In a representation submitted to the Union Home Minister, COCOMI reiterated its demand to replace Assam Rifles with an alternative arrangement based on the policy of “routine rotation and replacement of forces especially in the border areas where Chinese national interest and influence are predominant”.
TFM Report
Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) held a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah at his official residence in New Delhi on Friday morning around 10:30 am (August 25).
During the meeting, a detailed discussion was held on the Manipur crisis with top officials of the Intelligence Bureau (IB), as per Amit Shah’s instructions.
On national security measures, the Union Home Minister emphasized on taking a firm stance against all forms of infiltration into Manipur’s territory. “Measures are being implemented to register immigrants using biometrics, including retina scans. Stringent action will be taken against all forms of infiltration into Manipur’s territory”, said a press statement issued by COCOMI.
On the issue of border fencing to address concerns raised on mass cross-border infiltration, COCOMI was informed that the Government of India “is expediting border fencing in the Manipur sector”.
According to COCOMI, the Union Home Minister has apparently assured that “there will be no allowance for separate administrations in Manipur” to safeguard its territorial integrity.
The Union Home Minister also appealed for peace in the state and requested COCOMI to convey “this message to the people”. The committee stated that as far as the national highways are concerned, it agreed that “ensuring the movement and distribution of commodities in the state can be possibly realised with the support from both communities” in conflict at the moment. “And necessary deployment of convoys to secure the highways shall be ensured in few days”, said COCOMI.
During the meeting, COCOMI was encouraged to initiate dialogues with responsible Kuki leaders and groups to facilitate problem-solving and peace-building.
As a follow-up action, a representation was submitted to the Union Home Minister, who forwarded it to the Union Home Secretary for further discussion on the points specifically outlined.
In another detailed discussion with the Director of the Intelligence Bureau and Security Advisor, Northeast AK Mishra, COCOMI also highlighted complex issues “affecting Manipur, including illegal immigration, cross-border narco terrorism, exploitation of forest resources, and SoO violations”.
COCOMI said that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) officials acknowledged and took note of the critical points. The Director of the Intelligence Bureau provided insights into the current crisis in Manipur and his understanding of critical issues. After a thorough discussion, the officials urged COCOMI to prioritize the immediate measures outlined in the letter.
The meeting also “emphasized the importance of continued engagement and cooperation with the government and stakeholders to facilitate a quicker resolution of the crisis”.
The COCOMI team who took part in the meeting comprised of 13 Members with Jeetendra Ningomba, Coordinator COCOMI leading the delegation, accompanied by Consultative members Yumnamcha Dilipkumar, Ak Shethajit, K Maharabi, Th Bharat, Khomdram Ratan with COCOMI Assistant Coordinators Joychandra Konthoujam, Longjam Ratankumar, Somorendro Thokchom, Khuraijam Athouba, Ph Shyamchand, Y Surjitkumar and L Jayanta.
FULL TEXT OF MEMORANDUM SUBMITTED BY COCOMI TO UNION HOME MINISTER AMIT SHAH
To,
Shri Amit Shahji
Hon’ble Union Minister of Home Affairs
India
Subject: Request for effective intervention in the prolonged Chin-Kuki NarcoTerrorist aggression on the soil of India in Manipur sector and matters of the possible threat to Indian National Security.
Hon’ble Home Minister,
It has been now 113 days since the foreign based Chin-Kuki Narco-Terrorists, in collusion with the Kuki sectarian radical groups, have made an unwarranted aggression on the soil of India in Manipur sector challenging the sovereignty and sanctity of the Indian Nation.
While nearly a lakh of people have been rendered homeless and have taken refuge in many relief camps set up across Manipur, more than 160 people have died and several civilians missing in this tragic human carnage.
In this regard, Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), on behalf of the people of Manipur draws your kind attention to the following facts and imperatives which might directly threaten the Indian National Security.
- It is now open and known to the world that the Manipur violence is an act of aggression by foreign based Chin-Kuki Narco-Terrorists in connivance with the Kuki sectarian radical forces.
The larger game plan of the current violence is to carve out sizable territories from three different countries viz. Chittagong Hill tracts of Bangladesh, Chin state of Myanmar and Kuki inhabited areas of Manipur and the entire Mizoram of India and to form a united Zoland/Zale’n-gam in the line of an Israelite state. With the dream of creating a unique Christian country where different small ethnic groups identifying as conglomerates of Thadou-Kuki speaking cognates settled together, the Chin-Kukis are forcing the impossible. Not only terrorizing the civilians in the territory of Manipur, they are also forcing youths and even young children to take up arms and into believing the utopia of Zale’n-gam. These young children are indoctrinated with hatred and false promises pressuring them to war against an imaginary enemy.
