CHRONICLE NEWS SERVICE

IMPHAL: On the third anniversary of the ongoing conflict since May 3, 2023, the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) convened ‘Manipur People’s Convention on Three years of Manipur Crisis’ at Iboyaima Shumang Leela Shanglen, Palace compound on Sunday with those gathered resolving to intensify democratic agitations against the onslaught of Chin-Kuki narco-terrorists on indigenous peoples.

As one of the resource persons of the discourse, former secretary to the Governor IAS (Retd) RK Nimai Singh shared his observation on possible division of Manipur into three parts in the near future.

The session chaired by COCOMI convener YK Dhiren and moderated by Imphal College political science department former head AK Sethajit was participated by several experts, academicians, CSO leaders and people from different corners of the state.

In his address, RK Nimai said the conflict/violence in Manipur since May 3, 2023 is being carried forward with a well-planned strategy. It is very clear that the aggression on the Meetei community is part of a broader agenda which the community must fight strategically.

Since the beginning of the conflict till date, the Meetei lacked strategy, he opined, stating that the Meetei had been only reacting to attacks and killings.

According to RK Nimai, illegal immigrants and narco-terrorism are two key issues currently besieging Manipur which needs to be highlighted and exposed at the global level.

The issue of illegal immigration also merit tactful tackling, he stressed highlighting the need for an academic team consisting of thoughtful young people to fight the challenges strategically while reminding that the community in conflict with the Meetei do not want normalcy as was evident from recent violent incidents.

Chief minister of the new government installed after almost one year of President’s Rule visited many places as part of peace initiative but unwanted incidents happened after every visit.

All these incidents involved the community in conflict with the Meetei and they have now turned to the Nagas, further demonstrating that they do not want return of normalcy at all.

When the emerging situation is examined, there is high possibility of the central government chalking up a formula of balkanising Manipur into three parts under the garb of restoring peace, Nimai continued.

Foothills Naga Coordination Committee (FNCC) convener Ng Akhui, who also spoke at the meet, said that the conflict since May, 2023 affected entire communities of the state with recent incidents proving that target of the community in conflict with the Meetei is the entire indigenous people of Manipur.

As such, a stage has come for all the indigenous communities of Manipur to unite, he urged, expressing that FNCC firmly believes that Manipur can be saved with the unity of indigenous people of the land.

The meet later arrived at a six-point resolution including strengthening of resolutions COCOMI had taken earlier along with the people since May 3, 2023 and mount pressure on both the state and the centre for implementation with intense democratic agitations.

In the second resolution, the meet strongly condemned the Tronglaobi bomb attack and TM Kasom ambush and demanded arrest of all terrorists involved in the attacks, judicial enquiry into the killing of three civilians by CRPF in the aftermath of the Tronglaobi bomb attack.

The meet after thorough discussion of points raised by experts also resolved to continue ongoing agitation against unabated attacks on civilians by Chin-Kuki narco-terrorists allegedly under the protection of the Government of India and to strengthen the agitation with democratic means.

The gathering also endorsed placing COCOMI’s seven-point questions raised to the Manipur government on April 25 as demands and submit the same to the chief minister by constituting a committee comprising experts, community leaders, IDPs and COCOMI representatives.

The sixth resolution centred on declaring May 3 every year as ‘Anti-narco terrorism day’ to make aware the global fraternity about the need to collectively fight narco-terrorism and pressurise the United Nations and other related organisation to declare May 3 as ‘International Anti-narco terrorism day’.