Guwahati, June 11: The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), a conglomerate of civil society organisations of Manipur, has condemned the ambush on the Manipur chief minister’s advance security convoy by suspected militants on Monday.
Notably, the convoy was on its way to Jiribam on Monday to assess the security situation ahead of chief minister N Biren Singh’s visit to the district which has been affected by violence over the past few days.
“This attack resulted in serious injuries to two security personnel and represents a blatant act of terrorism. The incident underscores the escalating conflict between the state government and Kuki terrorist organisations, exacerbated by the perceived complicity of Indian central security forces,” the committee’s media coordinator Y. Surjitkumar Khuman said in a statement issued on Tuesday.
“Despite such a direct assault on the state apparatus, the central security forces’ passive stance raises grave concerns. This ongoing conflict, initially mischaracterised as communal violence, is now evidently a targeted aggression against the state government by Kuki terrorist groups,” Khuman stated.
“Since the initial attacks on Meetei civilians in Churachandpur and Torbung Kangvai on May 3 last year, there has been a concerted effort by Kuki propagandists to frame the violence as a communal issue. However, these acts are strategic moves by Kuki narco-terrorists to destabilise the state,” the committee asserted.
The committee alleged that the central government’s neutral stance amidst the attacks has not only compromised the safety of citizens in the state but also undermined the authority of the Manipur government.
“The refusal of central forces to assist the state forces in retaliation or defend against these attacks suggests an implicit support for the Kuki groups by the Indian state against the interest of their own state government, fuelling further violence and instability,” Khuman said.
Demanding immediate and decisive action from the Indian government to address the crisis, the committee stated that the “ongoing protection and alleged collusion of Indian security forces, particularly the Assam Rifles with the Kuki terrorist groups, must be thoroughly investigated and addressed.