Guwahati, August 25: The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), an umbrella body of valley-based organisations from Manipur, met Union home minister Amit Shah at his official residence in New Delhi on Friday and held discussions on key matters, including security and fencing of the border.
During the meeting, the Union home minister encouraged the COCOMI representatives to initiate dialogues with “responsible” Kuki leaders and groups to facilitate problem-solving and peace-building.
Shah further emphasised a firm stance against all forms of infiltration into Manipur’s territory.
In accordance with the Union home minister’s instructions, the 13-member COCOMI delegation also engaged in detailed discussions with top officials of the Intelligence Bureau.
During the meeting with Shah, the delegation was assured that measures were being implemented to register immigrants using biometrics, including retina scans. Stringent action would be taken against all forms of infiltration into Manipur’s territory, the COCOMI delegation was told.
To address concerns about mass infiltration, the central government is expediting border fencing in the Manipur sector, the home minister said.
Besides, in regard to territorial integrity there would be no allowance for separate administrations in Manipur, the delegation was told in the meeting.
The Union home minister also appealed for peace in the state and requested COCOMI to convey the message to the people.
On national highways, Shah said the movement and distribution of commodities in the state could be possibly revived with support from both communities. He also said that necessary deployment of convoys to secure the highways would be ensured in a few days.
Subsequently, a representation letter was submitted by the COCOMI delegation to the Union home minister, who forwarded it to the Union home secretary for further discussion on the outlined points.
In the subsequent detailed discussions with the director of the Intelligence Bureau and security advisor Northeast, A.K Mishra, the COCOMI representatives presented the complexities of issues affecting Manipur, including illegal immigration, cross-border narco-terrorism, exploitation of forest resources, and SoO (suspension of operations) violations.
The 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 its understanding of critical issues. After thorough discussion, the officials urged COCOMI to prioritise the immediate measures outlined in the letter to the Union home minister.
They also emphasised the importance of continued engagement and cooperation with the government and stakeholders to facilitate prompt resolution of the crisis.