The Union Home Minister Amit Shah encourages the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) to initiate dialogues with responsible Kuki leaders and groups to facilitate problem-solving and peace-building.
The COCOMI on Friday (August 25) said in a press communique that during a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the COCOMI was encouraged to initiate dialogues with responsible Kuki leaders and groups to facilitate problem-solving and peace-building.
The statement of the COCOMI said, a 13-member delegation of the COCOMI held a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah at his official residence in New Delhi on August 25, 2023 at 10:30 am.
Following the meeting with Union Home Minister, the COCOMI team engaged in a detailed discussion with top officials of the Intelligence Bureau, as per the Minister’s instructions, the statement added.
The COCOMI is a conglomerate of several civil society organisations mainly, United Committee Manipur (UCM), International Peace and Social Advancement (IPSA), Committee of Civil Societies, Kangleipak (CCSK), Ethno Heritage Council (HERICOUN), and League of Indigenous People’s Upliftment (LIPUL).
The matters that came up for discussion with the Union Home Minister Amit Shah include steps to stop infiltration into the Northeastern State such as border fencing, territorial integrity of Manipur and ensuring that essential commodities reach all sections of the people.
“The Union Home Minister emphasised a firm stance against all forms of infiltration into Manipur’s territory. Measures are being implemented to register immigrants using biometrics, including retina scans. Stringent action will be taken against all forms of infiltration into Manipur’s territory,” the statement highlighted at first.
To address concerns about mass infiltration, the government is expediting border fencing in the Manipur sector, the COCOMI statement added.
Regarding the territorial integrity of Manipur, there will be no allowance for separate administrations in Manipur, the COCOMI said.
“The home minister appealed for peace in the state and requested COCOMI to convey this message to the people,” the statement said.
“Ensuring the movement and distribution of commodities in the state can be possibly realised with the support from both sides of the communities. Necessary deployment of convoys to secure the highways shall be ensured in a few days,” the COCOMI said.
In the current crisis to create a condusive environment for bringing peace in Manipur, the COCOMI suggested eight measures in a letter submitted to the Union Home Minister.
To contain armed aggressors, “the armed “Chin-Kuki Narco Terrorists” and the armed Kuki separatists be immediately contained,” the COCOMI letter to the Union Home Minister said.
Regarding restoration and resettlement of displaced people, initiatives for restoration of internally displaced persons in their original settlements be taken up, the letter said.
For Opening of the National Highways, the COCOMi said, “Blocking of the National Highways is a grave crime against humanity and its impeding economic development. In spite of various orders issued by the High Court of Manipur, the Kuki people are blocking the National Highways of Manipur. We urge upon the central government to open the National Highways immediately and deploy necessary security forces for free access of all communities.”
Regarding the occupation of education institutions by the security forces, the COCOMI said, since educational institutions have started opening, the security forces staying in the educational institutions be shifted to other appropriate places.
Regarding updation of NRC, the letter mentioned for immediate implementation and updation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) under Citizenship Act 1955 and as mandated by the Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2003 in Manipur.
The COCOMI letters urges the Union Home Minister for destruction of poppy plantation before the harvesting month. In fulfilling the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s initiative of ‘Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan 2020’, poppy plantation areas in the hill districts of Manipur be immediately surveyed and poppy plantations be destroyed before the coming harvesting season in September. Further, the components of the action plan be reviewed and include the components of: a) Restriction and destruction of poppy plantations; b) Arrest and prosecution of drug mafias; c) Inclusion of poppy cultivated hill districts of Manipur in the identification list of districts under Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan 2020.
The COCOMI letter to the Union Home Minister said, “Since evidences of a few of wanton officers of the Assam Rifles having involved in the drug racket had already been out in the public domain, the functioning of the Assam Rifles and their possible nexus with drug mafia be thoroughly investigated in the context of India’s national security and also in the interest of the citizens of India. Further, deployment of the same security force (consistently for 40 years and more) could have made undesired affinity with local population and put the national interest in jeopardy. The best option may be to replace Assam Rifles and also to follow the policy of routine rotation and replacement of forces especially in the border areas where Chinese national interest and influence are predominant.”
The COCOMI also urges to abrogate the Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreements. Since Kuki militants covered under SoO have been constantly violating the ground rules of the agreement, it is imperative that SoO be abrogated, the letter said.
After meeting the Union Home Minister, the COCOMI team had detailed discussion with the Director of the Intelligence Bureau and Security Advisor for Northeast AK Mishra. The COCOMI presented the complexities of issues affecting Manipur, including illegal immigration, cross-border narco-terrorism, exploitation of forest resources, and SoO violations, the press communique said.
The MHA officials acknowledged and took note of these critical points, the statement added.
The Director of the Intelligence Bureau provided insights into the current crisis in Manipur and its understanding of critical issues. After thorough discussion, the officials urged COCOMI to prioritize the immediate measures outlined in the letter. They also emphasized the importance of continued engagement and cooperation with the government and stakeholders to facilitate a quicker resolution of the crisis, the COCOMI statement said.
The COCOMI delegation was represented by 13 Members with Jeetendra Ningomba, Coordinator COCOMI leading the delegation, accompanied by Consultative members Yumnamcha Dilipkumar, Ak Shethajit, K Maharabi, Th Bharat, Khomdram Ratan along with COCOMI Asst. Coordinators Joychandra Konthoujam, Longjam Ratankumar, Somorendro Thokchom, Khuraijam Athouba, Ph Shyamchand, Y Surjitkumar and L Jayanta.
However, no statement from the Union Home Ministry on the meeting is available till the time of filing this story.
