COCOMI holds mass rally to protect Manipur’s integrity, demand NRC

Guwahati: Amidst the simmering ethnic strife, the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), an umbrella body of the state, on Friday took out a mass rally from Imphal West’s Thau Ground.

The rally, which was effectively one to counter the demand for a separate administration by the Kuki-Zo community, was attended by hundreds of students from the city’s top schools and colleges.

The rally also asserted that the integrity of the state should be maintained, and called for an end to the Suspension of Operations pact with Kuki-Zo groups, and advocated for stopping the combing operations that they believe are being conducted in a biased manner. They also demanded NRC in the state.

Imphal West Independent MLA Nishikanta Singh Sapam, who also attended the rally, said, “I am an Independent MLA but a Manipuri first so I joined the rally to show my support for the people.”

Mr. Sapam reiterated that the people of Manipur will never compromise on the integrity of the State and that any demand for a split in the State’s boundaries as they stand today would be unacceptable.

“The people are clearly feeling that the need is to be able to protect themselves because the administration has failed them. And in the middle of this, they are also feeling like combing operations are only being done in the valley to recover weapons but not in the Hills,” Mr. Sapam told reporters.

Mr Somorendro, Coordinator of the COCOMI, one of the most influential Civil Society Organisations in the valley, said, “This rally is being held to protect the integrity of Manipur and to stop the Government of India from dividing us.”

This rally comes days after Kuki-Zo tribal communities across the Hill districts held massive rallies asking the Union government to expedite their demand for a separate administration for their people.

In memorandum submitted to the Home Minister, the Kuki-Zo community had sought a Union Territory with legislature under Article 239A of the Constitution of India.

In the rally, many Meira Paibi groups from nearby districts like Moirang and Bishnupur also joined the rally in Imphal along with other women’s civilian groups. At the rally, student groups called for “justice” and to “root out Kuki narco-terrorists from Manipur”.

Meanwhile, at least 20 NDA MLAs from the state are said to have left for New Delhi to meet central BJP leaders seeking effective intervention to pacify the state’s situation. Indicating that among those left for New Delhi includes BJP and NPP MLAs, sources said that civil society groups are mounting pressure on these elected representatives to push for resolving the conflicts. “There are indications that even ministers are also being pressurised to resolve the situation,” sources said.