shah and external affairs minister S Jaishankar both made statements about external aggression in Parliament and South Korea respectively.

However, COCOMI criticised the Centre for later redefining the conflict as an ethnic clash and offering to mediate between the two sides.

The Committee also accused the Centre of supporting Chin-Kuki narco-terrorists for vested interests, prolonging the conflict, and failing to act decisively.

Despite the deployment of a large number of Central security forces to assist the state forces, the situation worsened, according to COCOMI, claiming that failure of both Central and state governments to act promptly resulted in more loss of life, destruction of properties, and displacement, thereby prolonging the conflict.

The committee accused the government of attempting to cover up its failures by portraying the conflict as an ethnic issue.

There is no need for discussions with the Meetei community since the Central and state governments have the capability to control the situation at any time, the statement maintained.

COCOMI also warned that leaving village volunteers to protect themselves would escalate the situation into a full-blown civil war and further stated that the union home minister's decision not to invite the Chief Minister to a crucial meeting on the state s security and law and order was an act of undermining the democratically elected government.

The committee cited examples of external involvement in the crisis, such as the Assam Rifles bringing a Myanmarese national injured in a gunfight to JNIMS hospital and the deaths of Myanmarese nationals in the Sugnu incident.

Despite numerous evidences, COCOMI alleged, the Centre is attempting to suppress the facts arid the state government's report to suit its vested interests.

In this situation, the state government acting on behalf of the Centre would be a grave mistake, COCOMI cautioned.

COCOMI also criticised MLAs and ministers for not taking the issue seriously, pointing out their lack of concerted efforts.

For over a year, both the Central and state governments have left village volunteers to protect themselves.

This negligence, COCOMI warned, could lead to a full-blown civil war.

The committee urged elected representatives to reflect on whether they are doing enough.

COCOMI affirmed that along with people of the state it will stand against any force attempting to undermine Manipur's thousands of years of history and disintegrate the state.

Comment