COCOMI appeals againsts bandh, cease work strike
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 31 2024: The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) has appealed to all organisations not to impose bandh, blockade or cease-work strike amid the economic slowdown which the State has been going through.

Speaking to the media at Lamphelpat today, COCOMI women wing coordinator Y Leirik Leima said that the over 15 months long unrest has severely affected the economy of the State.

Leirik Leima also stated that the price of local rice is as high as Rs 60 per Kg now while super fine (a variety of rice) is being sold at Rs 55 per kg currently as she underscored the hardship which the people have been enduring amid the ethnic tension.

Saying that imposing bandh, blockade or cease work strike during this challenging period is unfortunate, Leirik Leima, without taking any name , appealed to all organisations to refrain from making any unnecessary move which will only add to the the people's woes.

They may have their genuine issue but they should not bother the people unnecessarily, she said.

She, meanwhile, said that the Centre and the State Government have failed to protect the lives and properties of the people.

Saying that neither the Government nor its machinery can stop the onslaught of Chin-Kuki narco-terrorists till now, Leirik Leima added that the villagers have been defending their lands as the security forces failed to protect them.

Instead of stopping the atrocity of Chin-Kuki narco-terrorists, these Central and State security forces have been cracking down on village volunteers, she fumed.

The COCOMI leader also said that she hasn't seen the security forces taking action against the hostile Kuki militants who have been attacking the Meeteis.

Arresting those who misuse firearms for vested interest is another thing but those who take up arms to protect Meitei villages should not arrested nor should their weapons be seized, she asserted.

She cautioned they, the mothers, won't remain silent if the security forces continue the crackdown on village volunteers.

"We the mothers will pick up the weapons from village volunteers and surrender it to the Government if either the Central or the State Government can give a written assurance that they will not let the Chin-Kuki narco-terrorists attack the Meeteis ever again," she dared.

Saying that they however won't allow the weapons which are being used to defend Meetei villages to be seized, Leirik Leima asked the Government to stop the atrocity of Chin-Kuki narco-terrorists first to restore normalcy in the State.

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