Let rule of law prevail in Moreh : COCOMI
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 19 2023: The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) has urged the State Government to deploy adequate State force at Moreh by giving them additional power to uphold law and order.

Speaking to the media at its office at Lamphelpat today, COCOMI coordinator Jeetendra Ningomba claimed that the violence in Manipur erupted due to the targeted attack on Meeteis and their properties by Kuki narco-terrorists and the atmosphere is still tense.

Saying that the Government has failed to exercise its authority in some parts of Manipur whose landmass is only 22,327 square kilometre, he added that the inability of the State police to enforce laws at Moreh, Churachandpur and Kangpokpi is unfortunate.

The ongoing conflict is not between States, so why is the Government not able to send State police at Moreh and prove that nobody is above the law of the land, Jeetendra asked.

Continuing that people are dissatisfied with how the Government has been dealing with the protracted crisis in the State, the COCOMI leader asked if the Government is still in power if they can't send police to certain places within the territory of the State.

Has separate laws been formulated for the hill and valley districts, Jeetendra asked while reminding the Government of their failure to uphold laws in Kuki dominated areas.

People are aggrieved with the Government because there is no rule of law at Moreh, Churachandpur and Kangpokpi, he contended.

It is disappointing that the Government has utterly failed to enforce law at the strategically important border town Moreh, Jeetendra rued and asked why the Government succumbed to the pressure of a particular community instead of taking action against the group of people who want to take control of Moreh.

The failure of the Government to penalise law breakers on time will create bigger problems, the COCOMI leader cautioned and asked the Government to give additional power to the State police so that they can uphold law and order at the border town.

Security forces including CAPF used brute force, fired tear gas shells, rubber bullets, mock bombs etc when students protested the murder of Phijam Hemanjit and Hijam Linthoingambi, Jeetendra reminded and asked what is it that prevents the State police from heading to Moreh and do their job there.

A group of people standing against the deployment of police at Moreh shouldn't be the reason for complete lawlessness to prevail at the border town, he added.

Everyone is aware of the hostile campaign being taken out against the Meeteis at Moreh and other places by Kuki narco-terrorists, Jeetendra said and asked why the Government remained silent when a group of Kuki people stopped the police from heading to Moreh in the middle of road.

The Government shouldn't dishearten the police being posted at Moreh by succumbing to the pressure of Kuki people, he advised and urged the Government to give enough power to the State police so that they can deal with the lawlessness at Moreh.

It is the duty of the Government and its machinery to make sure there still is law in Manipur and nobody is above it, he asserted.

Currently, the police can't even take action against law breakers at some places, Jeetendra claimed.

Appealing to the police to enforce law at Moreh even if the Government interferes, he asked the police to let the COCOMI know if any people in power prevent them from taking actions against miscreants so that the people can teach a befitting lesson to them.

Jeetendra also urged the Government to begin the resettlement and rehabilitation of displaced people from Moreh.

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