The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) has expressed serious concerns following reports of over 900 trained Kuki militants infiltrating Manipur from Myanmar. COCOMI also alleged the involvement of Central forces in exacerbating the conflict.
In a statement released on Sunday, COCOMI media coordinator Yumkhaibam Surjitkjmar Khuman noted that these reports have been widely circulated on social media. An official report from Ningthoujam Geoffrey, Secretary to the Chief Minister, was also made public, confirming the infiltration.
Manipur security advisor Kuldiep Singh corroborated the news during a press conference at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat on Friday, stating that Indian security intelligence had received the report. This revelation has shocked the local population, according to COCOMI.
The committee highlighted that despite the deployment of over 60,000 Central forces and approximately 35,000 state forces, the militants managed to enter Manipur illegally. COCOMI alleged that the failure of security forces to perform their duties efficiently suggests a conspiracy between Central forces and the Kuki militants.
COCOMI further accused Central forces of remaining passive witnesses to the violence and atrocities committed against the Meitei community since the unrest began on May 3, 2023. The committee claimed that the Central government’s inaction, even after confirmation from the security advisor, indicates an attempt to destabilize Manipur.
COCOMI also criticized the Security Advisor and the Director General of Police for allegedly failing to take necessary actions despite warnings about attacks by Kuki militants in Jiribam district. The committee urged the Central forces to regain public trust by taking decisive actions against the militants.
Additionally, COCOMI questioned the effectiveness of the recent Strategic Operation Group (SOG) meeting on the deployment of security forces in the state. The committee called on the Central government to end the ongoing proxy war in Manipur and appealed to both Central and state authorities to resolve the conflict.
