'Hand over bodies of killed Meiteis to claim yours'
COCOMI sets rider for returning bodies
Source: The Sangai Express

Moirang, October 18 2023: The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) has asserted that the dead bodies of Kukis lying at different morgues in Imphal can be claimed only after the bodies of two Arambai Tenggol volunteers and two Meetei students who have been murdered by the Kuki militants are handed over to the people of Manipur.

The comment of COCOMI was in response to the decision taken by the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) on October 10 to claim the mortal remains of the Kuki people from the mortuaries in Imphal.

Addressing a public discussion held under the theme 'Resettlement at Tangjeng and Napat areas' at Kumbi yesterday, COCOMI convenor Jee-tendra Ningomba said that not a single civil society organisation in Manipur will allow the bodies of Kuki people to be claimed until the mortal remains of Phijam Hemanjit and Hijam Linthoingambi and the two volunteers of Arambai Tenggol who have been murdered by Kuki militants are entrusted to their respective families.

The discussion programme was attended by the locals of Waikhurok, Torbung Bangla, Phougak-chao Ikhai, Saiton, Napat, Tangjeng, Pombikhok, Chairel, Mangjing, Laingoubi, Khoijumantabi etc.

There, Jeetendra continued that they will do whatever it takes to resettle the displaced folks of Napat and Tangjeng Ahallup as soon as possible.

Saying that COCOMI has been working to expedite the rehabilitation and resettlement works of displaced Meetei people, he said that the discussion programme was held to chalk out a policy programme and discuss the security point of view to let the people of Napat and Tangjeng return to their native places.

The desire of the people to return to their original places shouldn't be construed as a provocation to the Kukis, he said while reminding that the people at relief camps are not refugees.

He continued that the Government erecting buffer or conflict zones is unfortunate as it backs the idea of separation of hills and the valley.

Maintaining that they have also held talks with the people of Pukhao, Leimakhong and other villages in the periphery areas to begin their rehabilitation, Jeetendra said that rehabilitation of the displaced folks is crucial at this stage.

One local from Tangjeng claimed that Kuki militants and their associates have torched most of the houses numbering over 200 at Napat situated between Churachandpur and Bishnupur while over 40 houses have been reduced to ashes at Tangjeng.

Saying that there are unaffected houses at the two villages but they too have been abandoned, he asked why the Government is still not allowing them to return to their places.

He appealed to the Government to dismantle the bunkers set up by Kuki militants on the western side of Tangjeng and take up adequate security measures so that they can return to their places and restart their lives with whatever little they have.

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