COCOMI review meet tears into PUCL report for biasness, distortions

A public review meeting on the controversial Independent People’s Tribunal Report, conducted by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), was organised by the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), in Imphal on August 30.

The session was presided over by COCOMI convenor Khuraijam Athouba and moderated by retired economist Prof. Ch. Priyoranjan. Eminent speakers included Dr. Homen Thangjam (IGNTU), Dr. Malem Ningthouja (DMU), Dr. Noni Arambam (DMU), Impact TV editor Yumnam Rupachandra, and The Frontier Manipur executive editor Sadokpam Dhiren Ambrose.

The meeting carried out a chapter-wise review of the PUCL report and alleged several distortions and biases. Among the key concerns raised were:

• Branding of the Meetei community as “anti-India”: The report "generalizes and vilifies" the entire Meetei population, portraying their democratic movements and civil society groups as secessionist and anti-national, which is baseless but also deeply offensive.
   
• Misrepresentation of judicial orders: The report wrongly claims that the Manipur High Court directed the state to recommend ST status for the Meeteis, despite clarification from the former Chief Justice that no such authority rests with the court.
   
• One-sided portrayal of violence: Highlighting incidents of arms looting in the valley, but ignoring large-scale looting of weapons from police posts in the hills and the well-documented role of armed Kuki groups.
   
• Suppressing critical facts: Downplaying the involvement of heavily armed Kuki militants, cross-border infiltration, and the use of drones and sophisticated weaponry, while disproportionately blaming Meitei civil society.
   
• Biased narrative construction: The Tribunal recycles discredited and withdrawn reports, including the Editors’ Guild report, and aligns its findings with separatist propaganda.

The meeting concluded that the Tribunal Report was politically motivated and damaging to Manipur’s image.

Key recommendations of the meeting:

1. Formation of a COCOMI-led Working Group to prepare a fact-based counter report to counter PUCL’s distorted narrative.
    
2. Accountability measures against individuals and organisations deliberately branding the Meeteis as “Anti-India” and manipulated facts for political ends.
    
3. Lodging of FIRs under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against PUCL members for one-sided and inflammatory reporting under the guise of Human Rights.
    

Speakers emphasised the need for accurate and balanced documentation to safeguard the dignity of the Manipuri people and ensure peace in the state.