COCOMI lines up mass rally on Oct 31

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Oct 22 : The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) has lined up a mass rally at Imphal on October 31 under the banner “Abrogate SoO, End Proxy War”.
Speaking to media persons at Lamphelpat today, COCOMI convenor YK Dhiren said that COCOMI and like-minded organisations have decided to launch a campaign from today to the effect that the SoO agreement is abrogated and the ongoing proxy war is brought to an end.
“There is an urgent need to articulate and raise a collective voice in order to protect ourselves. So, democratic movements like sit-in-protest, torch rally etc  will be launched in both the hills and the valley”, Dhiren said.
He said that the people believe in democratic movements.
However, if the Government fails to pay heed to the people’s democratic voice, they may take recourse to unwanted actions, he said.
The violence which erupted on May 3, 2023 is just a few months short of completing four years.
With the violence dragging on for such a long time, people’s grievance and suffering have been only multiplying, he said.
It is a matter of grave concern that the Government, instead of paying any attention to the people’s voice, is giving more emphasis to the forthcoming election.
This is a clear indication of the Government’s total disrespect towards the people, the COCOMI convenor said.
He asserted that leaders of the Government of India and the State Government must be held accountable for the brutal killing of three Nongshum villagers by Kuki terrorists at Khongbal Sunurok Uyok Hill on October 19, 2026.
Leaders of the State Government went to different parts of the State including Kuki-dominated areas with a swarm of security forces following them as their escorts and they claimed that one is safe to go any part of the State.
These repeated claims of the State Government leaders created a false impression and misled the general public, and it led to the loss of many precious lives, he added.
On the other hand, a protest demonstration was staged today at UCM office, Lamphelpat under the aegis of COCOMI.
The protesters put up placards which read as “Stop proxy war”, “Enforce   rule of law in the hills”, “Stop illegal activities of Kukis”, “Seize all illegal arms from Kuki-inhabited areas”, “Immediate military crackdown against Kuki narco-terrorists”, “Save indigenous peoples of Manipur”, and “Stop killing innocent people”.
Speaking to media persons, COCOMI Women Wing convenor Wahengbam Luwangleima said that the repeated claims made by State Government leaders that peace has returned and people can move freely in any part of the State led to the loss of many precious lives including the three villagers of Nongshum who were killed by Kuki terrorists at Sunurok Uyok.
Every time innocent people were killed in attacks by militants, the Government held security meetings. Other than news reports published in the media, nobody knows what the Government did after these security meetings, Luwangleima said.
The Government has claimed that three persons have been arrested with the Sunurok massacre but again the Government may say after some days that the three have no connection with the massacre, she said.
She asserted that people’s trust in the Government has been waning day and day.
Naga Humanitarian Aid Committee Manipur (NHACM) co-convenor Amana Thaimei remarked that the violence which erupted on May 3, 2023 has been only escalating these days.
She observed that killing of innocent and burning down houses have been going on unabated.
If the Government chooses to watch in silence despite the escalating situation, indigenous peoples of the hills and the valley will   not keep quiet, Amana Thaimei said.
People have been waiting for a positive action from the Government. If the Government fails to take a positive action at the earliest, people will take a collective decision on what should be done, she added.