- The utopia of forming a united Zoland/ Zale’n-gam has reached such fervent heights that a recently constituted propaganda group called the World Kuki Zo Intellectual Council (WKZIC) had already submitted a memorandum to the United Nations on June 29, 2023 urging upon the world body to grant a separate country comprising of territories carved out from the three countries as mentioned above. They also submitted another memorandum to the Prime Minister of Israel to extend their support and aid.
- The interconnectivity of the geopolitics of the Southeast Asia and South Asian regions in the context of Myanmar crisis and its ramifications on Manipur violence will certainly be a sphere of Indian national security. Any issue of turmoil and social unrest in the border states of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram and importantly Manipur will certainly open a pandora of opportunities for Chinese intelligence. The danger of this intrusion has been expressed by many retired high ranking military officers and think-tanks in several electronic media, webinars and discussions. The threat is alarmingly real.
- Though Manipur experienced various armed opposition groups since the day of the merger of Manipur with India in 1949, the people of Manipur, especially the Meeteis have fully absorbed the values of democracy. Parliamentary elections after elections have shown their commitment to democracy. In the valley, it seems the electoral contests are based on people’s choices and without having much influence or the dictates of the armed groups. Meeteis have consistently shown their commitment to the Indian democratic system. The Meeteis in general do not subscribe to Chinese communist dictatorial political system.
- However, parliamentary elections in hill areas largely remain greatly influenced by armed groups. The settlement patterns in the hills where small villages are scattered in isolated hinterlands combined with massive and complete control of the body polity of Kuki dominated areas by Kuki militants make the Indian parliamentary elections a farce. The hard facts of these aberrations from normal course of democratic election can be easily seen from the truth of the election of the family members to the Manipur Legislative Assembly and several of them even becoming ministers.
- While the government of India under the vibrant leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modiji had been pushing India into becoming one of the most powerful countries of the world by eliminating parochialism and sectarianism, the Kukis remain adamant on insisting the conservation of parochialism, separatism and thereby destroying the age old social harmony of Manipur. The anti-democratic and sectarian uprising will certainly give the Chinese intelligence an exceptional opportunity of intrusion deep inside the Indian National Security system.
- Out of the four Indian states bordering Myanmar having a length of 1643 Kms, Manipur shares 398 Kms which is completely porous and due to which the changing demography has happened because of the intrusion of numerous illegal migrants from Myanmar into the Indian Territory.
The subtle demographic balance is already endangered. If the trend is not halted, a new demographic alignment will emerge that will lead to social chaos and fight for social dominance. The present mayhem is a prelude to the impending overarching crisis.
In the above said circumstances and in the face of the current political chaos, the following measures may kindly be taken up to create a conducive environment for bringing peace in Manipur.
- Containment of armed aggressors: The armed Chin-Kuki Narco Terrorists and the armed Kuki separatists be immediately contained.
- Restoration and resettlement of displaced people: Initiatives for restoration of internally displaced persons in their original settlements be taken up.
- Opening of the National Highways: Blocking of the national highways is a grave crime against humanity and its impeding economic development. In spite of various orders issued by the High Court of Manipur, the Kuki people are blocking the National Highways of Manipur. We urge upon the central government to open the National Highways immediately and deploy necessary security forces for free access of all communities.
- Shifting of security forces from educational institutions: Since educational institutions have started opening, the security forces staying in the educational institutions be shifted to other appropriate places.
- Updation of NRC: Immediate implementation and updation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) under Citizenship Act 1955 and as mandated by the Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2003 in Manipur.
- Destruction of poppy plantation before the harvesting month: In fulfilling the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s initiative of ‘Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan 2020’, poppy plantation areas in the hill districts of Manipur be immediately surveyed and poppy plantations be destroyed before the coming harvesting season in September. Further, the components of the action plan be reviewed and include the components of;
- a) Restriction and destruction of poppy plantations.
- b) Arrest and prosecution of drug mafias.
- c) Inclusion of poppy cultivated hill districts of Manipur in the identification list of districts under Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan 2020.
- Replacement of Assam Rifles: Since evidences of a few of wanton officers of the Assam Rifles having involved in the drug racket had already been out in the public domain, the functioning of the Assam Rifles and their possible nexus with drug mafia be thoroughly investigated in the context of India’s national security and also in the interest of the citizens of India. Further, deployment of the same security force (consistently for 40 years and more) could have made undesired affinity with local population and put the national interest in jeopardy. The best option may be to replace Assam Rifles and also to follow the policy of routine rotation and replacement of forces especially in the border areas where Chinese national interest and influence are predominant.
- Abrogate Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreements: Since Kuki militants covered under SoO have been constantly violating the ground rules of the agreement, it is imperative that SoO be abrogated.
With kind regards,
Jeetendra Ningomba
Coordinator, COCOMI
Manipur
Copy to:
- PMO, Government of India. [For Information]
- Ministry of Defense, Government of India. [For information]
- Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India. [For information]
- Ministry of Internal Affairs, Government of India. [For information]
- Ministry of Forest and Environment, Government of India. [For information]