Manipur violence: COCOMI announces boycott of state government in protest of unrest handling

In response to the Manipur state government's failure to convene an emergency session of the Manipur Legislative Assembly, the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), an umbrella body of various civil organizations, has announced a boycott of the state government with immediate effect. The move comes as a protest against the government's handling of the ongoing unrest in the region.

During a press conference held at the COCOMI office, Convenor Jeetendra Ningomba expressed disappointment over the government's failure to address their demand for an emergency assembly session before August 5 to seek a peaceful resolution to the current turmoil. The committee had been urging the government to take prompt action, but their pleas were left unanswered.

In association with the people of the state, COCOMI plans to carry out the boycott, refusing to cooperate with any activities initiated by the state government. The decision to boycott comes after a mass rally against narco-terrorism, which saw the participation of over 7 lakh people. During the rally, the committee laid out several resolutions, including uprooting narco-terrorism, implementing the National Register of Citizenship (NRC), and calling for the emergency session of the Manipur Legislative Assembly.

"We made our demand for an emergency session in the presence of lakhs of people. However, the state government has failed to act upon our plea, disregarding the voices of the masses. This lack of respect for our collective demand has compelled us to boycott the state government," explained Jeetendra Ningomba.

The COCOMI convenor also strongly condemned the recent tragic incident at Kwakta in Bishnupur district, where three innocent Meitei people lost their lives in a brutal killing during the wee hours. The incident, which occurred near a buffer zone guarded by central forces, has raised serious questions about the security situation in the region.

"We find it unfortunate that the central government remains silent on such a heinous act that claimed innocent lives. The incident took place in an area guarded by Assam Rifles, yet such brutality occurred. We no longer trust the Assam Rifles and will take measures to defend ourselves," declared Ningomba, expressing concern and indignation over the Kwakta killings.