Manipur violence: Chin-Kuki Narco-Terrorists causing ongoing crisis in state, claims COCOMI

Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) on July 25 said that the people of Manipur would fight the emerging Chin-Kuki Narco-Terrorism in the state if the Centre keeps legitimising the latter.   

It further said that the Centre's treatment and handling of armed Chin-Kuki Narco-Terrorist groups violate the fundamental rights of Meetei citizens.  

''If the Government of India keeps engaging and legitimizing the Chin-Kuki Narco-Terrorist groups despites all the available evidence, the people of Manipur will defy everything to determine our own future and counter the emerging trends,'' an official statement quoted COCOMI as saying.

COCOMI also alleged that the Government of India is not taking concrete action despite several evidences of violating the Suspension of Operations (SoO) ground rules by Chin-Kuki Narco-Terrorist groups which is illegal. 

''Manipur government’s withdrawal from SoO and declaration of Chin-Kuki Armed groups as Terrorists. Is the Government of India deliberately supporting Narco-Terrorism in the region?, it asked.
 
Slamming the Centre further, COCOMI cited a report by the Director of Intelligence Bureau (IB) which says that 12,5000 acres of hill areas are under poppy cultivation and about 650 MT of opium produced annually from Manipur hill areas of Kuki.

''50k crore to 65k crore revenue generation annually. These areas are protected and managed by Armed Chin-Kuki Militants. All are operated in hill areas of Kuki settlement areas and surrounding hills. On what moral ground and government is continuing political negotiation or talks with the Narco-Terrorist leaders,'' the COCOMI added.

It also claimed that the Indian Intelligence had gathered enough evidence to understand the politics behind all this violence and yet doing nothing, adding, ''We shall use all our people’s might to fight for our survival, for our youth generations''.

The coordinating committee said that it will expose the proxy game being played by the Government of India under the shadow of these SoO agreements including the Narco-economy.

''Government of India is responsible and SoO protects and encourages them from their direct engagement in opium cultivation,'' it alleged.

As per COCOMI, Manipur emerging as the largest producer of opium in the world and Chin-Kuki Narco-Terrorist are the primary actors and SoO groups are the key players in which the Government of India is politically legitimizing their illegal activities. 

''This will have a direct impact on the youth of the nation, National Security and even more difficult situation with bigger south and South East Asian geopolitical ramification,'' it said.

COCOMI alleged that Suspension of Operation (SoS) is a legal protection for Chin-Kuki Narco-Terrorist Groups in Manipura and also a legal protection to strengthen Chin-Kuki Narco-terrorist.

''SoO a threat to the integrity of Manipur as it is empowering ethnic army, enhancing ethnic divide, encouraging disintegration of territory on ethnic lines,'' it added.

Also read: Manipur violence: COCOMI urges Government of India not to conduct any talk or discussion with SoO militants