COCOMI submits truth to RaGa
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 08 2024: The truth and real problem of Manipur today is the visible absence of the State and withholding of the use of legitimate force against Chin-Kuki narco-terrorists who are attacking civilians in collusion with heavily armed Kuki militants, said Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) in a memorandum submitted to Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi.

The memorandum was submitted to the Congress leader during his visit to the State today.

COCOMI's memorandum said the Manipur crisis has been one of the most unfortunate events in the history of independent India with the Government conveniently ignoring the suffering of the people of the State.

The Prime Minister broke his silence on Manipur in the Rajya Sabha, but wrongly portrayed the crisis as a case of communal/ethnic conflict between two groups.

He further hinted stereotypically that such conflict is normal or a natural habit of the State such that the President's Rule was enforced in Manipur ten times in the past.

He was hinting that communal riots are innate to the Manipuri people, said COCOMI.

Understanding the true nature of the conflict is crucial for resolving the crisis.

However, the Government of India has terribly failed to understand it, added COCOMI.

COCOMI said, "The truth and real problem of Manipur today is the visible absence of the State authority and withholding of the use of legitimate forces against the Chin-Kuki Narco-terrorists who are continuously attacking civilians inhabiting the foothills in collusion with the heavily armed Kuki militants" .

It said the narrative of ethnic clash is the direct outcome of the absence of the use of legitimate forces especially by the Central security forces who are supposed to help the State forces in protecting the lives and property of the citizens.

In the absence of the protection of the State's legitimate forces, citizens are compelled to fight for their own lives and property.

This action of protecting their own lives from the onslaught of the terrorists is wrongly portrayed as the clash between two communities, said COCOMI.

Meanwhile, it said intellectuals have started seeing this prolonged conflict as a "proxy war" of the Indian Government to pursue its National interest of containing armed rebellion groups and also to make gains in the Myanmar conflict.

"In this context, the only problem is the paradox of sacrificing and slaughtering of multitudes of Indian citizens in the pretext of protecting Indian National interest.

The question of sacrificing the lives and property of citizens especially in the North East at the borders to protect National interest brought the idea of lesser Indians or question of the practice of neo-colonialism in the North East in the post independent India," said COCOMI.

It urged Rahul Gandhi to peruse the truth of the present Manipur imbroglio and make it known to the citizens of India and the world at large.

It urged him to make the Indian State conscious for it to immediately contain the armed terrorists by activating the Central security forces.

COCOMI further appealed to Rahul Gandhi to urge upon the Government to give necessary budgetary support to compensate for the heavy losses incurred during the crisis.

On the other hand, the Jiri United Committee, an apex body of civil societies and student organisations in Jiribam, has also submitted a memorandum on the Manipur crisis to Rahul Gandhi.

While urging the Opposition leader to give voice to the people and take up steps to restore peace in Manipur, JUC's memorandum highlighted and stressed that violence erupted in Jiribam after one Meitei individual was killed on June 6 .

When other parts of Manipur were engulfed in violent conflict for over a year, Jiribam district was calm and peaceful.

Violence broke out after S Saratkumar Singh of Gularthol was killed by Kuki militants on June 6 .

The incident took place because there were no proper security measures in place, said the committee.

The JUC highlighted and presented a series of demands and urged Rahul Gandhi to raise them in the Parliament and other relevant forums to restore peace and normalcy in Manipur.

Demands: 1) Take up serious and effective steps to restore peace and normalcy in Manipur in general and Jiribam in particular as early as possible.

2) Implement National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Manipur with 1951 as the base year to protect indigenous people and maintain demographic balance.

3) Abrogate tripartite Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreement between Central Government, Manipur Government and Kuki militants.

4) Rehabilitate internally displaced persons by reconstructing destroyed houses in their respective places ensuring safety and security.

5) Upgrade 50-bedded Hospital/CHC of Jiribam located at Ningshingkhul into a full fledged and well equipped District Hospital.

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