The SoO Kuki militants’ open assault on the state and Central security forces as well as the people of the state is a blatant "act of terrorism,” Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) said on Thursday.
A release issued by COCOMI media coordinator Somorendra Thokchom stated that during the outburst of the unexpected communal riot which broke out at Churachandpur on May 3, COCOMI had been playing its role in rescuing the stranded people in Churachandpur and Imphal as well. COCOMI had also been working its best to talk with the Kuki leaders and the stakeholders to restore peace in the state, it continued.
“Although the civil unrest seem to have simmered down, it is disheartening to hear that the Kuki militants armed with sophisticated weapons including AK 47 and AK 56, are still continuing to attack on the Meitei settlement and villages near the hill regions. In this regard, the Assam Rifles, Indian Army and prominent figures of state government including the governor had been informed that in order to restore peace in the state the armed SoO Kuki militants need to be stopped from attacking the Meetei villages and the valley areas, but in vain,” it read.
“In a faceoff with armed cadres of KRA at PukhaoDolaithabi on Wednesday, an Assam Rifles personnel sustained injuries and rescued by a helicopter. In another incident on Thursday, a state commando personnel was killed in a shootout with suspected Kuki militants at Tera Khongshangbi. Even as the Kuki militants are attacking the people openly, leading to death and casualties of security forces? Why has the Indian government still not taking up any necessary action and is the Indian government’s ‘internal policy’ secretly conspiring with the Kuki militants to attack the people of Manipur?” it read.
It alleged that the clash which erupted on May is not a communal clash between the Kuki and Meetei, but an intentional riot instigated by Kuki militants to chase off the Meetei community from Kuki dominant regions. It is evident form the fact that even as the representatives of Kuki and Meetei are preparing to initiate a peace talk, the Kuki militants are constantly attacking on Meetei communities, it claimed.
It accused MLA Paolienlang of attempting to prolong the clash rather than restoring peace by making biased remarks such as the reporting casualties of the Kuki communities while leaving out the casualties of the Meetei communities, in an interview in national media.
It accused ATSUM of releasing an untimely press release for the investigation on the clash, stating that helping and supporting the victims of the clash should be the top priority.
Stating that ATSUM was formed by a Kuki students’ organisation and a Naga students’ organisations, it urged the representatives of Naga students’ organisations namely ANSAM and UNC to check the measures taken up by ATSUM regarding the ongoing clash in the state. “As the SoO Kuki militants have broken the SoO agreements, such outfits should be withdrawn from the SoO agreements and be regarded as terrorist organisations,” it added.
