Manipur civil body declines to talk on crisis.

The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), an apex body of various Manipur-based organisations, has declined to take part in a talk in New Delhi on the crisis in Manipur.

Mr. L Jayanta of COCOMI said on Saturday that the talks were facilitated by officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs in New Delhi to legitimize the misleading narrative of the Union Home Minister. COCOMI will not take part in the talks between Kuki and Meitei as it was a ploy to validate the misleading narrative advanced by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Parliament, that the Manipur crisis is merely an “ethnic conflict” allegedly triggered by the High Court’s direction on Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for Meitei he said.

It was alleged that the matter was a proxy war, perpetuated by the Government by using Kuki narco-terrorist mercenary forces or groups which the government has been nurturing since 2005 under the guise of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) Agreement. The Government of India has not undertaken a single genuine measure to resolve the crisis. Instead, it has persistently evaded responsibility, refused to confront the actual drivers of conflict, and continues to embolden separatist elements through false hopes and covert support, he added.

Dialogue should be preceded by the enforcement of the rule of law, the removal of all hostile elements, including the SoO groups operating with impunity. It said the government should make those who openly defy peace initiatives, including the unlawful occupation of territories and blockade of highways by Kuki militant groups, answerable to the law.

Abrogation of the SoO Agreement, stopping of harbouring of foreign-origin armed mercenaries on Manipur soil, and ensuring free movement should be assured. The Home Minister’s declaration to enable free movement failed.

The real causes of the crisis, unchecked cross-border illegal immigration, powerful Kuki narcoterrorism networks, and separatist agendas such as Zalengam and other open demands to work against the national interests, should be dealt with.

Jayant wanted the authorities to ensure a terror-free environment, free from narco-terrorist coercion and armed oppression. Civil society organisations (CSOs) do not possess the capacity to disarm militant factions or enforce the rule of law. It is the Government of India’s sole and inescapable responsibility to create the conditions necessary for meaningful civilian dialogue, he added.

COCOMI has called upon the people of Manipur, the conscientious citizens of India, and the global community to see through this deceptive game. It said it is open to all avenues that can restore peace and stability within the co-existing ethnic communities in the region. It stands unwavering in commitment to genuine justice, enduring peace, and the preservation of Manipur’s territorial integrity and indigenous heritage, he said.

Team Maverick